EA Producer Unveils Wing Commander 3 Remaster Using Lost Tapes

A classic 90s PC space sim is getting a surprise revival. According to a Kotaku report, EA producer Jim Vessella announced a remaster of Wing Commander 3: Heart of the Tiger at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo.

The project is possible because Vessella reportedly discovered over 600 original master tapes of the game's live-action footage in EA's archives. He informed the expo audience that a 30th-anniversary edition is now in development.

The remaster will feature the restored video sequences, a 60FPS gameplay experience, and will bundle in post-release community patches. Vessella's mention of including "the Kilrathi Saga" suggests the release will cover the first three games in the series.

Kotaku notes the original game's cast included Mark Hamill, Malcolm McDowell, and Tim Curry. The series' creator, Chris Roberts, has spent years working on the separate, long-in-development title Star Citizen.

The outlet found the reveal curious, as EA doesn't typically announce projects at retro-focused events and has a mixed record on revisiting older franchises.