While it's been nice to see the Command & Conquer revival over the past few years, let's be completely honest here: the C&C name doesn't hold the same cache it originally did in the mid-90s, back when it was basically one of two games in the burgeoning real-time strategy genre, and its FMV cutscenes represented the pinnacle of video-game production values.
 
It would seem that EA is keen to remind you of just how much you loved Command & Conquer--or, in the case that you're too young to remember C&C in its heyday, experience it for the first time--by making Command & Conquer: Tiberian Dawn, Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun (plus the associated Firestorm add-on), and Command & Conquer: Red Alert available for free. This isn't some kind of Command & Conquer 4 preorder bonus or anything like that: just a stack of classic, free games. A pretty cool gesture on EA's behalf, assuming you didn't foolishly waste money on Command & Conquer: The First Decade back in 2006.
 
There's something really illicit and crazy about the way EA is releasing raw ISO files for this stuff, leaving it to the end user to figure out how to get these old-ass games running on a modern PC. If there's any downside to this offer, it's that the version of the original C&C that's up for download is the Windows 95 version, not the original DOS version. This is probably better for compatibility purposes, but it also means that it's sadly missing the EVA install process, which is, empirically speaking, the greatest game installer ever. This is a poor substitute, but here's a YouTube video of the original EVA in action to remind you of just how lacking modern installers are.
 

While it's been nice to see the Command & Conquer revival over the past few years, let's be completely honest here: the C&C name doesn't hold the same cache it originally did in the mid-90s, back when it was basically one of two games in the burgeoning real-time strategy genre, and its FMV cutscenes represented the pinnacle of video-game production values.
 
It would seem that EA is keen to remind you of just how much you loved Command & Conquer--or, in the case that you're too young to remember C&C in its heyday, experience it for the first time--by making Command & Conquer: Tiberian Dawn, Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun (plus the associated Firestorm add-on), and Command & Conquer: Red Alert available for free. This isn't some kind of Command & Conquer 4 preorder bonus or anything like that: just a stack of classic, free games. A pretty cool gesture on EA's behalf, assuming you didn't foolishly waste money on Command & Conquer: The First Decade back in 2006.
 
There's something really illicit and crazy about the way EA is releasing raw ISO files for this stuff, leaving it to the end user to figure out how to get these old-ass games running on a modern PC. If there's any downside to this offer, it's that the version of the original C&C that's up for download is the Windows 95 version, not the original DOS version. This is probably better for compatibility purposes, but it also means that it's sadly missing the EVA install process, which is, empirically speaking, the greatest game installer ever. This is a poor substitute, but here's a YouTube video of the original EVA in action to remind you of just how lacking modern installers are.
 

Sweet!

Or I could just torrent a version with an actual installer.

"  assuming you didn't foolishly waste money on Command & Conquer: The First Decade back in 2006. "

We will see you in Moscow!!

I don't think Tiberian Dawn and Red Alert can even work on Vista.

 
Pretty cool. Good move by EA

I spent $20 on the First Decade, so these don't apply, however, Tiberian Dawn and Red Alert both work on Vista. Use Admin priviliages.

That's awesome if you don't already own them, but most people interested in C&C will probably own them in some form by now (I think I've about 3 copies of Tiberian Dawn somewhere - one original, one in the first decade and another random one that even I don't know how I came to own). But it might introduce new people to the franchise, so good on EA.

So is Tiberian Dawn an official name for the first game now?

Or you could play Starcraft. 
 
Just sayin'

god i feel old

Hell ya!

Hasn't this been free for a while?

I run my old copy of Win98 in virtualpc to run old DOS games, works great.

FUCK YES!
 
Center...
 
I heartily endorce the return of C&C game installers in all modern titles.  It is truely a lost art.
 
Now If i could just free up enough virtual memory to run privateer...

" @nukesniper: the first decade is a great pack. Its the only boxed pc game i have at the moment. If you have it, make sure to get the fan-made patch that fixes all the bugs and makes all of the games no-cd like they are supposed to be.
 
You can get the patch here
 http://www.cncsector.net/cnp/tfd
 
It's great.
"

I love this idea. More companies should do this, it's a great way to promote sequels and doesn't lose them much/any money.

Now let me get this straight, EA is giving something away.......for free.  Somebody is going to get fired.

" Hasn't this been free for a while? "

Haha. Tricky Mr D.avis with his fake awesome installers. Trying to get us to think something like that's possible. How silly.

I agree. Best installation screen ever.
 
I remember trying to play this without a sound card and getting stuck on one of the NOD missions until I got one. Good times...

no Red Alert expansion? I'll grab em seeing as i have no clue where my discs even are.

Command And Conquer rocked my socks back in the day, will download.

Today is the official free day apparently. You can also download flOw off of the US store and pay nothing. Getting an error on my US account, so don't know if that'll work.
 
Also Flower has gotten a steep price cut in the EU store.

I'll play me some Red Alert.

I can't seem to get Tiberium Sun to run on my Windows 7 64bit. Oh well.

Steam feels cold next to this, at the least X360 and PS3 disc installations should take a page from this.

Great find. I'll get me some Red Alert and Tiberian Sun. I'm sure I have both of those around here somewhere, but I'm too lazy to find them.

They should have got them working then put them up on EADM. But then again that would have cost more than the $50 they probably spent making these available.
 
Fuckit. Free and Legal is Free and Legal.

Awesome!!!! Never played them before. Downloading them All Right Now.

That install is freaking awesome.

this is when i tell all my friends to try them as i have all the old C&C games

I remember Tiberian Sun being the first game I had ever seen that had a CD-key. It's also my favorite C&C game.

woo hoo free stuff! 
wait. from EA? 
 
this cant be right.

" ...assuming you didn't foolishly waste money on Command & Conquer: The First Decade back in 2006."

I used to be mildly interested in C&C, but ever since they came out with the version that had toxic mold on the ground that would kill your mineral harvester if you didn't babysit it, I've lost interest. It also became quite apparent that since it's made by EA they were a lot less concerned with balancing the gameplay than they were with putting out a new version in a timely manner.

  i t's sadly missing the EVA install process, which is, empirically speaking, the greatest game installer ever.

Duder, that installer was incredible! Someone needs to pick up that ball and run with it.

The original and Red Alert have been available for some time.  Really great that they've made the rest free too though.
Shame C&C4 is no good at all..

C&C Red Alert 2 also had a great installer, still remember most of the words.

And those are probably the three best C&C games, so you're all set if you haven't played C&C before.  Red Alert 2 is also good; the rest are garbage.
 
There were some fucking amazing installations back in the day, mostly for the sound tests.  Full Throttle's was great, and I seem to recall Terminator Future Shock having a good one, but I can't dig out a full copy of it.  Red Alert 2 had a kick ass installer.

I'll be crazy and try to get Tiberian Sun running on Vista. My disc got broken ages ago and I feel like giving it another shot.

memoriesss. thanks for posting installed video!

I played so much Red Alert and Tiberian Sun as kid. It's really cool to see companies doing this kind of thing because it great way to promote new games and it lets newcomers see the roots of the series.

Red Alert 2 had the best installer ever! WestWood in general made some insane installers, I remember Nox having a cool one too.

I think this is great and more studious should do that with their old, old games. I already own all C&C games except RA3...