Battlefield Heroes is a spin off from the Battlefield series that the publisher assures will be completely free to download and play.
While we've not seen any screenshots as yet, the PC-exclusive Heroes apparently features a cartoon-y art style but retains the Battlefield series' core multiplayer gameplay slant. A bit like TF2?
However, EA explains that the title is aimed at the mass market, so we're no too sure what to expect.
"It is easy to pick up and play but with robust character customisation and a deep online meta-game, gamers can spend hours building up their characters and conquering the world", says EA.
And while it's free to download and play, obviously the money has to come from somewhere. Hence, Battlefield Heroes will generate cash through advertising and micro-transactions.
The reassuring news for the Battlefield hardcore is that the game's being developed by DICE in Stockholm, which brought us Battlefield 1942 and Battlefield 2.
Ben Cousins, senior producer at EA DICE, says Battlefield Heroes will continually be updated with new content following its summer launch.
A few things here, i comment EA/DICE on their strategy of releasing the game free and getting revenue from advertising, this is the only way forward for us that absolutely hate advertising in games( specifically if you pay full price for a game and more on expansions and get 0 benefit from looking at crappy ads ). If you get the game free, then woohoo, i dont care about the ads, i benefit from them, so im ok with that( as im sure a lot are )
My last point is, OMG NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DONT LET THIS BE THE ONLY BLOODY PC BATTLEFIELD GAME THIS YEAR,NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, WTF, WHERES BATTLEFIELD 3??????? I LL ENJOY THIS BUT ITS NOT BATTLEFIELD 3, ARGGGHHH
My last point is, OMG NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DONT LET THIS BE THE ONLY BLOODY PC BATTLEFIELD GAME THIS YEAR,NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, WTF, WHERES BATTLEFIELD 3??????? I LL ENJOY THIS BUT ITS NOT BATTLEFIELD 3, ARGGGHHH
My last point is, OMG NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DONT LET THIS BE THE ONLY BLOODY PC BATTLEFIELD GAME THIS YEAR,NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, WTF, WHERES BATTLEFIELD 3??????? I LL ENJOY THIS BUT ITS NOT BATTLEFIELD 3, ARGGGHHH
Exactly!
Oh and CVG are so slow today, please update the article with the homepage link( gives an idea of potential character models ) - http://www.battlefield-heroes.com/
Also EAUK have now setup a forum for it, http://forums.electronicarts.co.uk/battlefield-heroes/
My last point is, OMG NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DONT LET THIS BE THE ONLY BLOODY PC BATTLEFIELD GAME THIS YEAR,NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, WTF, WHERES BATTLEFIELD 3??????? I LL ENJOY THIS BUT ITS NOT BATTLEFIELD 3, ARGGGHHH
Exactly!
Oh and CVG are so slow today, please update the article with the homepage link( gives an idea of potential character models ) - http://www.battlefield-heroes.com/
Also EAUK have now setup a forum for it, http://forums.electronicarts.co.uk/battlefield-heroes/
The reassuring news for the Battlefield hardcore is that the game's being developed by DICE in Stockholm, which brought us Battlefield 1942 and Battlefield 2.
"Reassuring"? Hah. How many patches is this one going to need then? How much spyware will it have, like BF2142's advertising rubbish? Are the planes or vehicles or whatever (if there are going to be any in the game) going to be massively over-powered, with the jetwhores whining at the slightest signs of nerfing them for game balance?
Plus how can DICE work on both BF3 (although from the previews there's not much to tweak from BF2) and this at the same time?
I'll keep my distance and watch apprehensively for now.
reading it again, id be worried about the "micro-transactions", sounds like the game will be free but you have to pay for weapons and such which will make it horrible, im only speculating though obviously
There's no such thing as a free lunch, especially from EA/DICE. Unless I've just woken up today in a parallel universe.
I'm naturally cautious and the microtransaction bit worries me. Sounds like EA are attacking on two fronts here. Firstly, testing the water with advertising revenue (no doubt we'll still be paying for the servers out of our own pockets as usual), and secondly, sweetening the punters to obtrusive advertising in future, full priced games.
My soul is not for sale to anyone, but it looks like EA thinks that your sole is the key to your bank account.
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Just like Silver XBL is free, but mostly useless I'll bet.
