As part of the Command & Conquer Remastered Collection, EA will release the source code to the original Command & Conquer (also known as Command & Conquer: Tiberian Dawn) and Red Alert. The source code for these two games will be available under the GPL 3.0 license.
The release of this code is meant to make it easier for modders to add content to the game, and the licensing ensures the TiberianDawn.dll and RedAlert.dll files from the Remastered Collection will be legally compatible with community projects like CnCNet and Open RA.
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EA made both Command & Conquer and Red Alert freeware in 2007 and 2008, but the games remained closed-source until now. That led to projects like OpenRA, which seeks to engineer an open-source version of the Red Alert engine with improvements that makes it more appealing for modern systems. Now, with the release of C&C and Red Alert‘s source code, these projects should flourish.
EA’s release of the Command & Conquer and Red Alert source code is a significant step for a AAA publisher. Though these games are over two decades old, EA is basically relinquishing control over them, as you can use this code to modify things like maps, units, art, gameplay logic, and data. This level of mod support is rarely given by publishers, and most modding SDKs are limited in what they allow you to modify.
It’s exciting to see these beloved games revitalized for modern platforms. I’m eager to see what mods are possible with this level of access to the game engine. Fortunately, the Command & Conquer Remastered Collection will feature Steam Workshop support, and a new in-game mod menu. So, checking out new mods should be a snap.
Command & Conquer Remastered Collection will launch on June 5, 2020, exclusively on PC. You can preorder the collection now for $19.99 on Steam and Origin.
