Future of Renegade/Money

[swiggityswooty]

Hello folks, this is my first post here, but I've been around for a while. Started with playing the original renegade which stayed with me for a long time, now renegade x, off and on, but I always end up coming back to it, and I'm certain that I'll give firestorm a try.

With firestorm coming out hopefully soon, in a very much changed fashion from what it started out as (for reasons that i fully understand) I find myself wondering what the future of our beloved game and franchise beholds. This community isn't one I'd call particularly large, and it makes sense as this is a game made for an obscure game that was made way back when, that most gamers would have no clue about it if you mentioned it to them. Of course as time goes on, out of the small community we have here, people move on to other games, or life changes circumstances and gaming isn't an option anymore. Where I'm going with this is that eventually this game will no longer be viable. With Firestorm coming in I feel that a lot of the user base will draw off of the Renegade X community, some people will come back for a while, some new payers will come, but still, you're releasing a game for a small player base.  This is not a bright future.

I (and I'm sure most others) have a lot of admiration for the devs who gave up thousands of hours of their own time for free to create the wonderful game we have, and the one coming down the pipe. Now it seems the dev team is running on donations, but I think they very much deserve to get paid. For me personally, there is nothing like the C&C mode. That's why i keep coming back. If someone else had made it I'd probably go over there and abandon Renegade for good. But no one has, and most of the gaming world is unaware of this hidden gem.

The point I'm getting at here is why doesn't the team release a paid for game? Now obviously EA owns the rights to C&C so it would have to be a separate entity, but they don't own the game modes. I don't know much about game development but wouldn't they be able to re-use a lot of assets with some changes? The stock maps have their roots in EA but none of the maps released since then do. I know there are a ton of hurdles to overcome that I'm not aware of (especially financially) but if you're going through the trouble of making a full game you should get paid when the thing comes out. Throw in that base building mode and a conquest mode with a few tweaks, indie games are very popular these days, I'd definitely spend on a game like that, and I'm sure it would bring in a lot of new players.

Anyway, just having a pipe dream here...

Good night folks

[BlueToast]

There are some games with a C&C mode, but not of C&C verbiage or lore. I have found a sweet spot for C&C lore. You can make a new game that is the same thing as C&C Renegade and Renegade-X and Firestorm, but if it isn't within C&C lore then I have no interest. It must be within C&C lore. It started with C&C, it ends with C&C. Other games are ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Herry]

“Hey @swiggityswooty, you’re raising some really valid points — it’s awesome to see how passionate the community still is about Renegade and Firestorm!

A few thoughts:

1. Small but dedicated: It’s true the player base is niche, but that dedication can be powerful. Even smaller indie games thrive when the core group is engaged enough to spread the word and help fund ongoing development.

2. Paid model idea: The suggestion to release a paid version or DLC is interesting. As you noted, lore licensing from EA is a hurdle, but they’ve still got the assets, maps, and engine — and Firestorm introduces fresh structure and systems. A standalone, paid indie version with base-building could work coin flip— maybe as a “spiritual successor”—without directly using the C&C name or story. This is a route some mod-to-game teams have taken successfully.

3. Funding support: Many indie studios survive via a mix of Patreon, donations, or even early-access. Could the devs launch a Patreon or Kickstarter tied to development milestones? Even rewards like custom skins or exclusive maps could incentivize support.

4. Visibility matters: As you said, most gamers don’t even know Renegade exists. Bridging that gap through marketing—shared trailers, tactical teasers, content on indie gaming forums—could bring in fresh blood and more funding possibility.

Ask for feedback from the dev team:

• Has there been any conversation behind the scenes about monetization or expanding beyond donations?

• Would the team be open to a paid version if licensing/logistics were resolved?

Your love for the game shines through — it’s worth opening this dialogue more widely. Hope the devs see this and consider joining in.**