{"id":825536,"date":"2026-11-06T01:56:16","date_gmt":"2026-11-06T01:56:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/825536\/"},"modified":"2026-11-06T01:56:16","modified_gmt":"2026-11-06T01:56:16","slug":"ea-is-re-releasing-25-retro-pc-games-including-wing-commander-and-ultima","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/825536\/","title":{"rendered":"EA is re-releasing 25 retro PC games including Wing Commander and Ultima"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"646\" height=\"363\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/SEI_319551074-85e0.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-29770366\" alt=\"Collage of Wing Commander covers and logos\" decoding=\"sync\"\/><br \/>\n\t\tThis isn\u2019t even the full list (EA)<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a surprising move, <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/electronic-arts\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">EA<\/a> has announced plans to re-release a bunch of decades old PC games from its back catalogue, some of which have been fully remastered.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you told us that EA would have us writing about Origin Systems in 2026, we\u2019d have called you a liar. Yet somehow that\u2019s exactly what\u2019s happening.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last month, not only did the long defunct studio\u2019s co-founder Richard \u2018Lord British\u2019 Garriott reveal he was in talks to regain control of his Ultima series from EA, but the publisher announced it would be <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2026\/10\/12\/wing-commander-ultima-making-comebacks-surprise-origin-revival-29701573\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">remastering Wing Commander 3<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As it turns out, Wing Commander 3 isn\u2019t the only game making a comeback, as EA is re-releasing no less than 24 other retro PC games through <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/steam\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Steam<\/a>, GOG, and its own EA app.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The vast majority come from Origin Systems and include every mainline Wing Commander and Ultima game from the 80s and 90s, as well as some of the Wing Commander spin-offs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All five mainline Wing Commander games, plus space trading sim spin-off Privateer 2: The Darkening, are receiving the anniversary edition treatment, meaning they\u2019ll boast quality-of-life updates and restored FMV cut scenes.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\tWant GTA 6 news?\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sign up to the <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/newsletters\/game-central\/?ito=factbox-gta\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">GameCentral newsletter<\/a> for the latest GTA 6 news, reviews of new games you should play and exclusive analysis of the biggest stories of the week.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since the original Wing Commander games are already available digitally through GOG and the EA app, anyone who owns them can claim the anniversary editions as a free upgrade.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s even an anniversary edition for 1994 motorcycle racer Road Rash, which also featured FMV cut scenes and digitised real-life actors for its character sprites.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\tAll 25 retro EA PC games coming to Steam and GOG\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>Road Rash: 30th Anniversary Edition<br \/>\nWing Commander: 35th Anniversary Edition<br \/>\nWing Commander 2: Vengeance Of The Kilrathi: 35th Anniversary Edition<br \/>\nWing Commander 3: Heart Of The Tiger: 30th Anniversary Edition<br \/>\nWing Commander 4: The Price Of Freedom: 30th Anniversary Edition<br \/>\nWing Commander Prophecy: 30th Anniversary Edition<br \/>\nPrivateer 2: The Darkening: 30th Anniversary Edition<br \/>\nWing Commander: Privateer<br \/>\nWing Commander: Academy<br \/>\nWing Commander: Armada<br \/>\nStrike Commander<br \/>\nTheme Hospital<br \/>\nCrusader: No Remorse<br \/>\nCrusader: No Regret<br \/>\nUltima 1: The First Age Of Darkness<br \/>\nUltima 2: The Revenge Of The Enchantress<br \/>\nUltima 3: Exodus<br \/>\nUltima 4: Quest Of The Avatar<br \/>\nUltima 5: Warriors Of Destiny<br \/>\nUltima 6: The False Prophet<br \/>\nUltima 7: The Complete Edition<br \/>\nUltima 8: Gold Edition<br \/>\nUltima 9: Ascension<br \/>\nUltima Underworld 1<br \/>\nUltima Underworld 2<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018The anniversary editions have been a labour of love, inspired by the discovery of a physical media vault containing thousands of Betacam, VHS, and D1 tapes alongside other media assets,\u2019 says EA.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018The digitisation process recovered the supposedly lost Master FMV sequences for these seven legendary titles, which were meticulously re-edited to restore the over 1,500 cinematic scenes across these games. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018This reflects EA\u2019s commitment to renewing influential titles for longtime fans while helping new audiences discover the games that helped shape PC gaming.\u2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As for the remaining 18 games, they are otherwise untouched and consist of not just the Ultima series but other Origin Systems games; including Strike Commander (a more grounded combat flight sim) and the two Crusader third person shooter games.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\tDon&#8217;t miss Gaming news! Add us as a Preferred Source\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a loyal GameCentral reader, we want to make sure you never miss our articles when searching for gaming stories. We have all the latest video games news, reviews, previews, and interviews, with a vibrant community of highly engaged readers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Click the button below and tick\u00a0Metro.co.uk\u00a0to ensure you see stories from us first in Google Search.<\/p>\n<p>\n<a class=\"metro-button metro-cta-button\" data-vars-module=\"cta_button__gaming-preferred-source\" style=\"background-color:#000000\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=metro.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer nofollow noopener\">Add us as a Preferred Source<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p>\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"363\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/SEC_278479390-558f.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-25613773\" alt=\"GameCentral collage of Mario Kart, Ghost of Yotei, and Halo\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><br \/>\n\t\tGameCentral has been delivering unique games news and reviews for over a decade<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Theme Hospital has also been thrown in there, which was developed by Bullfrog Productions. That studio was closed in 2001 but some of its staff went on to form Two Point Studios and create spiritual sequel <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2018\/08\/31\/two-point-hospital-review-healthy-obsession-7899066\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Two Point Hospital<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the moment, only the first Wing Commander and Road Rash are available for purchase, for $9.99. but the rest will be sold for $4.99 (we\u2019ll update with UK prices once EA provides them).<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is a surprising move from EA, since while nostalgia does sell, these games are very old and hardly household names nowadays. It\u2019s still a win for preservation though, especially if the remasters are good.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s the sort of decision you wouldn\u2019t expect from a company that\u2019s looking to play things incredibly safe and prioritise its biggest, most profitable brands, in order to offset the massive debt <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2026\/08\/06\/video-games-industry-hands-monsters-ea-latest-victim-29306665\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">its leveraged buyout<\/a> has left it with.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Only a couple of weeks ago, EA opted to <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2026\/10\/22\/bioware-shut-new-mass-effect-cancelled-two-months-ea-sale-29729555\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">shutter BioWare<\/a> and cancel its new <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/mass-effect\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Mass Effect<\/a> game, reportedly so it could prioritise investing in <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2026\/10\/30\/star-wars-battlefront-3-ea-shut-mass-effect-bioware-says-report-29754185\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">a Star Wars: Battlefront 3<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The BioWare closure hardly bodes well for any of EA\u2019s less famous properties and yet here it is re-releasing old Wing Commander and Ultima games.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That certainly suggests some kind of revival plan is afoot but it\u2019s most likely that will come through Richard Garriott and EA will act only as the publisher.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"363\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/SEI_319551072-115e.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-29770372\" alt=\"Ultima 1 gameplay of player character attacking an orc\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><br \/>\n\t\tUltima 1 is so old that it comes from a time when games looked like this (EA)<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Email\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2026\/11\/05\/ea-re-releasing-25-retro-pc-games-including-wing-commander-ultima-29770274\/mailto:gamecentral@metro.co.uk\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">gamecentral@metro.co.uk<\/a>, leave a comment below,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GameCentral\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">follow us on Twitter<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To submit Inbox letters and Reader\u2019s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our\u00a0<a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/submit-stuff\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Submit Stuff page here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For more stories like this,\u00a0<a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/entertainment\/gaming\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">check our Gaming page<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\">Arrow<br \/>\nMORE: <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2026\/11\/05\/gta-6-isnt-even-yet-already-sold-eight-million-copies-29769852\/?ico=more_text_links\" class=\"\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">GTA 6 isn\u2019t even out yet and it\u2019s already sold eight million copies<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\">Arrow<br \/>\nMORE: <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2026\/11\/05\/2027-wedding-trends-revealed-noughties-nostalgia-groom-brooch-29768944\/?ico=more_text_links\" class=\"\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">2027 wedding trends revealed: From noughties\u2019 nostalgia to the groom brooch<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\">Arrow<br \/>\nMORE: <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2026\/11\/05\/lightyear-frontier-review-stardew-valley-robots-29769197\/?ico=more_text_links\" class=\"\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Lightyear Frontier review \u2013 Stardew Valley with robots<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" class=\"metro-button share-bar-preferred-source\" data-vars-position=\"bottom\" href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/metro.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\tAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\tAdd as preferred source<br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\tGameCentral<\/p>\n<p>Get the latest GTA 6 news, reviews of new games you should play and exclusive analysis of the biggest stories of the week.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This isn\u2019t even the full list (EA) In a surprising move, EA has announced plans to re-release a&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":825537,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[2921,11416,992,96,1132,205,59,1135,3121,86,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-825536","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-technology","tag-80s-nostalgia","tag-90s-nostalgia","tag-ea","tag-entertainment","tag-games-news","tag-gaming","tag-gb","tag-pc-games","tag-steam","tag-technology","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/825536","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=825536"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/825536\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/825537"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=825536"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=825536"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=825536"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}