PAX 2009: Battlefield 1943 producer talks lack of DLC

by Kevin Kelly { Sep 8th 2009 at 10:30PM }

We spoke with Battlefield 1943 producer Gordon Van Dyke at PAX and asked him why there hasn't been any DLC at all for the game so popular it crashed servers and broke sales records. The main reason? DICE is busy. Apparently it's working so hard on the next two Battlefield games that it doesn't have time to show BF1943 any extra love at all, which is a bit perplexing given the popularity of the title.

Gordon told us, "We don't have any immediate plans right now, but it's not ruled out. There's a lot of pressure on the team for Battlefield 3 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2 ... we don't want to stretch things too thin and and make something that's not up to quality. Battlefield 1943 is a huge game with a lot that we can pull from. We just want to make sure we keep our options open, and make sure that the decision we land on is what's best for everyone. We don't want to be that company that pushes out DLC just for DLC's sake."

Fair enough, but we'd still like to see more maps and modes come to Battlefield 1943 like ... yesterday. Hey, hire some interns already!

Tags: Battlefield-1943, DLC, EA, Gordon-Van-Dyke, PAX, PAX-2009

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

phinnvr6 @ Sep 8th 2009 10:34PM

I respect their decision, Battlefield Bad Company is one of the only games I know to offer free DLC, in the way of them patching in new maps and a new game mode. Up until recently it was my favorite online shooter for over a year and I still like it, but been playing Socom a lot lately since the 1.50 patch.

Xero @ Sep 9th 2009 6:31AM

don't forget the love EA showed Burnout Paradise as well. Dead horse or not, I gotta say that EA is shaping up to be a great company that seems to have the gamer in mind more often than it used to. Burnout, Bad Company, and Fight Night (debate the button inclusion/exclusion all you want, but they fixed it because it was asked for) are some great examples. Keep it up!

UK31337 @ Sep 9th 2009 9:52AM

EA are on the way up and they genuinely seem to have turned a corner.

It's now Activision I'm worried about. How many identical CoDs and how many new Guitar Hero games do you need?

acme @ Sep 9th 2009 11:00AM

i'm sorry to rain on the parade, but i must defend COD's honor here...

the only identical cod announced was mw2, and that's a given since its only THE most popular game since halo.

back to our regularly scheduled praising.

MrKlorox @ Oct 3rd 2009 2:39AM

Nope. COD is an absolute bandwagon series.

goboColossus (LIVE, PSN - gobopop) @ Sep 8th 2009 10:38PM

As much as I hate their decision, it's definitely working for them. I bought Bad Company because I enjoyed this game so much, and I'll likely buy Bad Company 2 on release. I'd still kill for an urban map with with multi-level buildings that aren't as susceptible to destruction as DLC though. The game got old after a few weeks because of the few maps and the poor map rotation.

Kevin Kelly @ Sep 9th 2009 12:20AM

Exactly what Freakwincy42 said. I love it when the readers do the work for me!

Freakwincy42 @ Sep 9th 2009 2:12AM

I do what i can, buddy.

derek @ Sep 8th 2009 10:40PM

Wow, does EA really think that releasing new maps for BF1943 is just "releasing DLC just to release DLC"? This game is extremely fun but it's getting very old very fast. If EA is complaining about being spread thin then why don't they open up the game to fan made content like their PC Battlefield games? Give it a few months and there will be more than enough maps to keep gamers happy for a while while keeping the gamers loyal to the franchise (aka. $$$ for EA).

Adriaan @ Sep 9th 2009 1:22AM

You are remembering that the game was, in fact, $15 aren't you?

That being said, I'd love to see some more achievements added via DLC. It's a great game, and even more awesome because it's always on my 360's hard drive.

xenocidic @ Sep 9th 2009 8:24AM

Yea, what ever happened to releasing DLC because the fans want it???

eesh

Mika @ Sep 8th 2009 10:38PM

Somewhere you wrote BF 1942 instead of 1943.

Freakwincy42 @ Sep 8th 2009 10:49PM

they were referring to the original game, saying there is a lot of material in that game (BF'42) that could conceivably be used as DLC for BF'43.

deanb @ Sep 8th 2009 11:19PM

See i dunno if it was a typo/error on his half or them saying they'll rehash old maps as DLC.
all three options are bad

AoE @ Sep 9th 2009 12:32AM

@deanb,

uh... you do realize that the ENTIRE game is a rehash of BF 1942 I hope? They just ported a handful of maps instead of the entire set as it was a download title.

kentuckyfried @ Sep 8th 2009 10:43PM

Interns --> not a reliable way to make quality DLC. you might as well as Joe Blow off the street to go run out and make them via the ever popular "sink or swim" process.

I can be patient, there's already too many games to play. And if more 1943 maps never come, so be it.

But they should hire some talented experienced people devoted entirely for just the 1943 map task and charge a small fee for them. that way they get to still make enough money to [hopefully] cover the cost of new staff and maybe even make some change on the side.

jbigsby @ Oct 13th 2009 3:53PM

The only problem with that is atleast for PC is because they are ranked servers that would mean that unless everyone buys it its no good, it would be like BF2 all over again with the special forces and the other expansion, cool sure but you lost 60% of your servers population when the map changed to anything that wasnt original content, only now since the patch can all play it.
I can understand its the almighty dollar that made it that way but if your going to rent a ranked server you will be pissed when it empties out.

iHavepants {SteamPSN: Arkanti} @ Sep 8th 2009 10:50PM

Wait what? Since when was Battlefield 3 announced... that's awesome!

Einhanderkiller @ Sep 9th 2009 12:41AM

EA talked about it during a conference call or something a month or two ago. This is the second time they've mentioned it.

Yay! BF3!

P @ Sep 9th 2009 8:15AM

BF3 has been known of for years (2+), theres even been so-called leaked info for what will be in there.

I'd have given BF:BC a go had they released on PC, but not on console, and it just seems like an eternity waiting for BF3 :(
BF2 1.5 patch doesnt exactly fill you with confidence either, after all that time releasing this patch, and the old annoying bugs are replaced by new annoying game-ruining bugs.

Eh @ Sep 9th 2009 12:37PM

Hopefully theyll put the fun back in BF 3 that they took out of BF 2. 1942 was tons of fun with its unrealistic tanks and planes, BF 2 tried to be too much like a sim and it sucked all the enjoyment out of the game.

johnny @ Sep 8th 2009 10:51PM

Id rather have new battlefield full games then DLC for this title. Anyone who thinks otherwise is wrong and stupid and im right end of story

Josh @ Sep 8th 2009 10:52PM

I just want an update so I can mute people. I'm so sick of listening to people chewing on their microphones.

Freakwincy42 @ Sep 8th 2009 10:55PM

amen brother. I'm playing this particular game on the PS3, where mic users are in the minority. so it's disappointing to find someone who is actually using a mic, then finding that all that's coming through the mic is the sound of a mouthful of dorito's and muffled rap music. all games should have "selective mic muting" so you can mute just that one guy, but still hear everyone else.

Sly Cooper, Attorney at Law @ Sep 8th 2009 11:32PM

you can do that in COD4/5, i know that for sure.

LameDuck @ Sep 9th 2009 12:09AM

We needs push-to-talk... NOW!

sho220 @ Sep 9th 2009 3:09AM

this is possible.... on the 360 :x

you can just go to the person's gamercard and select "mute". so you can mute any player, at anytime, anywhere.

however, some games make it easier to mute players on the fly.

Nitescape @ Sep 9th 2009 9:55AM

Why do people keep saying this?
You guys do realize you just click their gamertag and then click MUTE right?
Its built into XBOX LIVE!!

Josh @ Sep 9th 2009 10:45AM

I'm on Playstation buddy. I want a CoD style muting ability. I shouldn't have to listen to the gibberish that comes out of some players mouths or mute my TV.

Freakwincy42 @ Sep 8th 2009 10:52PM

I love this game so much, but with just the 3 maps, and the fun-for-a-minute-but-gets-old-quick Air Superiority map... yeah, it got boring after a bit. on the other hand, I have more interest in Bad Company 2 because of this game.

Jaklar @ Sep 8th 2009 10:53PM

How about they focus on fixing the broken party system, i.e., it constantly splits up squads after a round and dumps squads into rooms with nearly no one playing. For a game BASED on squads, this is unforgivable.

They are aware of this issue, and yet....nothing. They say they are working on it....and yet, nothing.

God forbid if sites such as this and others were to keep pressure on instead towing the same old party line.

Here is some truth: http://www.infoaddict.com/battlefield-1943-if-its-broke-fix-it

useedems @ Sep 9th 2009 1:39AM

Dude, it's Dice and EA. It took them what, 1.5 years to patch the exploits in Battlefield 2 for the PC? 1.5 YEARS.

Anyone remember the commander takeover exploit and the jeep/supplies spamming exploit? That was a game killer if I ever saw one.

Pantsparty @ Sep 8th 2009 10:54PM

My interest in 1943 is waning and is going to completely disappear after MW 2 and ODST. They missed their window to make some quick cash with some DLC.

BananaBoat @ Sep 8th 2009 11:03PM

I couldn't have said it better. They needed to strike while the iron was red hot if they wanted to make some money from DLC. The day MW2 comes out, I won't even remember that Battlefield 1943 exists, and I certainly won't be looking to buy DLC for it.

As a momentary diversion, BF 1943 was great. It was nostalgic, it was fun, and ultimately it was destined to drop off the face of the Earth during the holiday bum rush.

glenn @ Sep 9th 2009 12:23AM

i'll take BF over MW any day of the week, even 1943. the game is just so much more fun and feels new. MW2 will be just the same old game with no destruction to change the gameplay. and their vehicles will never match BFs. they are the 2 reasons why i play BF over COD online. i have pre-ordered MW2 but not for multiplayer. there are just too many funny ways to kill people in 1943.

it is a shame when superior games get overlooked by the sheep of the world. just look at the XBL activity for each week.. COD4, halo, CODWaW. they are not even that good and the gameplay just feels old, fun but old.

1943 is feeling old too but for different reasons - give me more damn maps DICE... please

BananaBoat @ Sep 9th 2009 12:58AM

Is that you Glenn Beck? Only in America can a game be fresh and new, yet old. (sorry, the joke wrote itself)

Really though, I wasn't comparing them feature for feature. Yes BF1943 has vehicles, but the combat doesn't have any real weight to it, there are so few maps, and it gets really repetitive in a hurry. Having said that, I'd rather have a full blown Battlefield 3 (with insane player counts, like the upcoming M.A.G for the PS3) than MW2. MW2 is going to have a great single player campaign, and the multiplayer is going to be fun, but at the end of the day it is still limited by the number of people that can play at a time.

I'm going to bleed MW2 dry for content, and it is going to last me months if not an entire year. BF1943 lasted me maybe 2 months, and it's three maps (one of which I loathe) have gotten so stale for me that I don't even play it anymore. There is no comparing the two games, for me anyway.

ajw1371 @ Sep 8th 2009 10:56PM

It's OK, the game was just a filler unitl the fall/holiday game tsunami... ODST and MW2 etc!!!

Shimrra @ Sep 8th 2009 10:56PM

The is great to play I say just release it already for PC with a kit for anyone to build maps and let the fans carry it. Look at how TF 2 lives on just on fan power alone.

caserrr @ Sep 9th 2009 3:00AM

TF2 on fan power alone?! What are you, high? That has got to be one of the most loyally supported games I've ever seen!

snarfoogle @ Sep 9th 2009 7:21AM

Yes, TF2 thrives on fan power, not the unlockable weapons that have been released for each class, the hats, the new game types, the new valve and community maps, the...

Oh wait, you're talking about TF2 on consoles.

Shimrra @ Sep 9th 2009 9:33AM

Come on guys can you try and read thru what I wrote at least before you all just douche it up. I am talking about Map creations. TF2 has well over hundreds of fan made maps granted they only way you understand this comment if you are playing the PC version.

wickedpheonix @ Sep 9th 2009 11:40AM

A better example is Counter Strike Source, where no new content is released... period. Yet, the game lives on, pretty successfully too.

Maccadude33 @ Sep 8th 2009 10:56PM

It was really fun the first few days, provided you could join a match and then stay in it. But, like many Arcade games, unlocking all the achievements took a relatively short amount of time, with little effort on my part. Was a great break from Bad Co., but since they put so many servers on 1943, Bad Co. is now lagging a bunch these days. I love the Battlefield engine, but it seems too taxing on internet and server connections. Still, I can't wait for any new BF game or DLC. Easily one of the most entertaining franchises.

M0N5TER @ Sep 8th 2009 10:59PM

"So it'd rather be the company that pushes out sequels just for sequels' sake? ZING!"

You said it. Meanwhile nobody will buy their sequels, because they can't even get their current titles running without bugs: PS3 voice chat is broken and Xbox players can't even connect a lot of times.

BF1943 is a great game, but these remaining issues don't really make me look forward to more half-baked sequels.