EA unveils Command & Conquer spin-off

Games publisher Electronic Arts has given an autumn 2008 launch date for a spin-off from its best-selling Command & Conquer real-time strategy franchise.

Tiberium Wars has been under development for two years at EA's Los Angeles studio and will be released for Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation3 and PC.

The first-person shooter sees players attempting to control a powerful energy source through battle commander Ricardo Vega as they navigate through a devastated Earth to combat "a global crisis".

The game features single and multi-player modes and represents an evolution in the tactical shoot-em-up genre by taking core gameplay compulsions like commanding, choice and dominating enemies in first-person, according to executive producer Chris Plummer.

"EA Los Angeles has a long history of developing groundbreaking real-time strategy games with the Command & Conquer series," said Mike Verdu, vice president and general manager at EA Los Angeles.

"That series also introduced the Tiberium universe to gamers worldwide. Now, we are growing Tiberium from a simple backdrop to a fully realised universe with its own unique, hybrid squad-based shooter gameplay."