Battlefield: Bad Company 2 looking to catch MW2-jaded PC gamers on the rebound

Perhaps detecting a dedicated server-shaped weakness in the competition's defenses, Electronic Arts is beginning to position next year's Battlefield: Bad Company 2 as a legitimate heir to the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare throne. On yesterday's Q2 earnings call, EA Games label prez Frank Gibeau said that, in addition to other things, Bad Company 2's "deep new online play with dedicated server support ... will put Battlefield in head-to-head competition with Call of Duty for quality and online gameplay." EA CEO John Riccitiello later said, "Battlefield: Bad Company 2 ... has every right to see itself as a rival to the #1 FPS game that one of our competitors is releasing next week." (Note: We presume Riccitiello misspoke and meant "this" week and not "next" week ... unless he thinks Left 4 Dead 2 is the #1 FPS game and that EA is its own competition).

Continuing to pour gasoline on the dedicated server fire, Gordon Van Dyke from Bad Company 2's DICE tells IncGamers, "On the PC, it's a PC version, which is getting that same treatment, and then also a little bit more as PC users are generally used to a different type of experience than console users are, and we recognize that and we want to make sure that we give that to the PC market and give the console market more." He was less committal when discussing modding tools, offering, "Once we start getting there and the engine gets to a level where we can release tools that are easy for our own guys to use, and then easy for people publicly, then we'll get into that and we'll really start to focus on it."

Though the first Battlefield: Bad Company never made its way to the PC, with promised support for the platform and a PC beta hitting this December -- just a few weeks after the PS3-exclusive console beta gets underway -- it's clear EA and DICE are making up for lost time.

Source – Electronic Arts Q2 2010 Earnings Conference Call [PDF link]
Source – DICE: Bad Company 2 PC Gets A "Little Bit More" [IncGamers]

Reader Comments (72)

Oh.

Amazon and GameStop have both been listing this game as March 2 for a long time, but now that I check it, Amazon has it listed for January 26.

Might it be coming early?

Perhaps to better compete with MW2? If so, I hope it doesn't hurt the quality of the game.

Well, if they're having a beta in December (at least for PC), then one would imagine it would be a bit further down the line. I would not think it would make it in January. The beta would be used for analysis and adjustments, which the time t would take to filter through everything would probably take longer than just one month and then ship.

Mass Effect 2 also comes out then (Not that it would compete, but that's two EA games at the same time).

But hey, if it comes early, awesome.

You know a couple of years ago I really hated EA for what they have done to the battlefield series in how BF2 was not well supported and they were producing buggy games... They have totally revamp their image for the better and better late than never had a 2.5gig update for BF2 this year. But seeing most recent news for Bad Company 2, appears that they recognize PC gamers as a different audience from console gamers, which makes us pc gamers feel like we exist, instead of non existence from IW.

Now I hope they keep the $50 price point here, because this game will be day one purchase for me!

Yes, Amazon and GameStop both have it for $50, so it's probably $50 MSRP.

Who cares it won't sell or ever be as good as Modern Warfare.

I'm not a fan of CoD:MW1 or 2 (or any other CoD games) or PC gaming but this sounds like a smart business move to me.

Battlefield games have always been pretty revolutionary and try to always reinvent themselves. cant say that for the COD franchise where every game has been pretty much the same with different plots and timelines, Who wants to be limited to just running around with a gun when you can fly around in choppers, plains and destroy walls and buildings instead of just shooting threw them? Im sure this new BF will kick ass!

Does anyone know if Bad Company 2 will keep the humor in the campaign? All these additions are great, but I can't say I won't be sad if they remove my favorite part of the first game.

Poor people that couldnt or cant afford MW or MW2 tend to cheer for the under dog (that being B:BC2) because they can relate to their own status in society.

basic psychology. and you know its true.

You think people who couldn't afford MW ($40) are cheering for BC2 ($50)? Logic goes where?

or didnt own a 360 2 years ago... because they were too poor

Never tried Battlefield but I will now thanks to DICE's love for the PC platform, thank you!!!

Let me ask a question. Before IW decided that they were not going to have Dedicated Servers would the BFBC solution appeal to the PC community. From what I have read, you have to purchase your DS from a 3rd party vendor. I am positive that you will not be able to modify any of the libraries on that server because there would be no point in having this setup. So EA gives you DS and get paid, from what I read, there is no option to setup your own DS on your own hardware. Is this correct.

You're allowed to rent/buy your own DS and do whatever you want with it. But that's mainly for clans or people who just want a DS of their own.

Ah, Battlefield. Never fails to please.

Testing login, this working?

Ah, good.

It won me over , IW can have there shit game.

I had some trouble reading this post. I'm so tired. My eyes hurt so much. I played MW2 for like, I think, six hours straight. Man, what a great game! Ok, let's see. Battlefield? What's that? And what is this "PC" thing I keep reading about? What does PC stand for? Picture cups? Practice Catching? Portable Cherubs? Picking Cupcakes? I don't get what the fuss is about. If a guy wants to Pin his Cookies to a wall, let him. It is a free country.

Yeah day one purchase for sure. I have been playing the new modern warfare and while it's a wonderful game, the lack of squad play, destructible environments and vehicles is really a shame.

saying, "I am unhappy with MW2 so I am going to BF:BC2" is like saying, "I hate Halo so I am playing Super Mario Bros"

They are completely different games.

MW: Infantry only combat
BF:BC2: Better hope you spawn quick cause if you arent in a tank or jet, get ready to get carpet bombed in to next week.

MW: smaller maps. more accurate weapons.
BF:BC2: larger maps. inaccurate weapons. get ready to spam.

For me, I am boycotting MW. after BF2 I cant say that I would enjoy another DICE game either, after the BS they put out last time with BF2 (bugs, vehicle unbalancing, inaccurate weapons, etc.). Oh and I played the BF:BC for PS3 and didnt like it much either. same feel to me.

Maybe if they make infantry only settings and the ability to mod weapons better. I did that for BF2, but no one liked it apparently.

Props to DICE!!! Truly good will like this will not be unnoticed by true pc gamers. You have my money DICE, money i should have used for mw2, that will now rightly go to you, and not to those blistering pricks at IW.

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Battlefield: Bad Company 2 looking to catch MW2-jaded PC gamers on the rebound

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