In spite of concern over the obscure title the game was an immediate hit when released in 1992. “We called Dune II a ‘realtime strategy’ game – we did that to make it clear to software retailers and users that we had something new,” says Sperry, who seems to have been afforded the rare chance to not only create a new genre but to name it as well. “But it was a wargame at heart. You built and managed units and took out the other side. Once people tried the game, they were hooked, and soon Dune II was a huge commercial success.”

As work on the game came to a close, Sperry was working on its successor: “I was evolving my designs and figuring out how to streamline the interface even more. I had developed a new game and mythos with a modern-day setting, and that’s how Command & Conquer was born.”

Although Dune II earned itself two sequels – a remake in 1998 named Dune 2000 and the more favourably received sequel Emperor: Battle For Dune in 2001 – it is the Command & Conquer series that is the game’s true legacy. The series is still the most successful realtime strategy franchise today and its debt to Westwood’s original games is immediately obvious.

Sperry has little to offer in support of subsequent entries in the genre, though. “The few wargames I’ve played lately have left me uninspired,” he admits. “I don’t really recognise the realtime strategy genre as such on consoles.”

“That said, gaming today is still fun and exciting to me personally. I play World Of Warcraft with some friends on a PvP server. I thoroughly enjoyed BioShock and I still play Mario Kart from time to time. Mostly social games and multiplayer games are what appeal to me. The quality of games is still a mixed bag despite all the new technology. But hasn’t it always been like this? In music, literature and film we see the same thing – lots on offer, but a pretty small number of exciting gems each year. And I can assure you that, like other entertainments, every game project starts out as something new and exciting in its creator’s minds. But without a great design, critical feedback and a solid team, it’s still a dicey outcome.”