OperoGames DISCOVER. TRACK. PLAY.

About

Command & Conquer: Generals came out on February 1, 2003 for PC, then for Mac on April 1, 2004. On Steam, 88% of 2,132 player reviews are positive (Very Positive). 206 people are playing it on Steam right now, with a peak of 297 in the last 30 days. It is Playable on Steam Deck. It was nominated for 2 awards.

Command & Conquer: Generals puts your trigger finger on the pulse of modern warfare. Choose your powerful General to control massive armies of bleeding-edge military weaponry across a globe teetering on the brink of Armageddon. Command one of three unique sides, each with customisable high-tech arsenals ready to deliver unprecedented firepower on land or in the skies. Annihilate the opposition in the 27-mission single-player campaign or dish out the damage in global multiplayer mayhem. Prepare your forces, Commander…it’s time to engage in the next generation of real-time strategy - Command & Conquer Generals.

Story

Generals takes place in the near future where the United States and China co-operate to fight against the Global Liberation Army (GLA), a terrorist organization based in Central Asia. In chronological order, the campaign is played through the Chinese, GLA and then the United States perspectives respectively. China: A military parade in Beijing is attacked by GLA forces, culminating in the detonation of a stolen Chinese nuclear warhead and the beginning of the GLA's incursion inside China's borders. The Chinese mobilize to stall and contain the GLA, but in the process lose the Three Gorges Dam and the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center. Now on the offensive, the Chinese attack GLA strongholds, arriving at the terror cell's main headquarters in Dushanbe. Utilizing nuclear weapons, the Chinese put an end to the GLA's offensive. GLA: Despite losses to China, the GLA maintains its presence across Central Asia and the Middle East. In efforts to revive itself, the GLA raid UN convoys and incite riots in Astana. However, the United States enters the war and a GLA renegade sides with the Chinese with the intention to destroy the organization. The GLA retaliate by attacking the Baikonur Cosmodrome, and uses the platform to launch devastating toxin attacks at highly populated cities. USA: The United States sends its forces to the Middle East, Hindu Kush and then Kazakhstan to finally put an end to the GLA. Despite losses incurred from GLA attacks and ambushes, the USA are able to push the GLA back to their final stronghold in Akmola Region. With Chinese support, the USA destroys the last GLA stronghold, ending the GLA's reign of tyranny.

More in the Command & Conquer series

All 8 games in order

From the people behind Command & Conquer: Generals

shared cast and crew

Games like Command & Conquer: Generals

same kind of game, other series

Cast and crew

1 credits

Crew

Awards

0 won, 2 more nominations
British Academy Games Awards 2004

Media

Command & Conquer: Generals screenshot

Releases

Platform
Date
February 1, 2003 (Australia first)
April 1, 2004 (North America first)

Earliest full release on each platform; regional dates can differ.

PC and Steam Deck

Steam store page

Steam Deck: Playable runs, but may need some tweaks

Minimum
Recommended
OS
Windows 10
Windows 10
Processor
2.2 GHz Intel or AMD CPU
2.2 GHz Intel or AMD CPU
Memory
1 GB RAM
1 GB RAM
Graphics
GeForce 4+/ Radeon 8500
GeForce 4+/ Radeon 8500
Storage
2 GB available space
2 GB available space

Will it run on my PC?

Your numbers stay in this browser.

Requirements and Deck status as listed on Steam, checked Oct 28, 2026.

Command & Conquer: Generals player count

concurrent players on Steam
206playing now1h ago
206peak today
29730-day peak
297highest we have seenOct 25, 2026
Oct 23: 231 Oct 24: 297 Oct 25: 297 Oct 26: 235 Oct 27: 240 Oct 28: 201 Oct 29: 216 Oct 30: 221 Oct 31: 253 Nov 1: 264 Nov 2: 206
Oct 23daily peak, last 11 daystoday

Players counted on Steam every one to six hours; the daily peak is the highest count of the day.