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

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.