The original trilogy of
Wing Commander games tells the story of a generation-spanning galactic war against the cat-like
Kilrathi. Ensuing games follow the same characters through other conflicts, ultimately ending shortly after introducing a mysterious new alien threat. A host of spinoff games were also developed, including the multiplayer Armada and the cult-classic Privateer. To fans, the universe is rounded out by a collection of "mass media" tie-ins, including novels, an animated series and a major motion picture. More importantly, Wing Commander was the vanguard of PC gaming for nearly a decade -- setting new standards for both excellence and system requirements with each progressive release.