This press release offers the promised official announcement of Galactic Command, the next space combat game from 3000AD that will make use of the ever-more-trendy episodic distribution format, as well as a Universal Combat Collector's Edition, containing all eight titles in the UC/Battlecruiser series. The release of the Collector's Edition and the first episode in Galactic Command are both expected in March 2007, and here's word on the new game:

When Derek Smart and his team set out to develop a fast paced space combat shooter, they didn’t want to do just your regular run-of-the-mill shooter. Instead they wanted to blend in all the elements that made the space combat genre of yester years awesome, with the current generation technology found in our industry recognized suite of games.

The result is a visceral pure action aerial and space combat action shooter with massive scale combat engagements, an intricate story line campaign, interesting and challenging missions which take place both in space and on planet surfaces, as well as all the graphics eye candy that your system can muster. Throw in an intuitive help system, easy to use GUI interface and control scheme (game pad support!) and what you have is a game you can pick up and be playing like an expert in ten minutes or less.

This episodic (four in all) game tells the story of the struggle between the Terran Military forces of Galactic Command and their opposition counterparts, the Insurgents, who are fast becoming the new threat to the organization’s stability and security.

The GCV-Excalibur and GCV-Merlin are two new attack carriers developed by GALCOM and on their first maiden voyage are tasked with engaging the Insurgents. As the leader of a combat flight crew of fighters assigned to the Excalibur, your mission is to carry out your assignments while protecting your fleet from being destroyed by hostile forces operating deep behind enemy lines.

Episode one is included in the full game, with three additional episodes (each sold separately) to follow every two to three months. GALCOM is scheduled to be released in Q1/07 (March) at an MSRP of $29.95. Future episodes are sold separately at $19.95