Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars

Enter the Colosseum

Multiplayer freaks: C&C 3 may just be the second coming. EA's tagline for the competitive component is "RTS as a Sport." First off, integrated clan support will build community rivalries. Player profiles will go deep into statistics to give you an idea of your skills. If you want fame, you can go for the ladders and leader boards.

Yet EA has taken some inspiration from the global pro-RTS gaming leagues and implemented features to make it a truly spectator sport. Players can "televise" their games through Match Broadcasts. If you're good enough, you could have a virtual stadium watching your utter dominance or decimation.

Newbies can learn from the pros by watching past Match Broadcasts in the form of replays on CommandAndConquer.com, and epic clashes between RTS demigods will be archived permanently, their exploits etched in Tiberium for eternity.

Game hosts can appoint a commentator. Knowledgeable and entertaining commentators will attain status and mutate into geek-celebrities, standing beside the top players in the latest frontier of virtual fame. Access camera control, VOIP color commentary, and a telestrator (just think of Madden drawing on the football field, but maybe add in a few emoticons). Other RTS giants like Warcraft 3 and Starcraft participate in tournaments with commentaries, but only with the most elite players. With C&C 3 any player can become a cyber-athlete and feel the thrill of crowds watching their battles. Commentaries will be a tool for average players to become better.

C&C3 could just be the next big push for spectator-sport gaming, and we can't wait to see how it unfolds.

PC (including Kane Edition) in stores March 28, 2007 and the Xbox 360 version will be available in Spring 2007. C&C 3: Kane Edition will be available at select retailers with a MSRP of $59.99

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