Westwood didn’t just make strategy games—they invented how we think about them. Dune II established the RTS template; Command & Conquer refined it for mass audiences. Their combination of accessible mechanics, memorable FMV, and competitive multiplayer defined the genre’s golden age before corporate absorption ended the studio.
Fast facts
- Founded: 1985, Las Vegas.
- Founders: Brett Sperry, Louis Castle.
- Acquired: Virgin (1992), EA (1998).
- Closed: 2003.
RTS creation
| Title |
Year |
Achievement |
| Dune II |
1992 |
Genre creation |
| Command & Conquer |
1995 |
Genre popularisation |
| Red Alert |
1996 |
Alternate history |
Command & Conquer series
| Title |
Year |
| Command & Conquer |
1995 |
| Red Alert |
1996 |
| Tiberian Sun |
1999 |
| Red Alert 2 |
2000 |
| Renegade |
2002 |
Beyond RTS
| Title |
Genre |
| Eye of the Beholder |
RPG |
| Lands of Lore |
RPG |
| Legend of Kyrandia |
Adventure |
| Blade Runner |
Adventure |
FMV signature
| Element |
Quality |
| Live actors |
Joseph Kucan as Kane |
| Production |
TV-level quality |
| Personality |
Memorable villains |
| Series identity |
Continued tradition |
EA acquisition
| Year |
Event |
| 1998 |
EA acquires |
| 2003 |
Studio closed |
| Teams |
Scattered across EA |
| Legacy |
C&C continues internally |
See also