Command & Conquer

Previously, Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight drastically changed the original game's formula in certain areas, such as the removal of base building and the addition of population caps (changes which were poorly received). Command & Conquer (2013) would have returned to its original roots. Along with classic staples such as base building and resource collection, there would have been the usual amounts of orchestrating and commanding large armies. The game would have also introduced oil and natural gas (or coal) as primary resources, as well as a "base proxy" tactic in which one faction must have "captured" a resource stash before letting its harvesters in.

The game would have featured three unique factions: European Union (EU), Global Liberation Army (GLA) and Asia-Pacific Alliance (APA). A downloadable campaign was planned to be released for each of them, excluding the tutorial, which would have been free. In mid-2013 the website also revealed information about the likely return of "hero units" from the first Generals game, including Jarmen Kell and Black Lotus.

Command & Conquer is set in 2023, ten years after the events of Command & Conquer: Generals – Zero Hour. After the United States lost much of its global influence and adopted an isolationist policy, China became the dominant world power as it strengthened its military power and sought closer relations with the European Union. They would come together to form the Eurasian Unity League to replace the US-led NATO. However, the worsening of relations between China and the EU led to the fragmentation and eventual dissolution of the League.

China, along with multiple East Asian nations, then formed the Asia-Pacific Alliance, which soon became a global superpower. Meanwhile, the EU, determined not to be dictated to by any foreign power, unified the militaries of its member states and began rapidly expanding and militarising. Soon, the EU became the most technologically powerful faction in the world, replacing the declining United States.

After the release of Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight, much of the Command & Conquer team, within EA Los Angeles, was laid off in 2010 causing the future of the series to be cast in doubt. In October, a senior vice-president from Electronic Arts had told the media that the Command & Conquer series would live on as a brand from Dead Space developers, Visceral Games, with a title from the series to be released by that developer being "far-off" and whether or not he was referring to this game is not clear.

The first official announcement of a new Command & Conquer game in development came in February 2011, when Electronic Arts revealed the formation of a new studio known as Victory Games. In the studios' first Q&A session with the official Command & Conquer blog, it was openly stated that they were developing a new title in the Command & Conquer series with the future of the series being the studio's general focus. The new studio consisted of members from the previous EA Los Angeles development team as well as some new staff members. Its general manager was Jon Van Caneghem from Trion Worlds.