So - with me being a die-hard fan of Command & Conquer, you might expect me to be completely pumped up with excitement over the fact that there are 3 C&C games in development for release within the next year right now. But then again, maybe you've already realised what this blog's about and think the exact opposite.

I dunno, I just can't help wondering if EA are perhaps overworking the C&C franchise a little. Okay - with Tiberium Wars the fans were clammering for a continuation to the Tiberium Universe, and they got it - kinda. Sure it wasn't what some of us were expecting ... but the basics were there at least. It ended up being a sort of average - but admittedly brave - stab at reinvigorating the series ... which was nice to be sure. But then - the inevitable expansion was announced ... AND a new game in the FPS section of the series ... AND a new continuation to the second universe of the franchise. Am I the only one who thinks that EA are very soon going to run out of ideas and the series will become stale?

Don't get me wrong - this could be just what the series needs - giving ALL the fans something to cheer about ... those of us who wanted to see where the Tiberium plague goes from here ... those of us with the tongue-in-cheek Red Alert series as our favourites, and those of us who want a different take on the whole thing. But then again - I get the feeling that EA are still working for the money, and not for the fans as much. There are still problems with Tiberium Wars - problems that the community are trying desperately to sort out, with very little help from EA. The 1.10 patch has taken many months to sort out, and though it isn't as important as some of the earlier, quicker patches, the fact that we know there IS a patch around waiting to come means that, I'm sure, many people aren't comfortable settling down into a particular strategy, for fear of having to change it once the patch eventually comes through.

Now, I myself never really thought that a Red Alert 3 would work, considering the whole point of it would be that the Allies and Soviets fought a world war ... AGAIN. That story just gets old after two times, ya know? Fortunately, EA seems to have some brains behind them, and have made a spectacularly brave attempt to take us back there anyway - however, some of the community seem to have misinterpreted it still. As far as I can tell, EA's story for RA3 means that RA2 never takes place - not, as some people think, that RA1 never happens. But then again, the way it looks, it seems that RA3 is going to be just as out-there as RA2, which I personally never cared much for myself. Could it just be a nicely-wrapped up way of making us play the same game just with better graphics ...

As for "Tiberium" ... well I'm sorry but I refuse to play a game with such a crap title to it. It sounds interesting story-wise ... it appears to open up the next chapter in the C&C universe - the Scrin Invasion. But since there is little info on this at the moment, we'll have to wait and see.

I just hope EA aren't expending all their energy and ideas right now, in order to win the fans back in the short-term, only to run completely dry in a couple of years time - thus losing all those fans all over again. I do agree - the series needed a shot in the arm to reintroduce it back to the gaming community, but hopefully that shot won't kill it all over again.