Electronic Arts have today announced that their real-time strategy game Command & Conquer: Rivals will hit Android and iOS devices just in time for Christmas on December 4th, giving players something to do around the dinner table while the family argues after too many cherries.

Command & Conquer: Rivals is also set to grow into the next official EA competitive gaming franchise to roll out a complete competitive program, including community tournaments and a championship pro scene. Rivals Champions is an in-game competitive mode, which will be available on release and will serve the purpose of being the first stepping stone into EA's launch into a multi-continent esports program.

The mode will consist of players jumping into battles while going up against other players in a matchmaking pool. To ensure fairness, each battle will be broken down into ranks so that all players get a chance and no one is against someone who is higher or lower than them. Do well, and you reap the rewards and maybe even get yourself onto the Rivals Champions leaderboards!

Michael Martinez, who is the studio GM at Electronic Arts has stated that:

“We set out to build an RTS game for mobile players that thrives on head-to-head competition and where strategy and skill matter. With continuous unit control and intense battles where comebacks are possible, Command & Conquer: Rivals delivers this and more. We’ve been thrilled to see the early response from players during soft launch. Player feedback has made the game stronger for our launch in December and we’ll continue to work with the community as we accelerate into esports next year.”

If you haven't had the chance to join, then don't fret as you can head over to the Command & Conquer website and pre-register on Google Play or iOS. Gamers who pre-register will also receive a special, limited edition bundle to begin commanding their units.

Command & Conquer: Rivals will be available on Andriod and iOS December 4th, 2018