Boy, time flies when you’re having fun. Do you know that it’s been 12 years since the release of Command and Conquer, one of those classic games that paved the way to where the RTS genre is now?

And in celebration, EA games is giving away the classic game as a free download.

According to the official announcement; “Thanks largely to the efforts of our loyal fans whom continue to sustain and grow the Command & Conquer community, Command & Conquer has become a legendary franchise and it’s time to celebrate its birth once again.”

More after the jump

Let me quote the official announcement once again:

“In order to give back to the fans for over 12 years of devotion we are putting together a 12th Anniversary celebration during the month of September. However, as any Command & Conquer fan knows, the true party starts today, August 31st, which marks 12 years since the original Command & Conquer launched way back in 1995.”

“To kick the celebration off, today we have a special surprise which we are certain new and old Command & Conquer fans will enjoy. We are providing the original Command & Conquer as a free download, compatible for Windows XP! This is the same version included with the collectors pack Command & Conquer: The First Decade, and is now available for you to download for free!”

Source of photo and news: commandandconquer.com