Command & Conquer Ultimate Collection gives early beta access to new F2P C&C

Paying $50 for a collection of 17 Command & Conquer games seems excessive, given that you'll most likely never play many of them, but that's what EA hopes you'll do. Ah, but there's a bonus--its 'Command & Conquer the Ultimate Collection' bundle includes early beta access to the curious new free-to-play Command & Conquer thing C&C: Generals 2 morphed into. If you find that at all tempting.

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Paying $50 for a collection of 17 Command & Conquer games and expansion packs seems excessive, given that you'll most likely never play many of them, but that's what EA hopes you'll do in October. Ah, but there's a bonus--its 'Command & Conquer the Ultimate Collection' bundle includes early beta access to the curious new free-to-play Command & Conquer thing C&C: Generals 2 morphed into. If you find that at all tempting.

The Ultima Collection isn't quite the ultimate collection, as it only includes the C&C games which have been updated to run on modern operating systems. Sorry, Sole Survivor fans. Here's what's in the box (or, more accurately, what the download code in the box will give you on Origin):

  • Command & Conquer

  • Command & Conquer - The Covert Operations

  • Command & Conquer: Red Alert

  • Command & Conquer: Red Alert - Counterstrike

  • Command & Conquer: Red Alert - The Aftermath

  • Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun

  • Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun - Firestorm

  • Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2

  • Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 - Yuri's Revenge

  • Command & Conquer: Renegade

  • Command & Conquer: Generals

  • Command & Conquer: Generals - Zero Hour

  • Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars

  • Command & Conquer 3 - Kane's Wrath

  • Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3

  • Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 - Uprising

  • Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight

It also packs a compilation of the series' most rockin'est soundtrack tunes, some mysterious "exclusive commemorative art" in retail copies, and, of course, that beta access.

The game formerly known as Command & Conquer Generals 2 is part of a free-to-play C&C platform, which EA plans to expand with new games from the other C&C sub-series. It's targeting the pro-gaming audience, so TGFKAC&CG2 won't have single-player, not at launch anyway.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    August 31, 2012 7:00 AM

    Alice O'Connor posted a new article, Command & Conquer Ultimate Collection gives early beta access to new F2P C&C.

    Paying $50 for a collection of 17 Command & Conquer games seems excessive, given that you'll most likely never play many of them, but that's what EA hopes you'll do. Ah, but there's a bonus--its 'Command & Conquer the Ultimate Collection' bundle includes early beta access to the curious new free-to-play Command & Conquer thing C&C: Generals 2 morphed into. If you find that at all tempting.

    • reply
      August 31, 2012 7:03 AM

      I would love to play the first one again but the resolution would be terrible lol. The original is still by far the best. Loved playing on lan and using chem warriors. Good times!!!!

      • reply
        October 1, 2012 8:56 AM

        I think the first C&C has a lot of charm to it, but that Red Alert made enough advancements to be a better game. It's soundtrack was also stellar (though both are good).

        But without a doubt, the first 2 C&C games are the best of the series, and it has almost entirely crashed and burned under the ownership of EA. Such a shame.

    • reply
      August 31, 2012 7:09 AM

      I wish this would come to Steam to have them all in one place.

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      August 31, 2012 7:26 AM

      Man if I didn't already own all these twice over (the second copies were for my brother) I'd hit that.

      Aside from C&C4 they're all great. (I don't outright hate 4 but it wasn't exactly what I was hoping for.)

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      August 31, 2012 7:29 AM

      I have no desire to play Generals 2 anymore. I still have my original CDs of Generals and Zero hour, if I recall max rez was 1024x768. Wasn't bad, but after awhile it felt too squished.

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        August 31, 2012 7:49 AM

        There's a 1280x960 or something too...but I can't wait for G2 :)

      • reply
        August 31, 2012 6:09 PM

        You can edit a text file to make the rez 1920x1080.

    • reply
      August 31, 2012 7:47 AM

      Gah, I only want Red Alert 2.

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      August 31, 2012 8:14 AM

      beta access for free to play, lol. That's like asking people to try shooting themselves before they get robbed at gunpoint.

    • reply
      August 31, 2012 8:15 AM

      [deleted]

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      August 31, 2012 9:34 AM

      I bought this collection the first time it was put out, some years back. I loved the series, but at the time, most of the old ones wouldn't work on my modern version of windows (which may have been vista at the time). I really wanted it for the red alert 2/YR.

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      August 31, 2012 10:55 AM

      I bought the First Decade, so this is pretty much useless.

      If it was on Steam however...

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      August 31, 2012 10:11 PM

      i do not understand why people want digital distribution now days, have they not
      heard that all major internet providers will be capping bandwidth? ive heard that
      150gb per month will be cap, probably go lower once they realize the amount
      of money they are gonna make on overage charges, i hate to say this but
      game devs are just now catching on to a trend that was suppose to have already
      been in its prime right now, they waited until now to start this when unlimited
      internet is going the way of the dinosaur again, i would estimate this will be
      a nightmare all around, i mean that many games has to be like 20 to 30 gb
      plus what we all do on the net, hell i can burn through 30-40gb on youtube
      alone if i had the bandwidth to do it, not counting netflix or the hundred other
      free services provided by the networks to watch reruns online.

      i say they started it now because its just now getting to where digital distribution
      is almost the norm, i know its been around for a bit but it was so slow to start
      that i fear it missed its true chance to shine. also the movement towards online
      only games is such a huge mistake at this point, truth is this is all getting so
      expensive even to just play a free to play game, your talking a min of around
      60-100$+ per month just for the net then the cost of the game if there is one,
      then once bandwidth caps hit everyone, another 20-30$ or more for overages per
      month, truth is it will be very far from free to play these games very soon, then
      on top of that they wanna have DLC that costs more and the sick fact that
      you dont even own your copy of the game anymore, you cannot play if you
      lose the net.

      I for one will not give my money to these thoughtless fools anymore, i will
      buy games that were well thought out and that allow me as the customer
      to do what i wish, i am paying for this stuff one way or the other just because
      you call it free to play does not mean it actually is free to play.

      • reply
        August 31, 2012 10:15 PM

        [deleted]

      • reply
        August 31, 2012 10:56 PM

        You probably should have taken out the newlines from wherever you copied and pasted that from if you had any intention of being taken seriously.

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          September 2, 2012 10:15 PM

          if you were referring to my post, if i did copy and paste that from a news line then
          they have the worst editing staff ever, i know my grammar and sentence structure
          isnt very good, but anyway simply replying with inane comments and not addressing
          what i actually posted is a waste of space.

          I still maintain this will all end in a cluster F of godly proportions, here is one example,
          a friend of mine had a 955$ 3g internet bill because her significant other is a huge
          WOW fan and used it to play for 2 months, now picture when all the service providers
          are doing similar things with their bandwidth and to prove they are all you need to
          do is research it a little, its being talked about by all major providers right now,
          the say we are straining the system with all the bandwidth usage we go for
          movies, shows, games, updates, youtube, oh and also ads, those are eating
          up a good bit as well, so many ads are video or interactive and many sites
          will not allow you to block them for thats a chunk of their revenue.

          instead of building the infrastructure bigger to handle the next gen bandwidth
          requirements they are going to charge for use, its much easier and with
          games now days being anywhere from 5-10gb easy its bound to make them
          a mint, i really wish i were making all this up as im an avid gamer and its
          going to become even harder to enjoy quality games now.

      • reply
        August 31, 2012 11:57 PM

        FWD: FWD: FWD:

      • reply
        September 1, 2012 12:42 AM

        Omgwtfbbq

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