Just like that of Tiberium Twilight, Red Alert 3 is rumored to be the third game in a Trilogy. Whether this game will even arise in the future is under debate, yet it is almost inevitable that rumors will float around this game as long as its existence is not determined. With the popularity of RA1 and RA2 plus expansion packs, RA3 could be a shot at a 3 for 3 showing of great games.

So, you loved RA1 and RA2. You own all of the expansions for both of the games? You are wondering when RA3 is coming out? You may not want to read this article then. I am always optimistic when I can be, but I do not see RA3 ever existing. Westwood Studios, the creator of the previous Red Alerts is no more. Westwood was closed by EA after being purchased at a previous date. Now, EA unleashed Generals as its 'baby' and it seems as though it will only grow in that direction for future developments.

I am not sure how EA would bring about a game that would complete a trilogy, when they did not create the first 2 of the series. I realize that there are still existing personnel from Westwood employed at EA, but they often do not have the same jobs as before, nor are they in a place where they could influence the production of such games. Thus I believe that even if EA decided to produce this game, it would not be of the same format as before, and we would only be disappointed with its finished product.

First of all, looking at the sub-par missions and 'non-existent' cutscenes in Generals (not to mention the poor addition of full motion video to Zero Hour), I see that EA doesn't understand what the fans want when they say they want FMV and a STORYLINE. WE don't want to be told, "There is a conflict in Boosha-Boosha. If peace isn't reached soon, many casualties will be had." We want to hear, "President Victor Rushkev is using his Polar De-Icing machine to melt the world into a waterway for his naval destruction. Special Agent Tanya, currently in Kazikstan, reports that a naval unit production facility is being built in the vicinity, and requests support in infiltrating and destroying the base. It is our only hope for delaying Rushkev's onslaught while we attempt to shut down the De-Icer and restore our planet's land stability." I mean, that is a bit OUT there and far-fetched, but we want a story where each mission MEANS something and we have characters that we grow to love and are EXCITED to help out IN-Game.

Next of all, the Construction format in Generals is SOO different from before (dozers are used), as well as having the sidebar at the bottom, that I see EA keeping it AS IS and changing the way that RA is played. So, I am not sure I would enjoy having this change.

So, IF the game is created, what can we expect? Well, supposing that it was created CORRECTLY, Red Alert 3 would be advancing to a more graphically intense environment such as that of Generals and Zero Hour. I would assume that the Sage 3D engine from these games would be used, as it is a sturdy environment that allows for life-like gaming. There is also a chance that features will be "downsized" to make it a little LESS lifelike to make it more coherent to the existing Red Alerts, and easier to put all 3 games together in relation to one-another.

In terms of weapson, we can assume that the Soviets will further themselves again with another variation of the Iron Curtain and the Nuclear Missile, whereas the Chronosphere will probably stay present, but the Weather Storm may be replaced by a NEW toy. Along the same lines, we must take into account that there were 3 factions put into Yuri's Revenge, and both General's and Zero Hour had 3 factions as well (not to mention the Dune series by Westwood ALWAYs had 3 factions). It would be safe to say that Red Alert 3 would have 3 or even MORE factions available. Perhaps the splitting of ALLIED and SOVIET nations into individual countries for battle, giving more than just 1 unit to each different team. Instead of just getting a SNIPER for Britain, maybe you will receive different types of planes, tanks, and power supplies much like that of Zero Hour's different 'Generals' to choose from.

There is also a chance that Red Alert will advance to the next level, as it did into RA2. Maybe nuclear power will be replaced by Fusion reactors or something. If nothing else, a hydrogen powered plant would be realistic to add in. HAPPILY, if this game is created, there is NO WAY in Heck that this game wouldn't have a Navy. You can't have a Red Alert without the Naval Units. That is what most people would say is lacking in Generals, and I think that RA3 would not let gamers down in having one. That means submarines, aircraft carriers, and much more to use, with even better weapons to fire at your enemies. It could truly be interesting. Especially, if later on in the missions, as stated in the 4th paragraph, a storyline where the world is being flooded by melting ice, so most of the world is water-covered. We could start to see Underwater bases with an 'Atlantis-type feel' to them. Heck, we may have to mine seaweed for resources hehe. Of course, this is all theoretical, but it could turn out that ALL of our strategies were either Airborne, with planes that were amphibious, and had landing ports that floated on water, or IN or ON the water, meaning that boats, subs, scuba infantry, and other 'Water Baddies' could get ya. Then of course, there are 'neutral' units in the area, such as sharks and octopi that can always wreak havoc on the land.

I just thought of something else, CRATES. Anyone miss them in Generals? I know I do. I love crates, they can MAKE or Break a game and just made everything more interesting. NO game was ever over until the very end, because crates made everything possible. Hopefully they would be re-entered into this game, if and when it is devised.

So, this brings me back to the storyline. I personally would like to see this game get back to the storyline that it originally started on, where Kane was an influence in the happenings of the RA Universe. As you may have noticed in RA1, Kane was present in Red Alert time, through either time travel, or other means of existence. So, the change in time created by Einsteins Chronosphere events and Kane's presence, split RA off into its own timeline, which is why Red Alert 2 is not a picture of what the world is TODAY, it is what the split universe of Red Alert evolved into over time. So, I would like to see a connecting plot showing how RA3 would relate back to Kane and the brotherhood of NOD. Did this all split off for GOOD, changing the world forever? Or was it all part of Kane's plan, and it changed into something related to the Tiberian plot? Who knows. The only ones that can answer us, are the story writers, which may or may not have written a plot back in Westwood's days.

With the 3rd Tiberium-based game existing in rumor and 3rd Red Alert Game just in development, it is a wonder if/when they will exist, let alone if the two will merge together to close them together, as one large storyline, thus creating one of the greatest finale's of our recent gaming history.

Though the future at this point is somewhat uncertain for Red Alert 3, one thing is for certain: If it lives up to anything half as good as the first two, we will all be in for a big Treat!!

Copyright SgtLny, used by permission