Deus Ex has recently marked its 25th anniversary, a milestone celebrated by fans and gamers alike. However, in an alternate reality, PC gamers with eight arms and two heads are raising a toast to a different 25th anniversary—one that honors a first-person Command & Conquer game that could have eclipsed C&C Renegade. This intriguing scenario stems from the visionary mind of Warren Spector, who was determined to bring his immersive sim concept to life within the beloved strategy universe of Westwood Studios.
The Genesis of Troubleshooter
Before the name Deus Ex became a staple in gaming lexicon, it was merely a concept known as “Troubleshooter.” Spector’s ambition was to create an open-ended near-future simulation featuring a supercop named Jake Shooter, diverging from the typical aliens and fantasy heroes that dominated the gaming landscape at the time. “I was sick to death of space marines and alien invasions and mages with fireballs and pointy hats. I had made enough of those and wanted to do something different,” Spector shared with PC Gamer.
Conceived in 1994 while he was still with Origin Systems, Spector faced challenges in pitching Troubleshooter internally. However, he eventually managed to persuade Westwood to invest in a version of his game, reimagined within the C&C framework. “I was about to sign a contract with Westwood to make a Command & Conquer RPG,” Spector recounted. “My plan was just to take the genre-mashup, player choice elements from Troubleshooter and set it in the C&C universe.”
At that juncture, Spector was determined to see his vision realized, even if it meant creating yet another sci-fi game. Yet, destiny had other plans. The legendary John Romero, co-creator of Doom, extended an invitation to Spector, offering him the freedom to pursue his ideas without constraints. This pivotal moment led Spector to join Ion Storm, where he established his own studio in Austin.
As a result, Troubleshooter evolved into what we now know as Deus Ex, with Jake Shooter transforming into the iconic JC Denton. While the legacy of Deus Ex is firmly established, one can’t help but ponder the alternate paths the gaming industry might have taken had Spector signed that contract with Westwood. Would immersive sims have flourished under the banner of Command & Conquer: Troubleshooter, potentially becoming the best-selling game of the decade? Or would the ambitious project have faced cancellation as Westwood’s executives grappled with the enormity of Spector’s vision? Only the nostalgic, C&C-loving octopuses of that parallel universe might hold the answers.
