Command & Conquer 360: getting the game into the Xbox (and the PS3?)

Would you be surprised if EALA‘s Mike Glosecki, Senior Producer for Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars, told Gamespot that the 360 C&C3 pathfinder, Battle for Middle Earth II (360), isn’t the runaway success they hoped it would be (it only sold less than 150,000 copies)? And yet they still want to bring the upcoming PC installment of the C&C series onto the 360 as they’re still out to prove that Kane and Co. can be a console thing, too.

Well, Mike reveals that the 360 version will get some exclusive Xbox Live multiplayer game modes that won’t be on the PC. There’s going to be a Capture the Flag mode – no need to elaborate on that – and Conquer and Siege modes. In both modes, rushing is in one way or another disabled.

• In Conquer, players build their armies to a set point limit (based on unit cost or population? Mike doesn’t say which) and then fight in a no-reinforcements battle to the bitter (and probably quick) end.
• In Siege, a wall of energy blocks players from attacking each other. Players get five minutes to set up their offenses or defenses in absolute peace, before the barrier dissipates and all hell breaks loose.

Mike also says that Xbox Live Vision will be supported by the game. Yes, we’re talking about video chat in the lobby, in the game, and if you pwn them, as Mike says there’s going to be a “Winner’s Circle” feature where the victor can trash the loser/s’ n00bish RTS skills (apparently there is no avoiding this torture if you’re a loser. Unless you shut your TV off after losing…).

And on seeing the game on the PS3? Says Mike,

“Absolutely. I think that we’ve opened the door for many developers by showing that it can be done and done well. There certainly are no real hardware barriers; both systems are capable of running a very rich-looking and terrific-playing high-end RTS game. (Though) We currently do not have plans for a PS3 RTS game, but bringing an RTS to the PS3 is certainly a possibility in the future.”

We ourselves are tempted to ask about a Wii-fied C&C, but maybe not. Okay, back to the Xbox. Downloadable content? “We are currently looking at the types of new content that we can provide for Xbox Live Marketplace and will keep you posted.” Oh boy, we’re talking about EA, right? Just promise that the game on the disc will be a complete game, and the Marketplace stuff will be new, unreleased content (pinups of Tricia Helfer, perhaps?), and we’re not going to cry bloody heck.

Would you be surprised if EALA‘s Mike Glosecki, Senior Producer for Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars, told Gamespot that the 360 C&C3 pathfinder, Battle for Middle Earth II (360), isn’t the runaway success they hoped it would be (it only sold less than 150,000 copies)? And yet they still want to bring the upcoming PC installment of the C&C series onto the 360 as they’re still out to prove that Kane and Co. can be a console thing, too.

Well, Mike reveals that the 360 version will get some exclusive Xbox Live multiplayer game modes that won’t be on the PC. There’s going to be a Capture the Flag mode – no need to elaborate on that – and Conquer and Siege modes. In both modes, rushing is in one way or another disabled.

• In Conquer, players build their armies to a set point limit (based on unit cost or population? Mike doesn’t say which) and then fight in a no-reinforcements battle to the bitter (and probably quick) end.
• In Siege, a wall of energy blocks players from attacking each other. Players get five minutes to set up their offenses or defenses in absolute peace, before the barrier dissipates and all hell breaks loose.

Mike also says that Xbox Live Vision will be supported by the game. Yes, we’re talking about video chat in the lobby, in the game, and if you pwn them, as Mike says there’s going to be a “Winner’s Circle” feature where the victor can trash the loser/s’ n00bish RTS skills (apparently there is no avoiding this torture if you’re a loser. Unless you shut your TV off after losing…).

And on seeing the game on the PS3? Says Mike,

“Absolutely. I think that we’ve opened the door for many developers by showing that it can be done and done well. There certainly are no real hardware barriers; both systems are capable of running a very rich-looking and terrific-playing high-end RTS game. (Though) We currently do not have plans for a PS3 RTS game, but bringing an RTS to the PS3 is certainly a possibility in the future.”

We ourselves are tempted to ask about a Wii-fied C&C, but maybe not. Okay, back to the Xbox. Downloadable content? “We are currently looking at the types of new content that we can provide for Xbox Live Marketplace and will keep you posted.” Oh boy, we’re talking about EA, right? Just promise that the game on the disc will be a complete game, and the Marketplace stuff will be new, unreleased content (pinups of Tricia Helfer, perhaps?), and we’re not going to cry bloody heck.