What Makes Red Alert 3 for PS3 the “Ultimate Edition?”

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Hi all, my name is David Seeholzer and I am the Senior Development Director for Command & Conquer Red Alert 3: Ultimate Edition. You might be asking yourself why we are calling it the ‘Ultimate Edition’ of Red Alert 3. I wanted to share some insight into the cool extras and bonus content we are making exclusive for you guys, as well as shed a little light on the development process and our future plans for the title on PS3.

Red Alert 3 Ultimate Edition Screenshot - Soviets vs Empire 1

Red Alert found its humble beginnings over a decade ago on PC and has since seen 2 sequels, several expansion packs, and now, is making its debut on the PS3 console. Fortunately the power of the PS3 and the Blu-ray medium has afforded us some extra luxuries that weren’t available to us previously.

The most noticeable difference you’ll see in the Ultimate Edition on PS3 is an increase the visual quality of the game so that it truly stands up to HD Blu-ray definition. A perfect example of this is what you will see in the game’s water. One of the huge new features you’ll see in Red Alert 3 is an increase in naval warfare and amphibious units. Most strategy games in the past have never paid much attention to navy but we’re bringing it to the center. As such, we paid close attention to detail with it and ensured that we maximized its visual aspects, without penalizing game performance even under the most intense of battles.

Another great thing about the PS3 is its use of Blu-ray. We are taking as much advantage as we can of the extra storage space, cramming it full of exclusive features and in game content, including some exclusive new maps for you wage you and your buddies to skirmish battles on over PSN. There is also a ton of videos, giving you a behind the scenes look at the development of the game and the making of our live-action cinematics, a hallmark of the Command & Conquer series. Red Alert 3 features one of the biggest casts in the history of games, including legends like Tim Curry, George Takei, J.K. Simmons, MMA superstars Randy Couture and Gina Carano and a host of starlets including Jenny McCarthy, Kelly Hu, Autumn Reeser and Gemma Atkinson (speaking of which, my personal favorite extra is a look at the “Women of Red Alert 3” video we’ve included). Our Command & Conquer TV team also produced two episodes of the network’s favorite programs, BattleCast PrimeTime and Command School which are totally dedicated to the Ultimate Edition. And to top it all off, we’ve also included the entire Red Alert 3 soundtrack for your listening pleasure, including the theme song “Hellmarch.”


Red Alert 3 Ultimate Edition Screenshot - Girls of RA3

Red Alert 3 also brings another first to strategy games: a fully co-operative campaign. With the PlayStation Network, you and your friends will be able to play through the entire campaign together. There was a strong effort to make sure that each mission was designed for two commanders working together and in making sure that the experience was engaging and challenging. And with the extra time we were given,we were also able to fine tune and balance each mission specifically for the console to ensure that players have the best experience possible.

Of course all of this doesn’t matter if you don’t have a fun game and one of the most important aspects of a fun RTS is how you control your army. After all, you can’t conquer the battlefield, if you can’t get your tanks in first gear. The dev team here has been working on console RTS since Battle for Middle Earth II on through Tiberium Wars and Kane’s Wrath, all for the Xbox 360. Now we’re proud to be bringing what we think is the smoothest, easiest-to-grasp control set up we have ever designed to the PS3 with the CommandStick 2.0 interface. You’ll be able to easily group units, jump around the battlefield, stage attacks and defenses, and manage their bases, all with a couple flicks of the thumbsticks. Once you get your hands on it, you will be crushing noobs in no time.

Red Alert 3 Ultimate Edition Screenshot - Allies vs Soviets 4

We’re also planning on supporting Red Alert 3: Ultimate Edition through the PlayStation Store and with downloadable content. Even now as we are finishing the game, we have a team hard at work on content packages and live support for the PS3. We plan on releasing multiple map packs through the PS Store; in fact, the first one will be available for free right about the time the game comes out in March. Following that we should have some real cool content for you to download in the future, but for now check out the Red Alert 3 page on the PS Store for the Ultimate Edition Theme and our first sneak peak trailer of the PS3 version.

This is the first classic RTS for the PS3, and the first strategy game that the development team at EA Los Angeles has brought to this console. We are all proud of how it turned out and we can’t wait to hear what you, the fans, think of it. Please send us your comments and leave us feedback, we love hearing from you and your suggestions!

Check us out on the PS Store, or go to www.redalert3.com for more info.

Thanks again fellow Comrades, see you on the Battlefield!

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181 Comments

  • ive been a red alert fan since i was akid but then i got tired of it while i grew up,
    ima try this 1 cauze it seems refreshing,

  • I’m really excited for this game. I didn’t expect ever play this game because my PC isn’t kick ass enough. lol

  • so ea people, we are leaving comments, you get the picture, show that you care.. and add mouse and keyboard support, with in game music.. you are still in time……lets see if you listen,
    if you do i will give you my money, show us that you listen and care, ps3 gamers are not stupid, do something about it… dont go for another quarter loss and cause more people to loose jobs, listen to the gamers

  • Will there be a demo? :)

  • #48

    That article is a load of crap…one that was laughed at and dispelled AGES ago.

    Look at the sales volumes for every cross-platform EA game. There’s not a single one that has sold more on the PS3.

    Nice try though.

    Why not link to an article you wrote yourself? It’s about as credible.

  • also if you do what i said in post 53, make sure you advertise it on the box, let the people know of these extra feature and enjoy bigger sales

  • Can we guess that the “Ultimate” version also comes with an “Ultimate” price tag? $60, no sale. I’ve bought every CC/RA game out for the PC. I will continue to support the PC versions. I’d buy this version but the higher cost of the PS3 version, isn’t attractive.

  • Not that I don’t like extra content and new features, but why is it taking so long to bring this out? I was hoping to pick this game up when it was released for the 360/PC but found out the PS3 version was delayed.

    I just hope the price is the same as the other ports because I really don’t want the extras– I just want to play the game. Is that too much to ask for?

  • @58 im sure ms paying for a limited time exlusivity has something to do with it.. its my opinion of course.. and it works for them, because by the time the game comes out for the ps3, their version will be half price,
    so people that go buy a system… see it, and just the 360 because the same games on both systems.. are cheaper on the 360…

    too bad

  • Hater, it’s not entirely the devs fault here, I put a lot of blame on Sony. They should have ponied up, or done something to get our version out sooner. Sure, they might have taken the extra time (4 and a half months!) to make these improvements for the PS3 version, but they should have come out and said that, if that was the case.

    With this “supposed” Ultimate Edition we get the following; 5 new multiplayer maps, vids and trailers, PS3 “exclusive” TV programming, in-depth profiles on all units, and an official soundtrack. All of these items BETTER stay exclusive for this to be any kind of deal to wait for. We are also assured by this article that we’ll get some DLC shortly after release, which is always a bonus!

    I can buy it if it took time to rework the graphics engine to get it up to 1080p, and I’ll be happy if these “exclusive” items stay exclusive. However, I will be hugely disappointed in Sony if they allow EA to release these items to the other formats after a period of 3 months.

    What would be even better is that if they’d announce that the PS3 users would get Uprising as well, via DLC paid or free doesn’t matter. If we were to get that at the same time as PC, then I’d say go buy it for sure.

  • #58 Because EA are shoddy developers. This game is 6 months old and they expect us to shell out $60 just for a crappy soundtrack and a couple maps when the 360 and PC versions are half the price? Yeah, right. I got it on the PC (for free *wink*) and it is NOT worth $60. Stick to Madden games EA.

  • Doesn’t sound too shabby. Always been a fan of the RA series… Although I have a feeling it will still be a better experience on the PC.

  • @60 PAYBACK-joker
    Sony are not involve with the development of third party games unless those games are exclusives. So Sony should be at fault. If anyone is to blame it is EA.

  • awesome post. plz keep em comin!

  • can we use the keyboard and mouse ?

  • PLEASE TELL ME!!

    DOES IT SUPPORT MOUSE AND KEYBOARD?!????

  • @46
    Wrong. Multiple devs have come out and said that PS3 sales accout for the majority of their incomes. EA abd UbiSoft immediately come to mind.

    On topic: I’m personally not a RTS fan. In fact Savage Moon is the closest thing to a RTS that I’ve ever bought since X-Com UFO Defense back in the day. I won’t be buying this game, but it does look great. Any RTS fan with a PS3 should obviously want this game day1. Great graphics too. Co-Op sounds like an amazing feature for a RTS.

    And off-topic I am toptally amazed at all the PS3 “gamers” that keep asking about Trophie support. NEWS FLASH PEOPLE, ALL PS3 GAMES HAVE TROPHY SUPPORT FROM JAN 1 2009 ONWARD. Get informed!!

    Also for all the people that seem to think KB/M support is SO important, you need to move on. A mouse is nice, but KBs are the stupidest thing for controlling video games. Left analog stick is MUCH better for movement, and buttons are better than keys. If mouse support is so impotant to you, you’d own a Frag FX for PS3. The Frag Fx put mouse support in every single PS3 game. Plus you don’t have to fiddle with a clunky KB.

  • Can you add Mouse and Keyboard support for this game on PS3? It doesn’t feel right playing an RTS with a controller.

  • @45 Daxmontana:

    Why should I go play the game on a PC because I want to use a keyboard???? I want to play the game on my 52″ HDTV from the confort of my lazy boy, and using my Blutooth keyboard. Heck, I’m still waiting for the next RTS that will sell with a keyboard with 300 keys. (200 functions keys in different color). Keyboard is a must in my book.

    I may still buy it, but will likely wait for a sale. If it would have came with keyboard support? I would have preordered it!!! C’mon, who doesn’t have a keyboard now for it’s PS3?

  • Wow. Before this post I had no desire to play this game. But now, especially after the video, I really have to consider buying it. Nice work.

  • wow, you guys could teach capcom a thing or two about taking care of ps3 owners…kudos!

  • i would buy it if you guys *EA* would un-ban me please

  • No keyboard and mouse support != Ultimate edition. That’s all.

  • Great! Looking forward to this. Thanks for not making another half-assed port as many other companies do. Still I must ask the question…what the hell does HD Blu-Ray definition mean? Blu-Ray is just a storage medium…and everyone knows that…I don’t think it’s a good term to promote the game. Aside from that everything looks great so keep it up!

  • Thanks for the post David.

    Does this have in game chat and also can we play our own music or is it just the music within the game ?

  • @67 Darth:

    You never played an RTS and it’s obvious, so you’re forgiven!…

    With a keyboard, you assign your units to F keys. So F1 could be some tanks and a jeep, F2 is two choppers, F3 are some ground units, F4, F5, F6 are air strike units (you want one key per unit for pinpoint attack), and so on.

    You also have camera waypoints, so you can quickly press a key and see a part of the map where there’s a possible hotspot or ennemy base path. And you can simply double tap F2 and you’re where your choppers are.

    There’s not enough buttons on a controller to do all that. Heck, I usually think there’s not enough button on a keyboard to do all I want to do. They should make specific keyboards with tons of extra programmable buttons just for RTS…

    Trust me, I’ve bought all the C&C, including Nintendo 64, and sure enough, you can play with a controler, but those games are meant to be played with a keyboard.

    That said, I still want that game for the PS3 simply because it’s so cool to play on a huge HDTV. But without keyboard support, it’s not a day one buy, but a wait for demo, rent, or wait for a sale before I get it…

  • @76 haran_elessar
    Before you say this isn’t another half-assed port, you should hold your horses. We have yet to play this game to determine if this game is on par with it PC and Xbox 360 counter parts. Also these same types of things was said about Lost Planet and other xbox 360 ports that came to the Playstation 3 months later. We all know how those games fair compare to the xbox 360. I will give you a hit. The are not worth buying.

  • Sure do know how to make a good trailer? This seems great. I’m glad I didn’t download the demo on Xbox maybe I’ll just jump right in with the PS3.

    Btw love the last name. Sounds interesting. Haha

    GRIZZ OUT.

  • Why no optional Keyboard/Mouse Support? (and an option to disable it in Online-Games)

    Does it has a 1080p mode? Even better (for this genre) would be nativ 1080p, including a bigger image section then in 720p.

    How do you access the Soundtrack, only ingame or does it show up on XMB Music Section? Or can you even export the audio files to the HDD (like Siren did with the one Song, awesome idea)

    Does the game has Custom-Soundtracks and a Screenshot-Option?

    But still, I like your effort with this port, also 3-4 months later is not that bad (actually I would not have bought it back then. DAMN YOU publishers, stop releasing all games before Christmas).
    You do much more then certain other game-developers did (you might think people with common sense would say “hey, more space. Our game-data is made for the 360-size, but we could at least put some making-of etc. stuff on it”)

    That you even pump up the graphics/effects, is also very nice.

    Long time since I had a C&C game, now that my PC is outdated I’m glad to I can buy it on PS3 (first day I guess ^^).

    A bit meh, that you don’t include/bring the Addon to PS3/consoles.

  • just might buy this or killzone 2/ which should i buy LOL.

  • @El_Matador1957
    Get Killzone 2. Don’t support developers or publishers that treat Playstation 3 owners like trash.

  • i loved red alert 2, definately getting this one

  • Awwww…. I thought it was going to be DLC on the PSN.. I was going to get it if it was, that game doesnt look like a disc based game

  • Trophies please.

  • SWEET! I *LOVE* RTS games, especially Red Alert!

  • After Killzone 2 and God of War 3, this is my most anticipated game this year.

  • I’m probably going to get this. It looks like a pretty cool game and the ps3 needs more rts’s.

  • Never been a RTS fan. I always seemed to get bogged down in minutia of it. Will this be noob friendly?

  • Well, I followed this game from when they anounced it(for PC, 360, PS3) to when they said no PS3 version then to after I buy the 360 version, now there an ultimate version for PS3. Gee, I wonder if I’ll buy it… I hate marketing scams!!! HERE EA THERES $60 more, just give it to me already!

  • @Dr. Bingigh

    It’s not incredibly complicated, but it isn’t noob friendly either. I’d suggest renting it and playing through the tutorials first. Personally, I didn’t find it all that hard to get my head around, I just suck at it.

  • I agree with teh others calling for Mouse and Keyboard support. Having tried RA3 on 360, O find that the conroller leaves a lot to be desired compared to using m&kb in this genre. I would love to buy this ultimate edition for my PS3 but really only if it did include Mouse and Keyboard support.

  • Does this game have Mouse and Keyboard support?

    Baba Boey! Baba Boey! George Takei rules!

  • I am excited to get Red Alert 3, as I am a longtime fan of the series.

    Just like many others here, I really hope there is or will be keyboard and mouse support for the game since it is so easy to use them on the PS3 already. If I had a PC that could run RA3, I would have bought it already, but as for now the PS3 version will be fine.

  • Will this include the Red Alert 3: Uprising content?

  • With all this promise of making the game up to blu ray hd standards, the game better run at 1080p on the render buffer.

  • first i must say im not a huge fan for these type of games…. and the ones i play are for the pc… really like ages of empire, warcraft, and dawn of war

    BUT i must say this
    you guys rock hard!!!!
    i will buy this game for the fact that you guys put alot of extra features into the ps3 ver and taken the extra time to make it the better ver

    and for that u guys deserve the respect from the ps3 users and i hope this will be a trend from the other companies “one could hope”

    my hat comes off and i hope you reach the sales you guys deserve

  • As awesome as the the CommandStick 2.0 interface sounds… if This game had Mouse support I’d be all over it! My PC is crappy I still play Red Alert 2 on it. How much work would it be to add it?

  • The way I see it, no they didn’t release the game for us at the same time but who cares? With the extra time they were probably able to get out some bugs as well as add in some extra content (though the extra maps and the unit bios are what im interested in).

    If I wanted mouse and keyboard I would play it on PC. Yeah setting control groups would be nice but I just want to play a good RTS with great graphics and not have to shell for a good PC.

    Also can you guys release some gameplay videos on the PSN soon? I’d love to see how it looks (youtube doesnt do it justice I’m sure).

  • As soon as I saw the RA series coming to PS# I was totally excited…however, I’m dismayed at the lack of keyboard and mouse support! PLEASE patch the game to include this feature despite the usefulness of the dualshock control scheme.

    PLEASE? Thanks in advance.

  • Gonna rent it first.

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