Command & Conquer: Generals 2 becomes... Command & Conquer?

The game known as Command & Conquer: Generals 2 will no longer be Command & Conquer: Generals 2, EA announced last night. Instead it marks the first installment in a new free-to-play service titled Command & Conquer. The game will still utilise the Frostbite 2 engine, so expect beautiful graphics and destructible environments, but now all of the currently developed material for the game will be available to gamers for free - and it will be followed up by future additions to the Command & Conquer service set in the Red Alert and Tiberium universes. Said Jon Van Canegham - Vice President and General Manager at EA of the surprise announcement in a press release:

"We are thrilled about this opportunity to transform Command and Conquer into a premier online experience. For nearly two decades, this franchise has existed as something you buy; now we are creating a destination where our fans will be able to access the entire Command and Conquer universe, starting with Generals and continuing with Red Alert, Tiberium, and beyond. With Frostbite 2, we are able to keep an emphasis on the AAA quality our consumers expect while staying true to the RTS gameplay they know and love – all available online for free."

If you're interested in signing up for a chance at closed beta access, you can do so via the official site of course - and below we have a trailer for the game/service - you can also watch the trailer in our videos library if that's your bag. I'm not entirely certain what the Command & Conquer fanbase did to piss off EA, but they sure know how to get revenge. Tell us what you think of this announcement in the comments below.