The supremo talks C&C’s digital future and how its new direction allows gamers ”to do everything” we’d expect from a boxed release.
”Direct-to-consumer is where I think most games are going, and I’ve always been a fan of the series,” boss Caneghem told Gamasutra.
”It’s challenging, but I think it’s a great time,” referring to his time of hire. ”The company has the same vision I do on the future of games and the future of this franchise, so I think it’s going be great.” The developers on C&C4 are said to be let go when it retails.
It’s all that connectivity and how games are no longer standalone offerings but they’re being driven as a service. He believes it’s time for the strategy genre to join others in this.
”Look what online has done for RPGs over the last 10 years,” he notes. ”All the other categories are following suit… we’re looking forward to building something to be a leader in that space.” Exactly how C&C will accomplish this is kept secret for now.
”It allows you to do everything you would have expected from a boxed game, but it adds a lot more to it… being connected and connected with players, and persistence, the social elements of playing against each other with other friends.”
Social networking, and therefore Facebook, gets a mention. ”What you’re seeing with all the social gamers on Facebook… they are actually already playing strategy games whether they know it or not,” said Caneghem. ”Taking a franchise like Command and Conquer and expanding it to a wider audience is part of the strategy.”
”For years we made games, put it in a box and hoped it sold well, and if it did we made sequels.” Creating a persistent online world with social bits is ”something no one’s ever done before,” he added. Command & Conquer has sold 30 million lifetime units.
Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight releases on PC Match 19th, 2010.
