It’s never easy trying to make the next big step for a franchise that has a long history, especially when it’s one that is chocked full of pleasant memories like that of the Command & Conquer series. However, that is exactly the tough task that Yorha Studios is planning to overcome along with Electronic Arts with Command & Conquer: Legions, setting its sights on mobile domination after its Gamescom 2023 reveal.
Set after the Third Tiberium War, the faction known as the CABAL has launched yet another assault on humanity with its cyborg army in Command & Conquer: Legions. Despite their long-standing conflict, the NOD and GDI forces are compelled to unite once again in the face of these threats, fully aware that their own internal conflicts could erupt at any moment. This relatively unexplored territory is what allows the developers to put into place some of the new ideas that will hopefully usher in a new age of fandom for the real-time strategy stalwart.
“While it’s important that we respect the IP and its history, there is a balance to be found between the old and the new so that we have fresh gameplay features that will appeal to new fans as well as satisfy those returning to the franchise,” shared the team.
The power to control units remains a core part of the RTS experience, and that will still be the case in Command & Conquer: Legions when players go head-to-head with others. What is distinctly different is that of the heroic generals who bring unique abilities to the field, as well as being active combatants. Whether it is for the GDI, NOD, or the new Cabal, the various generals will fit certain playstyles, allowing players to find the right fit so that their strategies are enhanced.
That would be key as combat is no longer restricted to contained missions, with commanders thrust into a large map shared with other players globally. Here, it is up to the leaders to decide when to form alliances, carry out strikes, acquire more Tiberium and other resources, and more. Base building also returns in familiar form, allowing for a variety of benefits that include stronger and more powerful units to bring to the fight.
Having the right balance in Command & Conquer: Legions will be vital to the game’s longevity, and that is something Yorha Studios will look at carefully over the course of development and after release. Players can expect to “match up to similarly advanced armies, and always be given a fighting chance” even if they abstain from any in-game microtransactions.
Add to all that the shadow of superweapons such as nuclear warheads, the ION Cannon, or the weather control systems, and things are shaping up nicely for the next chapter of this storied franchise to unfold on the battlefield. Command & Conquer: Legions is set to have a closed beta in Australia, Canada, France, Mexico, New Zealand and the Philippines for Android later this month, with a full launch planned for later this year on iOS and Android.
