Recovered archive tapes provide over 1,500 restored video clips. Existing owners on GOG or in the EA app will receive a free upgrade.
Electronic Arts announced this evening that 25 of the publisher’s PC classics are now available for purchase—18 of them are making their debut on Steam, while the entire lineup is also available on GOG and in the EA app.
These include, among others, seven new anniversary editions—namely Road Rash and six titles from the Wing Commander series. “Each anniversary edition preserves the original look, feel, and creative intent of the original,” the company states. “This is complemented by quality-of-life improvements to support modern systems and controllers, enhance performance, and make the titles more accessible without compromising their authenticity.”
Rescued Master Tapes: Over 1,500 Restored FMV Scenes from the EA Archives
The company describes these special editions as a labor of love; they were inspired by the discovery of a physical media archive containing thousands of Betacam, VHS, and D1 tapes, as well as other data collections. We had already reported on this in connection with Wing Commander 3.
“Through the digitization process, the supposedly lost master FMV sequences for the seven legendary titles were recovered and meticulously remastered to restore the games’ more than 1,500 film scenes. This reflects EA’s commitment to reviving influential titles for longtime fans while helping new players discover the works that shaped PC gaming.”
Integrated Community Mods and Free Upgrades: The Complete List of All 25 Classics
At the same time, improvements were made possible by the community, which collaborated with EA to integrate their mods into the official releases.
The publisher adds: “This release is a tribute to the community’s dedication to the Wing Commander series. For this reason, anyone who previously owned a digital version of the Wing Commander games on GOG or in the EA App will receive the upgrade to the Anniversary Edition for free on their respective digital platform.”
The complete list of available titles:
- Road Rash: 30th Anniversary Edition
- Wing Commander: 35th Anniversary Edition
- Wing Commander II: Vengeance of the Kilrathi: 35th Anniversary Edition
- Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger: 30th Anniversary Edition
- Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom: 30th Anniversary Edition
- Wing Commander Prophecy: 30th Anniversary Edition
- Privateer 2: The Darkening: 30th Anniversary Edition
- Wing Commander: Privateer
- Wing Commander: Academy
- Wing Commander: Armada
- Strike Commander
- Theme Hospital
- Crusader: No Remorse
- Crusader: No Regret
- Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness
- Ultima II: The Revenge of the Enchantress
- Ultima III: Exodus
- Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar
- Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny
- Ultima VI: The False Prophet
- Ultima VII: The Complete Edition
- Ultima VIII: Gold Edition
- Ultima IX: Ascension
- Ultima Underworld I
- Ultima Underworld II
