EA does the business for Chris Taylor's next PC RTS
Gas Powered Games signs with Electronic Arts. As does everybody-bloody-else by the looks of it.
EA Partners has signed (we should get a key mapped to that phrase, really) a deal with Chris Taylor's Gas Powered Games, which will see the celebrated Total Annihilation designer working on a new PC real-time strategy title due for release in - blimey - 2006.
Although Gas Powered Games is known to be working on a sequel to action-RPG Dungeon Siege for Microsoft Game Studios, that didn't stop Taylor from singing EA's praises. "We worked hard to find a publisher that shared our vision for this new title, and it's really no surprise that we partnered with EA," he said this week. "It was the unanimously smart decision for us, and we couldn't be happier about it."
Following a curious reception to Command & Conquer Generals in 2003, EA is understandably keen to side with proven RTS visionaries, and few would argue that Taylor lacks the credentials.
However Gas Powered Games could perhaps do with covering its tracks a little better. Although EA and GPG haven't thus far announced any game specifics (fair enough, it's due out in 2006 after all), eagle-eyed Total Annihilation die-hards have uncovered a mysterious trademark registration dated November 7th 2003 in the developer's name. "Supreme Commander."
Whatever can it mean?