EA: Command & Conquer Generals II Goes F2P - Beta Soon (link inside)

I assume that EA will have a premium version for all the units/maps combined or will charge per for DLC packs.

As quoted on the forums: "F2P in no way eliminates the possibility of the gameplay being excellent. EA is going back to the old C&C formula, so you can expect a real General sequel."

EA also mentioned that from now on, ALL C&C games will be F2P, which includes the Red Alert and Tiberium series.

Controversy:

1. EA refuses to give refunds to people who pre-ordered the game prior to the switch to F2P. Seems that most people were denied and very few were approved for refunds. This could be due to the possibility of a premium version with all the DLC that could soon be announced.

Link:
"Refund not possible" according to Origin/EA

2. The majority of fans who have been waiting for the sequel are severely disappointed. They believe that EA will 'nickel and dime' them for campaigns, units, maps, etc. which will exceed the average PC game price.

3. It is also said (by many veteran forum posters) that EA cancelled/scrapped General II and are using the half-done project and will attempt to squeeze money out of DLC content. This information may be speculation/rumours since it was stated that: "Bioware and Electronic Arts have announced what was to be Command & Conquer: Generals 2 will now be folded into a larger C&C project. "

4. There's a lot of critisizm regarding the art direction, however it's currently in Alpha (moving to BETA), so I wouldn't listen to these comments.

5. Single player has been reported as removed by a couple third-party fan websites.

6. Some articles mention that EA will drop the "Generals 2" name and just call it "Command & Conquer" instead. Perhaps they do not believe it's worthy of that title.

Links & Videos:

1. Link to BETA Sign-Up:
http://www.commandandconquer.com/free/

2. Link to Alpha/BETA promotional YT Video:
Command & Conquer


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So what do you guys think?

I don't like the idea of F2P because the whole game might cost me 100$ in multiple DLC download packs over its lifetime. EA wants to cash in! Until we see the prices of the DLC, we can only speculate, though. Since I'm a die-hard C&C fan, I've signed up for the BETA tonight.

 

LOL EA smh.

EA don't know how to make decent competitive strategy games anyway. As fun as the original generals was, it was horrendously imbalanced for mp play... and now it seems they are abandoning SP completely... so yeah GL with that EA.

None of the (limited) content reveal so far show Chinese units... so I wonder whether they are even in the game.

And the latest 'trailer' just had some weird units that seems to be a bit of a departure from the original generals in terms of 'realistic' future tech.

 

EA have yet to prove that they can do F2P.
Just look at Battlefield Heroes & Battlefield Play4Free.
They are pure pay2win titles.

Sucks that they might remove "proper" singleplayer too.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

 

I don't get this, a AAA game F2P? this is just crazy... either the download will be free but to click MP or SP you will pay for 15 bucks each, or the game will be free, then you will need to buy a barracks for 2 bucks.. we are not demanding F2P, we are demanding good gameplay and fun, that's it.

 

Yeah.

It'll probably be something like, this:

USA - Raptor

This unit is America's primary jet fighter, used mainly for supporting other aircraft and ground troops. The Raptor has the ability to have air-to-air combat, and can also target ground units.

Unit Cost: $1.99
Strengths: Aircraft, tanks, light vehicles
Weaknesses: Missile armed infantry, anti-air defenses
Upgrades:

Laser Missiles
Purchase At: Air Field
Upgrade Cost: $0.99
This upgrade causes Raptor and Stealth Fighter missiles to do 25% more damage.

I'm also guessing that they will sell "buffs" - for example
Battlefield Strength
Cost: $0.49
+15% Damage for 30 Seconds (one-time use)

*One for offence, defence, healing, speed and many more.

Note: I'm using USA from Generals 1 / Zero Hour as an example - pure speculation. The assumption is that it's going to be P2W (PAY 2 WIN!) just like Diablo 3.

 

So this means MP only? Online required? No skirmishes? No campaign? Screw you EA...

As DEagleson pointed out, Battlefield Heroes and Battlefield Play4Free were utter failures. They are horrible. I can't imagine why these would be any different. I don't care so much about being nickeled and dimed to death, well, I do, but just not as much as being delivered a really crappy product.

Not to mention BF4 is likely due out end of next year, they will probably take the same approach and just call it "Battlefield".

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Lack of refund is crappy too. They must be trying to scare people away from pre-orders any more. I know I don't unless it's close to release date and they offer a great bargain.

 

yeah this is fast turning into the biggest letdown of the century...

 

OMG! It's based on BF3's Frostbite 3 Engine?? It's gonna look amazing!

 

Who cares how good it looks if the gameplay and options are for crap. 90% of what I played with Generals were the skirmishes and campaign and LAN.

 

And that's supposed to be a bad thing !? What are you expecting??

 

I sense a bit of a cynic in the room.

 

If they have removed SP then that really sucks. The RTS genre really has died!

Already 99% of "game" shops have not a single PC games inside. Just walls of console games. Even FPS for the WII. How laughable. I have yet to play a single game on this 7970M. Perhaps I should sell it and put a GT240M inside and call it a day lol at least in a year I can play crysis 3 and far cry 3.

 

Late update, but just noticed this:

New Command & Conquer single-player confirmed &bull; News &bull; Eurogamer.net

" The studio remained cagey on details regarding a story mode, but revealed in a recent interview with Polygon that there will indeed be a single-player campaign."

Polygon article:

http://www.polygon.com/gaming/2012/9/9/3304825/command-conquer-will-have-single-player-after-all