From Modder to Mogul: A Command & Conquer Story
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September 22, 2025
For many of us who grew up with the PC gaming boom of the 90s and 2000s, games like Command & Conquer (C&C) weren't just games—they were a formative part of our identity. We spent countless hours building bases, harvesting Tiberium, and leading armies of GDI or Nod units into battle. But what happens when that passion goes beyond a hobby and becomes a platform for something bigger? In a recent interview, Eric Chou, founder of Honor Games, revealed how his journey from modding the classic C&C series led him to found a game studio with a mission that extends far beyond entertainment. His story is a powerful testament to the value of passion, community, and purpose.
The Mod That Rebuilt an Empire
Eric's story begins not with a new game, but with an old one. He and his team embarked on a massive passion project in the summer of 2011 to mod Command & Conquer: Tiberian Wars. The mod, called Tiberium Secrets, was a direct response to the controversial Tiberian Twilight and a community-driven effort to "fix" the game's story and gameplay.
One of the most ambitious features of Tiberium Secrets was the introduction of a completely new faction, the Artificial Systematic Intelligence (ASI). This was one of the first fully robotic factions to be introduced in the modding space for a C&C game. Eric emphasized the importance of balancing the narrative with the gameplay, a lesson he learned from the original C&C games.
The success of Tiberium Secrets was phenomenal. It was hosted on platforms like ModDB, a site founded by Scott Reismanus that has long been a hub for user-generated content. To this day, the mod still receives hundreds of visits a day, a clear sign of the lasting impact of its quality and the loyalty of the C&C fanbase.
From Passion Project to Professional Studio
After six years of dedicated modding, Eric and his team made a momentous decision: they would transition from being a modding group to an official indie game studio. Honor Games was officially formed in October 2017. This transition was far from easy, as it meant grappling with a whole new set of challenges, from navigating legal and business matters to learning new game engines like Unity and Unreal.
Honor Games's current projects reflect the strategic and creative DNA of their modding origins:
Vultures: A factory economic simulation game that includes stock market elements. Chou sees a direct connection between the resource management of C&C and the economic systems of Vultures.
Charge!: A 3v3 first-person laser tag game that is narratively set in the world of an independent Tiberium Secrets product.
For Eric, the core motivation behind these games is to build on the foundation of what he and his team learned from modding: that people are interested in seeing "what our next horizon was".
The Intersection of Gaming and Mental Health
What sets Eric Chou and Honor Games apart is their dedication to a cause beyond game development. Chou is a mental health advocate who works with the 988 National Suicide and Mental Health Prevention Hotline. He believes that gaming can be a powerful tool for connection, especially for those dealing with mental health issues.
He stresses three key takeaways for anyone dealing with mental health, either personally or through a loved one:
Active listening: Being present and non-judgmental.
Asking for help: Recognizing that it takes strength, not weakness, to reach out for support.
Education: Taking the time to learn about mental health resources and organizations.
Eric's own journey with bipolar 1 and his experiences helping a friend in the gaming community who was struggling are what fuel his passion. He has even combined his two passions by creating a mental health role-playing card game which is available on his company's website.
The Future of Honor Games
Looking ahead, Eric has ambitious plans. He hopes to see both Vultures and Charge! completed and released within the next three to five years. But his long-term vision includes a unique "trigger initiative". This initiative would involve Honor Games acting as a mentor and organizational support system for other indie developers, helping them get their projects to a minimum viable product. This selfless approach reflects a core belief that has guided Chou's entire journey: building a community that helps each other.
Eric Chou's story is a powerful one for anyone in the tech and gaming space. It shows how a deep-seated passion, when combined with a larger purpose, can not only lead to professional success but also create a meaningful impact on the world. It’s a call to action for every gamer to find their own "next horizon" and see what they can build, whether it's a mod, a game, or a community.
The Mod That Rebuilt an Empire
Eric's story begins not with a new game, but with an old one. He and his team embarked on a massive passion project in the summer of 2011 to mod Command & Conquer: Tiberian Wars. The mod, called Tiberium Secrets, was a direct response to the controversial Tiberian Twilight and a community-driven effort to "fix" the game's story and gameplay.
One of the most ambitious features of Tiberium Secrets was the introduction of a completely new faction, the Artificial Systematic Intelligence (ASI). This was one of the first fully robotic factions to be introduced in the modding space for a C&C game. Eric emphasized the importance of balancing the narrative with the gameplay, a lesson he learned from the original C&C games.
The success of Tiberium Secrets was phenomenal. It was hosted on platforms like ModDB, a site founded by Scott Reismanus that has long been a hub for user-generated content. To this day, the mod still receives hundreds of visits a day, a clear sign of the lasting impact of its quality and the loyalty of the C&C fanbase.
From Passion Project to Professional Studio
After six years of dedicated modding, Eric and his team made a momentous decision: they would transition from being a modding group to an official indie game studio. Honor Games was officially formed in October 2017. This transition was far from easy, as it meant grappling with a whole new set of challenges, from navigating legal and business matters to learning new game engines like Unity and Unreal.
Honor Games's current projects reflect the strategic and creative DNA of their modding origins:
Vultures: A factory economic simulation game that includes stock market elements. Chou sees a direct connection between the resource management of C&C and the economic systems of Vultures.
Charge!: A 3v3 first-person laser tag game that is narratively set in the world of an independent Tiberium Secrets product.
For Eric, the core motivation behind these games is to build on the foundation of what he and his team learned from modding: that people are interested in seeing "what our next horizon was".
The Intersection of Gaming and Mental Health
What sets Eric Chou and Honor Games apart is their dedication to a cause beyond game development. Chou is a mental health advocate who works with the 988 National Suicide and Mental Health Prevention Hotline. He believes that gaming can be a powerful tool for connection, especially for those dealing with mental health issues.
He stresses three key takeaways for anyone dealing with mental health, either personally or through a loved one:
Active listening: Being present and non-judgmental.
Asking for help: Recognizing that it takes strength, not weakness, to reach out for support.
Education: Taking the time to learn about mental health resources and organizations.
Eric's own journey with bipolar 1 and his experiences helping a friend in the gaming community who was struggling are what fuel his passion. He has even combined his two passions by creating a mental health role-playing card game which is available on his company's website.
The Future of Honor Games
Looking ahead, Eric has ambitious plans. He hopes to see both Vultures and Charge! completed and released within the next three to five years. But his long-term vision includes a unique "trigger initiative". This initiative would involve Honor Games acting as a mentor and organizational support system for other indie developers, helping them get their projects to a minimum viable product. This selfless approach reflects a core belief that has guided Chou's entire journey: building a community that helps each other.
Eric Chou's story is a powerful one for anyone in the tech and gaming space. It shows how a deep-seated passion, when combined with a larger purpose, can not only lead to professional success but also create a meaningful impact on the world. It’s a call to action for every gamer to find their own "next horizon" and see what they can build, whether it's a mod, a game, or a community.
The Mod That Rebuilt an Empire
Eric's story begins not with a new game, but with an old one. He and his team embarked on a massive passion project in the summer of 2011 to mod Command & Conquer: Tiberian Wars. The mod, called Tiberium Secrets, was a direct response to the controversial Tiberian Twilight and a community-driven effort to "fix" the game's story and gameplay.
One of the most ambitious features of Tiberium Secrets was the introduction of a completely new faction, the Artificial Systematic Intelligence (ASI). This was one of the first fully robotic factions to be introduced in the modding space for a C&C game. Eric emphasized the importance of balancing the narrative with the gameplay, a lesson he learned from the original C&C games.
The success of Tiberium Secrets was phenomenal. It was hosted on platforms like ModDB, a site founded by Scott Reismanus that has long been a hub for user-generated content. To this day, the mod still receives hundreds of visits a day, a clear sign of the lasting impact of its quality and the loyalty of the C&C fanbase.
From Passion Project to Professional Studio
After six years of dedicated modding, Eric and his team made a momentous decision: they would transition from being a modding group to an official indie game studio. Honor Games was officially formed in October 2017. This transition was far from easy, as it meant grappling with a whole new set of challenges, from navigating legal and business matters to learning new game engines like Unity and Unreal.
Honor Games's current projects reflect the strategic and creative DNA of their modding origins:
Vultures: A factory economic simulation game that includes stock market elements. Chou sees a direct connection between the resource management of C&C and the economic systems of Vultures.
Charge!: A 3v3 first-person laser tag game that is narratively set in the world of an independent Tiberium Secrets product.
For Eric, the core motivation behind these games is to build on the foundation of what he and his team learned from modding: that people are interested in seeing "what our next horizon was".
The Intersection of Gaming and Mental Health
What sets Eric Chou and Honor Games apart is their dedication to a cause beyond game development. Chou is a mental health advocate who works with the 988 National Suicide and Mental Health Prevention Hotline. He believes that gaming can be a powerful tool for connection, especially for those dealing with mental health issues.
He stresses three key takeaways for anyone dealing with mental health, either personally or through a loved one:
Active listening: Being present and non-judgmental.
Asking for help: Recognizing that it takes strength, not weakness, to reach out for support.
Education: Taking the time to learn about mental health resources and organizations.
Eric's own journey with bipolar 1 and his experiences helping a friend in the gaming community who was struggling are what fuel his passion. He has even combined his two passions by creating a mental health role-playing card game which is available on his company's website.
The Future of Honor Games
Looking ahead, Eric has ambitious plans. He hopes to see both Vultures and Charge! completed and released within the next three to five years. But his long-term vision includes a unique "trigger initiative". This initiative would involve Honor Games acting as a mentor and organizational support system for other indie developers, helping them get their projects to a minimum viable product. This selfless approach reflects a core belief that has guided Chou's entire journey: building a community that helps each other.
Eric Chou's story is a powerful one for anyone in the tech and gaming space. It shows how a deep-seated passion, when combined with a larger purpose, can not only lead to professional success but also create a meaningful impact on the world. It’s a call to action for every gamer to find their own "next horizon" and see what they can build, whether it's a mod, a game, or a community.
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