Command & Conquer: Generals: 3 Open Source Clones Compared
The Zero Hour entry here is Electronic Arts' own official open-source release of the game's engine and source code, re-released on Steam with Workshop support for community maps — not a third-party reimplementation. OpenSAGE and Thyme are both independent reimplementations built from scratch: OpenSAGE is described as being in very early stages with no gameplay functionality yet implemented, while Thyme is further along and playable, though it still leans on the original Zero Hour binary for functions it hasn't reimplemented yet and currently only runs on Windows.
Comparison table
Availability
- Status
- Playable
- Platforms
- Windows
- Play in browser
- No
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Archived
- Last updated
- 2y ago
- Stars
- 4,721
- Contributors
- 1
- License
- —
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- NoCompiled binaries require owning the game, available on EA App or Steam.
- Modding support
- YesSteam Workshop support for User Maps.
Availability
- Status
- Unplayable
- Platforms
- Windows, Linux, OSX
- Play in browser
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Sporadic
- Last updated
- 6mo ago
- Stars
- 1,635
- Contributors
- 35
- License
- —
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- YesRequires game data files from original Command & Conquer: Generals or Zero Hour.
- Modding support
- —
Availability
- Status
- Playable
- Platforms
- Windows
- Play in browser
- No
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Halted
- Last updated
- 2y ago
- Stars
- 690
- Contributors
- 16
- License
- GPL-2.0
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- YesRequires Command & Conquer Generals: Zero Hour to be installed; the project uses the original binary to provide functions not yet implemented.
- Modding support
- —
| Title | Command & Conquer: Generals - Zero Hour | OpenSAGE | Thyme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Status | Playable | Unplayable | Playable |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, Linux, OSX | Windows |
| Play in browser | No | No | |
| Mobile | No | No | No |
| Project health | |||
| Development status | Archived | Sporadic | Halted |
| Last updated | 2y ago | 6mo ago | 2y ago |
| Stars | 4,721 | 1,635 | 690 |
| Contributors | 1 | 35 | 16 |
| License | — | — | GPL-2.0 |
| Compatibility | |||
| Requires original assets | NoCompiled binaries require owning the game, available on EA App or Steam. | YesRequires game data files from original Command & Conquer: Generals or Zero Hour. | YesRequires Command & Conquer Generals: Zero Hour to be installed; the project uses the original binary to provide functions not yet implemented. |
| Modding support | YesSteam Workshop support for User Maps. | — | — |
| Preview | | |
Known limitations
- compatibility: Windows executables with 'version', 'update', or 'install' in filename require UAC elevation.
- gameplay: Project is in very early stages with only partial implementation; no gameplay functionality yet.
- platform: Currently only runs on Windows; native Linux and macOS support is planned for the future.
- compatibility: Anti-virus software may incorrectly flag Thyme as a virus (false positive).
Frequently asked questions
Are the Command & Conquer: Generals clones on this page open source?
Yes — every clone catalogued here is an open-source project. Availability, license, and development-status details for each one are listed in the comparison table above.
What license do these Command & Conquer: Generals clones use?
Thyme (GPL-2.0).
Do I need to own the original Command & Conquer: Generals to play these clones?
Command & Conquer: Generals - Zero Hour runs standalone, no original files needed; OpenSAGE and Thyme require original game assets to play.
Can I play any of these Command & Conquer: Generals clones directly in a browser?
Yes — OpenSAGE has a browser-playable build linked in the comparison table above, no install required.
See the full write-up for each clone, or go back to Command & Conquer: Generals.