Command & Conquer Generals 2 goes free to play

[Knightwolf20024]

The Command & Conquer franchise was always a place to drive innovation for strategy fans around the world. For many, Command & Conquer is the symbol as the inventor and driver of the RTS genre as we know it today.

While the world of gaming is changing rapidly, the RTS genre itself hasn?t changed that much at all. But this will change soon, with Command & Conquer leading the world of gaming into a new era. We?re proud to announce the evolution of Generals 2 towards the new Command & Conquer online game that will bring players around the world a high quality AAA Real Time Strategy experience! This new experience will start with the content we?ve built for Generals 2, brought to a never before seen visual level powered by Frostbite 2 - High Octane Action - For Free.

Source

New site/Beta sign up

Edited August 16, 2012 by Anaron
Added video.

[dead.cell]

Thanks for the heads up. Registered. I'd rather actually give this a try as opposed to bitching about the game already as others seem to be doing...

[threesixtyflip]

Oh yes! I am on this! :)

[Yusuf M. Veteran]

I didn't know about the beta registration so thanks for the heads up on that. I'm still excited for the game after it was unveiled to be a free-to-play title. I'll be happy as long as they don't offer new units for real money or in-game currency. The graphics look better than I expected and I hope it doesn't bring my outdated gaming PC to its knees. I also hope that it'll be less (or equally) hardware intensive than Battlefield 3.

[Dane]

I signed up. I hope it starts soon!

[dead.cell]

I didn't know about the beta registration so thanks for the heads up on that. I'm still excited for the game after it was unveiled to be a free-to-play title. I'll be happy as long as they don't offer new units for real money or in-game currency. The graphics look better than I expected and I hope it doesn't bring my outdated gaming PC to its knees. I also hope that it'll be less (or equally) hardware intensive than Battlefield 3.

Same. I just find the idea of an RTS to an awesome series using a badass engine (Frostbite 2.0) to be rather enticing. I see people bitching about F2P as if it just can't work, while games like League of Legends are largely popular. Only question is: can EA pull it off?

[The Laughing Man]

Thanks for the heads up, Signed up as well!

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

Signed up, thank you for the heads up! :)

[spaceelf]

I don't know, my question would be more 'Can EA pull it off without trying to bleed people dry?' Most F2P games go for the unhappy medium between people who don't pay and people who pay way too much.

Mass Effect 3s multiplayer goes the same way, even though it isn't technically F2P.

And Battleforge.

So yeah, I'm one of those who've spent way too much on those. I think I have the right to be concerned that this might becoming an endemic problem in EA gaming.

[Raa]

I'll give it a shot. But F2P doesn't inspire me...

[Dotdot]

Yay! F2P, so now we dont get a single player campaign.

Nice work EA.

[spaceelf]

Yay! F2P, so now we dont get a single player campaign.

Nice work EA.

We actually have no idea why this happened (my guess - low preorders and press enthusiasm) but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt on having reasons to do what was done.

I'm not thrilled by the change, but I'm willing to wait and see how it comes out before dissing it entirely.

[Xerxes]

Meh, I was really excited for this game and now I couldn't careless. I guess I'm a minority but I really enjoy a good single player game, guess the market demand is for multi player only :/ shame.

[lecter]

Are you guys sure it will be multiplayer-only? AOE Online has a very decent singleplayer campaign imho...

[Lovell]

Same. I just find the idea of an RTS to an awesome series using a badass engine (Frostbite 2.0) to be rather enticing. I see people bitching about F2P as if it just can't work, while games like League of Legends are largely popular. Only question is: can EA pull it off?

League of Legends only sells cosmetic skins, the main problem with F2P is when they create multiple tiers of weapons and the only way to get the higher tier weapons is to pay.

[Crisp]

Holy crap, I just signed up and it worked. That's a first from EA actually having a non-broken website.

[dead.cell]

Yay! F2P, so now we dont get a single player campaign.

Nice work EA.

We actually have no idea why this happened (my guess - low preorders and press enthusiasm) but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt on having reasons to do what was done.

I'm not thrilled by the change, but I'm willing to wait and see how it comes out before dissing it entirely.

From the FAQ:

Will there be a traditional single player campaign?

Not at launch. We are currently focused on building a fun, high quality RTS experience that we want to get in your hands on as soon as possible. From there, we will continuously evaluate additional content based on a variety of player feedback methods.

This could be a good thing if it means we can actually play multiplayer for free and can quit having to buy full stand-alone games like how Call of Duty is released, pushing people to abandon one game for the next. Instead, keeping the game, playing for free, and perhaps paying for different campaigns that are relevant to your interests.

Looking over to how Battlefield 3 works with their DLC/expansions introducing new weapons, they've never really had a big impact on the multiplayer but rather only expand the game as they should. If these devs can keep the same mentality, I'll be okay. There's already a number of F2P games out that aren't pay to win as it is too.

(yes, I know the differences between FPS and RTS games obviously, just making the comparison in game release models)

[PGHammer]

League of Legends only sells cosmetic skins, the main problem with F2P is when they create multiple tiers of weapons and the only way to get the higher tier weapons is to pay.

Paying is typically a way to avoid the longer, harder (but free) slog that is typically MMORPG (which most F2P titles started as). DCUO gets accused of being P2W when it's no such thing (you can still get all the higher armor sets that can be bought by slogging through the campaigns and quests - it just takes longer; I'm taking my L30 ice-based flier through the armor upgrades via the free, but long, slog, for example). The question is, are you patient or IMpatient?

[spaceelf]

If we can get Generals 1 remade too that'd be awesome, whatever reason that game works worth **** over a network o.o

and 8 player (2+6AI) matches? hah...more like 8 player standstills

[lecter]

If we can get Generals 1 remade too that'd be awesome

If only...I loved the political incorectness of Generals 1 - setting fire to oilfields, suicide bombing, the "AK-47s for EVERYONE!" Angry Mob upgrade, clearing out bunkers with the biological weapon tractor, running around with Mad-Max technicals and scavenging upgrades...they sure don't make 'em like they used to :D

[spaceelf]

Hell yes

'Now, breathe in...and out, oh that's right, YOU CAN'T!'

hahaha

Some of the finest corny voice acting ever. Or the corniest awesome....or...something like that!