A significant piece of '90s PC gaming history is set to return, as EA producer Jim Vessella announced an upcoming remaster of Wing Commander 3: Heart of the Tiger. The revelation came during a retrospective panel at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo.
Vessella shared that he had unearthed the original master tapes for the game's live-action Full Motion Video (FMV) sequences from EA's archives. These tapes will be utilized in the production of the remaster, which is being planned to coincide with the game's 30th anniversary.
The remastered edition aims to enhance the classic space combat simulator by addressing video compression issues and targeting a 60 frames per second performance. It is also expected to incorporate community-driven enhancements and include the "Kilrathi Saga," suggesting that content from the initial trilogy will be present.
Wing Commander 3: Heart of the Tiger, released in 1994, is widely considered a high point in the series. Players step into the boots of Colonel Christopher Blair, a pilot fighting against the Kilrathi Empire. The game featured a star-studded cast in its FMV sequences, including Mark Hamill, Malcolm McDowell, Tim Curry, and John Rhys-Davies. Its blend of refined gameplay and cinematic presentation made it a standout title.
The announcement carries a degree of intrigue, particularly given EA's typical approach to its back catalog and the location of the reveal. While Vessella has a history with EA, he was not directly involved in the original Wing Commander development. The series' creator, Chris Roberts, has been focused on the long-running Star Citizen project for over a decade.