It's been quite a while since the video gaming public has seen a Wing Commander title from Electronic Arts (Origin Systems, Inc. before them), and in that time span the fans got antsy. So antsy, in fact, that a dedicated group of die-hard Wing Commander loyalists set out to create their own sequel to the once beloved franchise, titled Wing Commander Saga: Darkest Dawn.

Set between the events of the second and third game, Darkest Dawn would cover some of the key events from Wing Commander lore — events that fans should be extremely familiar with.

Still, with a fan-produced product like Darkest Dawn, there remains the question of whether or not the original property holder would be willing to let such a product exist without bringing legal action. Thankfully, for Wing Commander fans, the answer is yes.

It was reported earlier today that EA, Origin, and Chris Roberts (original creator of Wing Commander) had unofficially endorsed the project, but, as reported by Project Lead Anton, that is not exactly the case. EA will not stand in the way of Darkest Dawn releasing, but they are not endorsing it.

This isn't the first of its kind — a fan made title being produced outside the purview of the property holders — but this is one of the rare games to not see legal action. Who knows, perhaps Darkest Dawn will strike enough of a chord with fans that EA would be interested in hiring the project's developers to create a proper retail Wing Commander sequel.

httpv://youtu.be/7N1w9Xw0j0I

Obviously, with this being a fan-made product and all, the assumption would be that Darkest Dawn would lack the depth of a traditional retail title, but this game is a pretty substantial one. Boasting 55 missions, 70 cinematics, and 11,000 lines of dialogue, Wing Commander Saga: Darkest Dawn is no slouch. This is the real deal.

The project has been 10 years in the making and is clearly the product of some wholly devoted fans that want to deliver the product Wing Commander lovers deserve. Now if only we could shake off the sting from that Wing Commander film starring Freddie Prinze Jr.

Are you interested in this Wing Commander sequel now that EA will not stand in its way? Is there still enough of a fan base for the property to see a resurgence?

Wing Commander Saga: Darkest Dawn releases March 22, 2012 for the PC.

Source: Gnomes Lair, Wing Commander Saga