EA classic PC games are coming to Steam for the first time on Nov. 5, the publisher said, bringing 25 legacy PC titles to Steam alongside releases on GOG and the EA App.
EA classic PC games not all remastered, check versions before buying
Buyers should note that EA classic PC games on Steam will include both remastered editions and straight ports, EA said.
The seven titles receiving Anniversary Edition remasters are Road Rash, Wing Commander I, II, III, and IV, Wing Commander Prophecy, and Privateer 2. The remaining 18 titles are being released as digital ports in their original form, including Ultima I through IX, two Ultima Underworld entries, two Crusader games, Strike Commander, three ancillary Wing Commander titles, and Theme Hospital. EA said the ported games are not modern graphical remakes.
Road Rash debuts digitally with 60 FPS support
The surprise release is a Road Rash 30th anniversary edition, the first official digital release of the 1996 PC version, EA said. The Anniversary Edition supports up to 60 frames per second, native controller support, windowed mode, and cloud saves, and the original licensed soundtrack has been secured so players can hear bands such as Soundgarden, Paw, and Monster Magnet during races.
Restoration began in EA’s media vault
The restoration work began when Jim Vessella, a senior producer at EA, found nearly 20,000 historical media assets in a storage room at the Redwood Shores campus in March 2022, EA said. The collection included Betacam, VHS, D1 tapes, and film.
EA said its team digitized about 6,000 items and preserved roughly 2,500 hours of footage, recovering original masters for Wing Commander and Road Rash. The company said more than 1,500 video sequences were restored as part of the project, with Wing Commander III and Wing Commander IV accounting for over 1,000 sequences between them.
Community patches and modern compatibility included
EA said the Anniversary Editions for the two later Wing Commander games integrate player community enhancement patches that add 60 frames per second, improved controller and flight stick support, and other conveniences that used to require manual patching and configuration by players.
Steam and GOG run limited half price sale, existing owners can upgrade
EA said players who already own the digital Wing Commander versions on GOG or the EA App will be eligible for a free upgrade to the Anniversary Editions on those platforms. Buyers should check their libraries before purchasing.
Suggested retail prices for the seven Anniversary Editions are $9.99 each, and the remaining 18 ports are priced at $4.99 each. Steam and GOG will run discounts from Nov. 5 through Nov. 19, EA said, with Anniversary Editions on GOG offered at $4.99 during the sale and Theme Hospital discounted to $2.49. Regional pricing may vary at checkout.
EA released the list of titles and the launch schedule in a company statement on Nov. 5, and storefront listings on Steam and GOG show the same availability dates and sale window.
