Template:Wing Commander

Wing Commander is a series of space combat flight simulation games developed and published by Origin Systems. The series consists of eleven games, including spin-offs and remakes. The series was originally supposed to be a single game and was going to be a turn-based strategy game rather than an arcade-like flight simulator, but changed direction during the game's design phase. The creation of the games were inspired by Chris Roberts' love of science-fiction films and television series.

The first game, simply known as Wing Commander (Also known as Wing Commander: The 3-D Space Combat Simulator) released on September 26, 1990, and two expansions called The Secret Missions released later. A remake called Super Wing Commander released on Macintosh and the mh:crappygames:3DO Interactive Multiplayer on March 23, 1994. The second game, called Wing Commander II: Vengeance of the Kilrathi released on September 1991 and was also followed by two expansions called Special Operations. This game in the series was meant to expand upon Chris Roberts' attempt to make players fell like they were playing a movie.

Three spin-offs called Wing Commander Academy, Wing Commander Privateer, and Wing Commander Armada released on August and September of 1993 and September 1994 respectively before the release of Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger, which came out on December 1994. An enhanced re-release of Wing Commander I, II, and III called The Kilrathi Saga also released on October 15, 1996 and included faster gameplay and additional features not present in the original.

On February 12, 1996, Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom was released. The last two games in the series that released by Origin, Privateer 2: The Darkening and Wing Commander Prophecy released on an unknown date in 1996 and December 11, 1997 respectively. Prophecy would later get an expansion called Wing Commander Secret Ops before Origin Systems was shut down by its parent company mh:crappygames:Electronic Arts. The last game to be released was Wing Commander Arena for the Xbox 360 on July 25, 2007 and was the only game not to be overseen or developed by Origin Systems.

All of the PC releases were eventually re-released on GOG.com, as well as EA's Origin client.

This article will focus on the Origin Systems era, the games that released before the company was shut down and EA's management of the series.

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