One of the most expected RTS or Real Time Strategy titles this holiday season is Red Alert 3. Created by EA Los Angeles, former Westwood studios, the creative team behind the massive Command & Conquer universe, it promises to end the seven-year long period from the last title in the Red Alert series. The franchise has been known for its excellent strategy gameplay and for its very funny and lighthearted approach to unit design. The Command & Conquer trademark live action cutscenes are also very entertaining and serve to keep the player in action.

The game has now gone gold, which means that the development process is complete and mass production of the disks has begun. The title is set to hit the shelves on October 31 for the PC, whereas the Xbox 360 users will have to wait until November 14 for their version to appear while the PlayStation 3 owners haven't received a firm release date yet.

The game promises to revive the conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union, but this time with a new superpower making its appearance, the Empire of the Rising Sun. All of these battles will be brought to life by means of a completely new graphical engine that accentuates various parts of the game. The live action sequences will be played by several famous actors like George Takei, Gemma Atkinson, Tim Curry, Kelly Hu or Jenny McCarthy. 

Apart from the announcement of the game going gold, Electronic Arts also stated that the Premier Edition was available for pre-ordering. Besides the game you will get a DVD containing special interviews with the cast of actors, as well as “making of” parts of the cinematic sequences. Also, special features like multiplayer maps and tips and tricks from the developer will be part of this special edition.

Here are the features that you will get when you pre-order the regular or Premier edition of the game:

-Command & Conquer Red Alert 2 – One of the most beloved RTS games of all time for FREE! 

-From Fighter to Assassin – A featurette on EliteXC superstar, Gina Carano. 

-Red Alert Retrospective – A look back at Command & Conquer Red Alert, Command & Conquer Red Alert 2 and Command & Conquer: Yuri's Revenge

-Premier Edition Sneak Peek – Exclusive previews of Raising of the Iron Curtain, From Pens to Pixels, Command School, and BattleCast Primetime 

-Exclusive multiplayer/skirmish map for Command & Conquer Red Alert 3 when the game ships 

-Exclusive Command & Conquer Red Alert 3 desktop wallpapers

All in all a very interesting deal which is sure to please all die-hard Red Alert fans out there. Until the game hits the shelves we can always enjoy the classic Red Alert titles from the franchise.