EA producer Jim Vessella has announced plans for a remastered edition of the classic 1994 space combat simulator, Wing Commander 3: Heart of the Tiger. The project came to light after Vessella discovered approximately 600 original FMV source tapes while digitizing EA's video archives. The announcement was made during a presentation at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo.
The forthcoming remaster, dubbed the 30th Anniversary Edition, will feature both original and upscaled versions of the game's full-motion video cutscenes. Integration with the Kilrathi Saga, which typically includes Wing Commander 1, 2, and their expansions, is also planned. The remaster is set to run at 60 FPS and will include controller support. It is slated for release on Steam, GOG, and the EA app.
Wing Commander 3, alongside its sequel, is widely considered a high point in the series, noted for its cinematic presentation and voice cast, which included Mark Hamill and John Rhys-Davies. Vessella's recovery of the original video recordings is a significant development for fans of the game, particularly given EA's recent focus on its major franchises rather than revisiting older titles. The publisher's decision to back the Dead Space remake did not yield sufficient sales for a sequel, leading EA to concentrate on games like Battlefield and EA Sports FC. The Wing Commander 3 remaster represents a notable departure from this trend, though whether it signifies a broader revival of EA's classic IPs remains to be seen.