Command & Conquer dev interview reveals plan to revisit Red Alert and Tiberium universes

Once upon a time, a group of game developers sat down to create a real-time strategy. More importantly, they sat down to create an intro video for that real-time strategy. The game was Red Alert, and that intro featured Einstein building a time-machine to assassinate Hitler with a handshake . It's an important, nay, defining moment in the history of gaming, and one that shouldn't be forgotten. By the sounds of it, it's one that current C&C custodians EA haven't forgotten, because briefly buried in this official promo video for the upcoming free-to-play Command & Conquer, is the admission that both the Red Alert and Tiberium storylines will be revisited.

The relevant line, from development director Tim Morten: "in the future, we're going to go back to the Tiberium universe and the Red Alert universe."

Of course, originally they were the same universe. But then continuity slipped through a chrono-hole, and common sense rode away on a mechanical dolphin. For instance, Red Alert 2's intro . People wrote that. For money. And then that guy from Twin Peaks acted in it. For money!

The upcoming Command & Conquer is based around the infinitely less interesting Generals universe, with its near-future West vs East vs Terrorist structure. Despite being free-to-play, this sequel will feature a singleplay campaign, which will be released episodically . It's currently in beta , and is due out before the end of the year.

Thanks, RPS .

Phil Savage
Editor-in-Chief

Phil has been writing for PC Gamer for nearly a decade, starting out as a freelance writer covering everything from free games to MMOs. He eventually joined full-time as a news writer, before moving to the magazine to review immersive sims, RPGs and Hitman games. Now he leads PC Gamer's UK team, but still sometimes finds the time to write about his ongoing obsessions with Destiny 2, GTA Online and Apex Legends. When he's not levelling up battle passes, he's checking out the latest tactics game or dipping back into Guild Wars 2. He's largely responsible for the whole Tub Geralt thing, but still isn't sorry.

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