Articles & Editorials: Future C&C – The Possibilities

What are the possibilities of C&C in the future? Well the two biggest have to be Red Alert 3 and Tiberian Twilight. I will divide this article up into three sections:

  1. Tiberian Twilight
  2. Red Alert 3
  3. The Future Of C&C

1. Tiberian Twilight

Current Rumours (These Are ONLY Rumours!):

‘After many months of speculation, there has been a whiff of something happening on the much-anticipated Tiberian Sun 2. Heard “On the grapevine” by a colleague of mine, it is said that the second game will run on a Red Alert 2 styled interface, with many new features being introduced. These include the ability to play as a third side, new units and structures and the long awaited integrated multiplayer chat service. There is also the rumour of a civilian army that will show up in TS2, making it even easier or harder to play, depending on your point of view.’

‘With a recent lapse in news coverage subsiding, there is talk at Westwood and various fan circles regarding Tiberian Sun 2. Here are some of the whispers that I have heard. 1.) The civilian army mentioned in my previous update will consist of members of the Forgotten and Civilians. The weaponry will be based around the US Army’s, with M-16 Machine Guns and F-14 Tomcats being available.
2.) GDI and NOD will both receive new units, with the most powerful being called “Peacekeeper” for GDI and “Annilator” for NOD. These will be the ultimate beasties, with their arsenal including RPGs, Rocket Launchers, Mortars, Machine Guns, Landmines and Electromagnetic Pulses. It will have the ability to burrow underground, fly and float over water.
3.) Kane will return to the NOD, only to be once more “Vanquished” by the GDI. In an expansion pack, he will return in a space-based conquest – Sending Space Shuttles and fighters to destroy the GDI’s Space Station Philadelphia.
4.) Finally, in another expansion pack, Westwood will make a 3D interface available. YOU will be able to control any vehicle that takes your fancy, our go into action and mow down the competition with your rockets and machine guns. As they say – “If you want something done, then you gotta do it yourself.”’

This is the game that people have been talking about since way before Tiberian Sun was on the scene and almost since the original C&C. But why is this game surrounded is so much mystery? Well, basically because Westwood haven’t actually confirmed its existence. They have said there will be another C&C game but whenever Tiberian Twilight is brought up they go very quiet. The reason this game is secretive could be because it will be the last in the C&C trilogy or it could be because Westwood have no intention of making it. This I doubt however as the end of TS: Firestorm was pretty conclusive evidence that there will be another game but possibly with Kane in some ‘Computer’ form. At the moment there are rumours to go with the game but they aren’t exactly conclusive, as there wasn’t even a trailer for it at the end of Tiberian Sun. This is a sure sign that if the game does exist we won’t be seeing it for 2-3 years at least, if not more. As the series started with ‘Tiberian Dawn’ then ‘Tiberian Twilight’ would seem to be the logical end but Westwood may wish to withhold the end for quite a while. Either way, if this game does exist, then no doubt it will introduce new technologies, maybe new sides, a new storyline, more FMV and could even be in full 3D or be a 3D RTS. The possibilities for this one are endless…

2. Red Alert 3

This is the current rumour regarding RA3 (This Is Only A Rumour!):

‘In the new game, tons of new additions will be added. All new units, tanks, and structures will appear. Also, the graphics will be better than Red Alert 2 – the best ever. Reinforcing the Soviet army will be Nukers, armoured units that have portable Nuke Launchers that can take out any structure very quickly. It is like a stronger unit version of the RA2 V3 Rocket Launcher. New units like Alien planes called the Nemesis, that are invisible to enemy radar and extremely deadly, will round out the Soviet army.

For the Allies, they will have new cheap units like Scoots. These troops are weaker than GIs, but they are fast. Demolishers are tanks that can lay dynamite everywhere- including the ground. Diamond Troops fire lasers through diamonds, much like RA2s prism tanks.

These and many other additions will make the Red Alert 3 game better than any strategy game ever.’

If any C&C sequel is most likely then this is it. From somewhere, someone as said there will be a Red Alert 3 and considering the RA2 fan base and the fact that in the current poll On Westwood’s website asking which game you would most like a sequel for has RA2 on it, and is winning, I can imagine that Westwood will give us a sequel. But what are its possibilities? Well that question will no doubt be best answered after Yuri’s Revenge has come out and seeing how the game is left at the end. No doubt Yuri will get smashed to pieces and his psychic army left in ruins but, more importantly, what will the situation be like between the Allies and Soviets? Not so great at a guess and this could be the set up for the next game. I know a lot of this is jumping to conclusions but looking at what Westwood have done before and the way that good always defeats evil (look at GDI vs. NOD) in there games the scenario is set for at least another Red Alert and maybe even more. What, no doubt, will eventually happen is that a future Red Alert game will bridge the gap between the two storylines. Everything that happened in Red Alert 1/2 was before Tiberian Dawn and a future game could link the two timelines. Which would be quite a contrast no doubt. As for the engine I would guess 3D RTS but then I have no evidence to support that. Red Alert 3 is on the cards, now we have to see how Westwood deals them…

3. The Future Of C&C

‘Very Bright’ is how I would put it at the moment. Even though many don’t like to think this C&C’s future really rests on how many people buy the games and if it is profitable for Westwood to continue making and marketing the games. If the games stay popular then do doubt Westwood will keep making them, if not, then the future isn’t as good. Whatever the case there is almost certainly, deep in some Westwood basement, a C&C 3 being made. When we see the first glimmer of it however no one knows apart from Westwood themselves, and EA no doubt. To guarantee the future of C&C people need to buy the games and expand the ever growing fan base. If people continue to support C&C the way they do, it’s future is very, very bright…

Thanks to Real TS and RADEN for the rumours.

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