Joystiq

Battlefield 3's next DLC gets up close and personal

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST

As advertised, Battlefield 3's "Close Quarters" DLC takes the scope of the game's multiplayer and shrinks it to roughly the size of a few hallways. That kind of shrinkage can lead to some ... embarrassing situations.

Continue reading Battlefield 3's next DLC gets up close and personal

Battlefield 3's next DLC gets up close and personal originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DICE's future plans go beyond the Battlefield franchise

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 10:01:00 EST

It's been awhile since the last non-Battlefield game from DICE. Sure, the Swedish dev studio assisted with Medal of Honor's 2010 reboot (multiplayer) and provided some tech backup for Need for Speed: The Run (DICE's Frostbite 2.0 game engine powered the title), but otherwise it hasn't made a separate, original property of its own since 2008's critically acclaimed Mirror's Edge. That may be about to change.

"We also have an ongoing plan that those products should not only be Battlefield," DICE general manager Karl-Magnus Troedsson told us in an interview last week during GDC 2012, referring to the future of his studio. He punctuated his sentence with a quick, "though I cannot say more than that," unfortunately, but it's good to hear that DICE is moving back to development outside of the Battlefield franchise. It'd be nicer to hear that the studio was steadfast in making a sequel to Mirror's Edge, of course, but we'll take what we can for now.

DICE's future plans go beyond the Battlefield franchise originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battlefield 3's lack of DLC: DICE general manager explains

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 09:01:00 EST

Battlefield 3 launched on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC in late October of 2011. Approximately a month and a half later, the game's first expansion arrived: "Back to Karkand." Aside from a handful of tweaks since, EA's DICE studio has kept relative radio silence. So much so, in fact, that one prominent Battlefield fan site publicly declared its own silence until DICE spoke up (the developer released a missive the following day).

It is with this recent history -- now four months since Battlefield 3's last content drop, and another three months before "Close Quarters" is set to launch -- that we approached a recent interview with DICE general manager Karl-Magnus Troedsson. In short, what in the world is taking so damn long?

"The reason that we haven't followed up with even more content more quickly, there's a couple of practical reasons," Troedsson told us. "Part of that is that we just need to spend a lot of focus getting the game out. The ambition was to get more packs out earlier, but sometimes you have to prioritize between the base product and what you're doing afterwards." Troedsson also argued that DICE's approach was thematic, not "piecemeal" (Call of Duty's approach), which was a deliberate choice on his studio's part.

"If you prefer to have smaller piecemeal packs every now and then, you can go with that. We prefer to do something bigger that has a specific theme, that has maps, weapons, assignments, persistent upgrades, all this kinda stuff," Troedsson said. Could his studio have gotten out this content earlier? "Probably," he said, but DICE ran into its own limitations. "Sometimes we have limitations to what we can and can't do."

But without any other announced projects, and EA's Danger Close taking responsibility for its own multiplayer section in the coming Medal of Honor game (DICE handled the previous game's multi), it's unclear what other responsibilities are keeping DICE from pushing out Battlefield 3 support content more quickly. We'll just have to assume the majority of the studio is head down on a super secret sequel to Mirror's Edge.

Beyond "Close Quarters," DICE has two more content packs announced for Battlefield 3, including "Armored Kill" in fall and "End Game" in winter. And yes, Call of Duty's Elite DLC drops continue monthly.

Gallery: Battlefield 3 (Close Quarters - Ziba Tower)

Battlefield 3's lack of DLC: DICE general manager explains originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battlefield 3: Close Quarters announced for June, two more packs incoming

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 08:01:00 EST

Battlefield 3: Close Quarters, the first major paid piece of DLC for the game since last December's "Back to Karkand," is coming this June. The expansion includes four maps, 10 weapons and no vehicles -- it's about close quarters, after all.

There will be two more expansions for the game following the June expansion. "Armored Kill" will focus on additional weapons, larger maps, and new drivable vehicles. The second pack, called "End Game," features cover art depicting a lunatic holding a knife. That's the extent of what we know about that one so far.

The news of this expansion comes at a critical time. Frustrations in the Battlefield 3 community has been bubbling into potential action, and EA has maintained radio silence until now.

Battlefield 3: Close Quarters announced for June, two more packs incoming originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Mar 2012 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Medal of Honor: Warfighter is Danger Close's next game, hits in October [updated]

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:20:00 EST

EA's been teasing the next Medal of Honor for some time now, so it's not a huge surprise to hear more about it on Twitter. Game Informer's Jim Reilly spent the past half hour sharing some info, saying the game is called "Medal of Honor: Warfighter," is arriving this coming October, and runs in DICE's Frostbite 2.0 engine.

The info is apparently coming from a copy of OXM, which arrived a bit ahead of EA's intended marketing push, it would seem. Reilly also says the game's multiplayer will be handled in-house by EA Danger Close now, rather than DICE as was the case with 2010's Medal of Honor reboot.

Update: The Medal of Honor blog offered a teaser image of the game, confirmed the title, and teased more details in the coming weeks. Boom! See the full image on the other side of the break.

Continue reading Report: Medal of Honor: Warfighter is Danger Close's next game, hits in October [updated]

Report: Medal of Honor: Warfighter is Danger Close's next game, hits in October [updated] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battlefield 3 dev hiring 'anti-cheat administrator' to stop the evildoers

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST

Are you one of those guys in a helicopter hovering near spawn points in Battlefield 3 (say, an aircraft carrier), wantonly exploiting the game and infuriating players? You may not actually be cheating, but we still think you're the worst.

That aside, Battlefield 3 developer DICE is apparently looking to address all cheaters, and not just that guy who ruins the game for everyone with his stupid, stupid helicopter, as the company has posted an ad for an "anti-cheat administrator." The move follows a recent redoubling of DICE's efforts to combat cheating in its latest game release.

Said administrator will be tasked with a variety of responsibilities, many of which you'd expect a community liaison to handle, though the list is oddly missing "put up with staggering levels of infantile behavior from legal adults." Can you tell we don't like cheaters?

Battlefield 3 dev hiring 'anti-cheat administrator' to stop the evildoers originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DICE promises vigilance against Battlefield 3 cheaters

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:25:00 EST

Finding out that cheating has apparently become rampant in Battlefield 3's online multiplayer is somewhat of a travesty, considering how much some members of our staff play it. Neither of our main combatants have ever actually spotted a cheater (at least not in any verifiable way) while playing on Xbox 360, but the game's developer is nonetheless tracking down these nefarious rogues, issuing stat resets and outright bans to offending players across 360, PS3, and PC. The Stockholm, Sweden-based devs at EA DICE "recently banned another batch of several hundred confirmed cheaters," and are only stepping up their efforts all the more as time goes on.

The first measure in this initiative will be an addition to Battlelog, one which allows players to report offenders via their online profiles, regardless of what platform they're playing on. With any luck, between the community and DICE, the contingent trying to ruin everyone's online experience will be stomped out quickly.

DICE promises vigilance against Battlefield 3 cheaters originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More DICE employees jump ship to Ngmoco's Swedish studio

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST

After former DICE / EA Easy dev Benjamin Cousins left his former role, we were pretty sure he was on his way to a world bicycling championship. As it turns out, he's keeping his bicycling hobby on the side and running the Swedish branch of Ngmoco instead -- and he's bringing along some friends from his former employer.

Senior artist Wille Wintertidh and senior programmers Torbjørn Lædre and Malte Hildigsson, all from DICE, have joined the team, and we don't expect they'll be the last. Cousins announced the hires via Twitter, where he characterized the trio as "fabulous new employees." We're hoping he also threw confetti in the air as he remarked as much.

More DICE employees jump ship to Ngmoco's Swedish studio originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battlefield 3 soliciting feedback for gun attachment tweaks via Reddit thread

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:34:00 EST

For most Battlefield 3 players, the huge number of weapon-mounted accessories are little more than filler between the obvious handful of choices that offer the best, effective results. The game's core gameplay designer, Alan Kertz, has picked up on that state and taken to Reddit to solicit advice for tweaking BF3's various gun augmentations.

"I'm not promising this will go live, and I'm not promising there will be an update, I'm looking for feedback and a discussion," Kurtz writes, carefully requesting feedback while trying not to overpromise. He says that the goal in said request is to "focus on improving the under performing and under used attachments," but also to identify how to nerf the most powerful attachments. Interested in sounding off? Head over to the Reddit thread and get passionate.

Battlefield 3 soliciting feedback for gun attachment tweaks via Reddit thread originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Best of the Rest: Ben's picks for 2011

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:55:00 EST

Battlefield 3
The time I've spent with Battlefield 3 this year is only bested by the many, many hours I've spent stalking dragons in Skyrim. The hours with BF3, however, were distinctly more dense, while I shouted at teammates to provide cover fire, slowly inching towards a heavily-guarded objective, or lead the charge on an enemy base from the driver's seat of a large, mobile, metal death box.

It's a crime that Battlefield 3 isn't on our top 10 list, because it's by far the best multiplayer shooter experience available, and it's certainly this year's best (in yet another year with several genre entries, including an Infinity Ward-developed CoD title). The main campaign isn't very good, sure, and the co-op is even less impressive, but the "Battlefield Moments[TM]" you'll experience in multiplayer more than make up for the package's shortcomings. Worried you've been waiting too long and won't be able to compete? BF3 mitigates that with support classes, allowing players of all types to participate. Squad up on Team [JOY]!

Continue reading Best of the Rest: Ben's picks for 2011

Best of the Rest: Ben's picks for 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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12 Days of Joyswag: Battlefield 3 superkit - the game, controller, vault, wall graphics

Christopher Grant — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EST

Another year, another 12 days of holiday giveaways! Between now and Christmas Day, we're doing the one thing that makes us feel truly alive: giving. Specifically, we're giving you fine folks some of the swag we've managed to collect in our cluttered home offices. And the good will and merriment doesn't stop here! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook for even more chances to win!

So you're pumped about Battlefield 3 ... but you don't actually have it yet. We understand there may not be many of you out there, but if you fit that description, we've got the giveaway for you.

One lucky winner will get Battlefield 3 on either Xbox 360, PS3 or PC, along with a BF3-themed Razer Onza gamepad for Xbox 360 and a Calibur 11 "vault" for your Xbox 360 Slim. Oh, and some Battlefield 3 wall graphics from Walls360.com. It's enough Battlefield 3 stuff to let your friends know you're serious about the game, and to warn members of the opposite sex that you're not ready for committal. Find rules on entry, and pictures of the swag, after the break.

Continue reading 12 Days of Joyswag: Battlefield 3 superkit - the game, controller, vault, wall graphics

12 Days of Joyswag: Battlefield 3 superkit - the game, controller, vault, wall graphics originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battlefield 3's 'Back to Karkand' expansion arrives on PS3 Dec. 6, 360 and PC on Dec. 13

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:47:00 EST

As promised, EA and DICE are delivering Battlefield 3's first expansion, "Back to Karkand," in December, though today we learned from the Battlefield blog that there's a specific date: December 6. Given that all of Battlefield 3's expansions will arrive one week early on PlayStation 3, the Xbox 360 and PC versions of said DLC won't arrive until December 13.

If you've missed the variety of videos showcasing Back to Karkand, the pack is composed of four maps from previous Battlefield games, all remade in Battlefield 3's "Frostbite 2.0" game engine. Put more simply: there will be a few more places to murder folks online, as well as a variety of new vehicles with which to do so.

The pack will be free for folks who picked up the "Limited Edition" version of BF3 at launch, and will cost $15 for the have-nots.

Battlefield 3's 'Back to Karkand' expansion arrives on PS3 Dec. 6, 360 and PC on Dec. 13 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battlefield 3 sells through 8 million of 12 million total shipped

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 10:30:00 EST

In the month of November, EA moved another 3 million copies of Battlefield 3. At least, that's according to numbers revealed yesterday by EA CFO Eric Brown at the Baird Technology Conference in San Francisco (as reported by Game Informer), which has the game selling 8 million units in total across all its platforms out of 12 million shipped.

As with most major game launches, both the shipped and sold amounts of the game have dropped significantly since launch, with two million being pushed to retail from EA in the month of November versus 10 million during the first week. The game's first big expansion -- "Back to Karkand" -- is set to be released some time in December, with PS3 owners getting a crack at it one week early.

Battlefield 3 sells through 8 million of 12 million total shipped originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 30 Nov 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battlefield 3 'client update' deploying on PS3 tomorrow, 360 'will follow shortly'

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:01:00 EST

The official Battlefield 3 Twitter account this morning announced plans to launch the PlayStation 3 iteration of its latest title update (dubbed a "client update") for BF3 tomorrow. Additionally, it seems that the Xbox 360 will be getting the same update in the near future, as the post on Battlelog states it'll "follow shortly" after tomorrow's PS3 update. PC players already got the update last week, which improves a variety of issues with the game across campaign and multiplayer.

Like with the PC update, the patch notes don't indicate that the the tactical light has been altered, but plenty of other major issues have. For instance, now, if you're holding a SOFLAM (which is, of course, so fly), and an enemy tries running you over, you'll totally live. After the patch? No more! We've listed the menagerie of fixes and tweaks after the break, wherein you can preemptively decide whether or not the patch will "totally break the game."

Continue reading Battlefield 3 'client update' deploying on PS3 tomorrow, 360 'will follow shortly'

Battlefield 3 'client update' deploying on PS3 tomorrow, 360 'will follow shortly' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You're gonna need an extra blowtorch for all the vehicles in Battlefield 3's 'Gulf of Oman' map

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:10:00 EST

With the massive quantity of land and air vehicles being added to Battlefield 3's multiplayer in the "Gulf of Oman" map -- part of this December's "Back to Karkand" DLC pack -- we'd suggest packing two oversized engineer pockets full of blowtorches for all that repairing you'll be doing. Points!

You're gonna need an extra blowtorch for all the vehicles in Battlefield 3's 'Gulf of Oman' map originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battlefield 3 patch cooking on PC for this week, consoles to follow 'shortly after' [updated]

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 10:58:00 EST

Battlefield 3 developer DICE is currently working on a patch for all versions of its just released game, set to improve "polish, stability, weapons balancing, squad control functionality, user interface enhancements, and several feature enhancements that address feedback the community has provided to date." The studio's blog post on the matter also specifically calls out the PC's "negative mouse acceleration" problem as an issue the update will address. It also stands to reason that the tactical light issue and the PS3 digital edition's Battlelog problem will be fixed, but we asked EA for clarification.

While the patch will arrive on PCs some time "next week" -- the post was published last Friday, so that's this week -- the bulk of the game's community on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 unfortunately won't see the patch until it gets through certification. DICE estimates that will be "shortly after the PC update." Regardless, more patch info and a launch date is promised for this week, when we'll hopefully hear more solid news about the console patch as well.

Update: This post originally stated that the patch was due "next week," though the news from DICE was announced last Friday. We've since updated the post and headline to reflect the accurate launch projection for the PC patch (this week!) and apologize for any inconvenience.

Battlefield 3 patch cooking on PC for this week, consoles to follow 'shortly after' [updated] originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 Nov 2011 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battlefield 3's 'Back to Karkand' expansion clearly has a problem with structures

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:16:00 EST

In case you didn't believe DICE when the studio informed us that Battlefield 3's destruction engine would be more destruction-ey in the upcoming "Back to Karkand" expansion, the latest trailer should convince you. Just look at all that debris!

Battlefield 3's 'Back to Karkand' expansion clearly has a problem with structures originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Downloadable PS3 Battlefield 3 suffering Battlelog issues, EA working on a patch

JC Fletcher — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 22:00:00 EST

Did you know EA released Battlefield 3 digitally on PSN in Europe on October 27? That's pretty cool ... in theory, anyway. In execution, the launch of the PSN version has been marred by issues with the Battlelog service.

"EA have confirmed that there are issues with the digital build of Battlefield 3 (on the PS Store) which will be affecting people trying sign into Battlelog," Playstation Community Team member "RabidWalker" said on the EU forum. "They are currently working on a patch for this, although no ETA has been given at the moment."

Eurogamer mentions the theory that the issue is caused by incompatibility with Online Pass. The PSN version can't be bought used, the theory suggests, and the requirement was insufficiently patched out of the game. Online Pass issues interacting with stat tracking service issues -- if that's the case, it would be two features that didn't exist just a couple years ago, teaming up to make a game unplayable. To the future!

Downloadable PS3 Battlefield 3 suffering Battlelog issues, EA working on a patch originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 Nov 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battlefield 3 internal sales estimates show 5 million units sold in week one, globally

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST

It turns out that at least 5 million gamers the world over are into Battlefield enough to purchase its latest iteration in the first week. That's according to "internal estimates" from EA, anyway, which also dubs it "the fastest-selling game in EA's history." Hoo-rah!

Late last week, the publisher announced that the DICE-developed FPS had moved 10 million units of the game onto store shelves and noted, "sell-through is good and we are already receiving re-orders." One week later, and it looks like the sell-through was good enough to deplete half of the original shipments. Virtual vehicle repair shops are also doing record business, as 67 million vehicles have already been destroyed in-game. Sometimes that repair tool just doesn't cut it, you know?

Battlefield 3 internal sales estimates show 5 million units sold in week one, globally originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Editorial: The broken, sputtering launch of Battlefield 3 online multiplayer

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 17:30:00 EST

Let's play a little game, folks. Here are three separate quotes from EA/DICE, each given soon after the launch of a major Battlefield. Can you tell which is for Battlefield: Bad Company 2, which is for Battlefield 1943, and which is for Battlefield 3? No Googling!

"Despite having a major infrastructure in place, the peak traffic ... has been huge, 400% higher than any other Battlefield's peak simultaneous users. The teams will continue to monitor the services closely. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and will provide further updates on the latest developments as they are relevant."¹

"In terms of the network services, we have had unprecedented and historic peaks in terms of the activity that we're getting from the Battlefield community and players, and it's caused parts of our networks to experience some outages."²

"We have full support of EA to add as many servers as takes and then some so that everyone can play. This work has already started and servers will be added around the clock with teams working to cover this 24 hours a day so not a moment is wasted. You will be able to play this game and play it lag free!"³

If you weren't able to distinguish them from one another, I forgive you -- they all sound remarkably alike, don't they? That's because, for three Battlefield games in a row, the same scenario has played out at launch: gamers purchase said Battlefield iteration in great numbers, resulting in no one being able to play the game due to overloaded servers.

Continue reading Editorial: The broken, sputtering launch of Battlefield 3 online multiplayer

Editorial: The broken, sputtering launch of Battlefield 3 online multiplayer originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Oct 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Things get super serious in the Battlefield 3 launch trailer

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 12:35:00 EST

Battlefield 3's launch trailer is full of nuclear weapons, lost comrades, hostage situations, and many other action movie tropes, so we're holding onto our butts as tightly as possible as a result.

Things get super serious in the Battlefield 3 launch trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 12:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battlefield 3 will employ Online Pass, required for multiplayer

Richard Mitchell — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:40:00 EST

In an offhanded way, Electronic Arts has confirmed that Battlefield 3 will indeed use Online Pass. Responding on Twitter to a fan asking if a new copy was required to play multiplayer, DICE core gameplay designer Alan Kertz responded, "You can also purchase an online pass for a used copy." Kertz explained the reasoning behind Online Pass to another fan, writing, "Because servers cost money, and used games don't make developers any money."

Of course, the fact that an EA-published title will include Online Pass isn't exactly surprising, and we've suspected as much for Battlefield 3 for months now. What is somewhat surprising is that Battlefield 3's Online Pass is required for all multiplayer access. In the game's predecessor, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Online Pass granted players extra multiplayer content, but was not required for multiplayer access. Then again, that was before Online Pass started earning millions of dollars.

Battlefield 3 will employ Online Pass, required for multiplayer originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battlefield 3 tournament offers $1.6 million next year

JC Fletcher — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 18:50:00 EST

EA's poured millions into the development of Battlefield 3; what's another $1.6 million handed out to its players? In conjunction with the competition specialists at Virgin Gaming, EA is holding a "Battlefield 3 Worldwide Conquest Tournament" in early 2012.

Details are slim at the moment, but the competition will take place online, leading up to a live finale and the dispensation of said $1.6 million. For an idea of the scale of this, Virgin's Killzone 3 challenge had $40,000 at stake, and that was backed by shaving cream money. Thick, foamy shaving cream money.

Continue reading Battlefield 3 tournament offers $1.6 million next year

Battlefield 3 tournament offers $1.6 million next year originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 18:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battlefield 3 expansions to arrive one week earlier on PS3

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 10:02:00 EST

Not unlike Microsoft and Activision's agreement to give Xbox early access to Call of Duty DLC, Sony and EA have arranged for Battlefield 3 expansions to arrive with an exclusive lead on PlayStation 3. However, Battlefield 3's expansions will stay exclusive to the PS3 for a shorter period: one week per expansion.

The deal kicks off with "Back to Karkand," which launches "later this year" and brings with it four Battlefield 2 maps (including Wake Island) rebuilt in the Frostbite 2.0 engine. The expansion comes free with first-run copies of Battlefield 3 for all platforms, though it now seems it won't be available for download immediately.

The Battlefield 3 beta opens on PC (check the system requirements), PS3 and Xbox 360 on September 29.

Battlefield 3 expansions to arrive one week earlier on PS3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Sep 2011 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battlefield 3 single-player tease ends with a bang

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST

If the harsh realities of war weren't clear enough to you from cinematic experiences like Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers, the latest single-player tease for Battlefield 3 is right up your alley. Also, your alley is like, really violent.

Battlefield 3 single-player tease ends with a bang originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battlefield 3 gets physical in pre-order bonus trailer

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 11:30:00 EST

Wanna have a look at Battlefield 3's "Physical Warfare" pre-order bonus weapons pack (and eventual freebie), months before you get your virtual mitts on it?

Battlefield 3 gets physical in pre-order bonus trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battlefield 3 co-op preview: Army of one

Ben Gilbert — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 10:30:00 EST

If EA weren't already inviting so many comparisons between the two, maybe I'd feel guilty about juxtaposing the co-op section of Battlefield 3 that I played with the co-op ("Spec Ops") section of Modern Warfare 3 I played this week at Gamescom. Like MW3, my colleague Alexander and I were given hands-on time with a specific co-op mission in BF3 -- the same one played on-stage during EA's press conference.

Unlike Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games' demo, however, Battlefield 3's co-op section didn't feature any interesting kink in the experience. Moreover, Battlefield 3's co-op section wasn't co-op at all, other than the fact that I was playing it with a buddy. It could've been ripped from any section of the campaign and I'd have been none the wiser. While the Spec Ops mission we played in MW3 was built around the concept of cooperative play, with one player acting as eye in the sky and the other as bomb defuser, the mission in Battlefield 3, well, it wasn't. It was just a campaign mission with two people.

Gallery: Battlefield 3 (Gamescom 2011)

Continue reading Battlefield 3 co-op preview: Army of one

Battlefield 3 co-op preview: Army of one originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 20 Aug 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battlefield 3 fact sheet outs multiplayer weapons, vehicles, modes, facts

Christopher Grant — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 19:30:00 EST

We suspect there's a good many of you ready to dedicate a gross amount of your personal time to Battlefield 3's multiplayer component. Your significant others will be ignored; children will be unbathed; dogs will be unwalked. Try as you might, you're powerless to avoid it. This is a fait accompli.

But despite your destiny, you still don't know all that much about it! Like ... what kind of guns it has? KH2002? Got it! How about a M40A5? Oh, you know it's got that. If you were as worried as we were that your trusty MP412 wouldn't be making an appearance, well ... rest easy 'cause Battlefield 3 totally has that gun too!

But what about maps? B3's got nine, including Caspian Border and Operation Métro. Modes? How does Rush, Squad Rush, Team Deathmatch, Squad Deathmatch, Conquest, and the PC-only Conquest 64 sound? Toss in nearly two dozen vehicles, a bunch of soldier equipment and specializations, and you're beginning to appreciate just how much raw data is in this Battlefield 3 fact sheet. Head on past the break to rationalize your future dependency.

[Thanks, tengu_soldier!]

Continue reading Battlefield 3 fact sheet outs multiplayer weapons, vehicles, modes, facts

Battlefield 3 fact sheet outs multiplayer weapons, vehicles, modes, facts originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Aug 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Seen@Gamescom: The Battlefield 3 MiG-21

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 21:30:00 EST

Even though we'd been warned that a Battlefield 3 branded MiG-21 jet would be advertising this October's shooter, the sight of a massive jet sitting amongst thousands of Gamescom attendees was jarring.

Maybe even more jarring was the awkward dummy sitting in the MiG's cockpit, dead eyes staring into the Koln Messe's depths. Actually, the tens of thousands of dollars it cost to brand and ship the jet from Berlin to Cologne is most jarring of all. But hey, we totally got our picture taken in front of a jet! Wooo!

Gallery: Battlefield 3 MiG-21 (Gamescom 2011)

Seen@Gamescom: The Battlefield 3 MiG-21 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battlefield 3 won't be sold on Steam; EA claims service 'restricts our ability to directly support players'

Ben Gilbert — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 07:40:00 EST

EA's big holiday release, Battlefield 3, apparently won't be available via Valve's ubiquitous PC game download service, Steam, as previously hinted. Taking to Twitter and its own forums, EA announced as much with some interesting, if not inflammatory, claims. "BF3 will not be available on Steam as the service restricts our ability to directly support players," the Twitter account says.

The forum post goes a bit further in explaining the publisher's position, though it doesn't go so far as to explicitly explain the schism. "Steam has adopted a set of restrictive terms of service which limit how developers interact with customers to deliver patches and other downloadable content," the forum post reads. "No other download service has adopted these practices." As with Dragon Age 2, this is in reference to one specific part of Steam's Terms of Service agreement, which forces games to deliver DLC and patches through Steam rather than through a game-specific client. EA claims this to be restrictive, and thus refuses to sell some titles through the service.

It remains unclear why EA -- who, in the past, has offered a variety of games through Steam, regardless of the Terms of Service -- refuses to offer DLC and patches through Steam suddenly, but it certainly appears to be a stance the company is staying firm on. The forum post also notes EA's inclination towards resolving the issue with Valve, saying, "We hope to work out an agreement where Steam can carry Battlefield 3; meanwhile, gamers can pick from the more than 100 digital retailers."

Battlefield 3 won't be sold on Steam; EA claims service 'restricts our ability to directly support players' originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 06 Aug 2011 07:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battlefield 3 'probably' shipping with online pass

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 14:05:00 EST

The confusion regarding EA's plans for Battlefield 3's multiplayer access is palpable. GamerZines reports that Battlefield 3 Executive Producer Patrick Bach stated in an interview last week that the game would "probably" require a code for access to multiplayer. When pushed on whether EA would lock out second-hand players through use of an online pass, he replied, "I think we are." EA told the site it would pick up the conversation "another time."

The latest major iteration of the Battlefield franchise, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, implemented a "VIP Pass," granting access to extra content, but placed no initial limitations on multiplayer access. EA's online pass (i.e. Project Ten Dollar) -- now utilized by many publishers, with Ubisoft being the latest -- cuts off multiplayer to anyone who doesn't purchase a code, which comes bundled in new copies of games. Of course, with today's announcement of EA Sports Season Ticket (i.e. Project 25 Dollar), there's a whole new level of possibility.

"The whole idea is that we're paying for servers and if you create a new account there is a big process on how that is being handled in the back end," Bach said. "We would rather have you buy a new game than a used game because buying a used game is only a cost to us; we don't get a single dime from a used game, but we still need to create server space and everything for you."

Update: EA's statement: "We have not made any announcements regarding Battlefield 3 and Online Pass."

We've reached out to EA for clarification.

Battlefield 3 'probably' shipping with online pass originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Aug 2011 14:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Battlefield 3: The Russian' is a book based on Battlefield 3, has Russians

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 17:00:00 EST

British SAS soldier-turned-novelist Andy McNab has a storied history. Beyond his years serving in the British military, he's written a variety of books and he apparently "lectures to security and intelligences agencies in both the USA and UK." As of this week, he officially has one more title to add to the pile: Battlefield consultant. In that role he's also penning the book, as Amazon revealed earlier this month.

A press release today from EA officially detailed the upcoming not-a-video-game, which noted that McNab won't be writing it alone, as co-author Peter Grimsdale will be assisting in the call of duty. McNab will be heading up consulting duties by himself, of course.

Billed as a pseudo-prequel to the events of BF3, "The Russian" follows ... Russian special forces soldier Dmitri "Dima" Mayakovsky and apparently explains his "back-story." Confusingly, the release also notes that "the book picks up where the game leaves off, allowing McNab and Grimsdale to give a thrilling new perspective into Dima's own personal quest as well as the events of Battlefield 3." If you're a "personal quest" kinda person, then perhaps this strange piece of cross-marketing will be for you when it arrives alongside the game in October.

Gallery: Battlefield 3 (Andy McNab)

'Battlefield 3: The Russian' is a book based on Battlefield 3, has Russians originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Aug 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battlefield 3's 'Battlelog' will battlefeed you stats about your battlefriends

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 19:00:00 EST

We'd love to tell you that EA DICE explained the Battlelog functionality coming to Battlefield 3, but the Swedish devs only cursorily discussed it in a recent blog post. Most of what is shown off here was already gleaned from accidentally posted German screens earlier this month. DICE does point out one crucial aspect, however: "It's absolutely free."

It's still unclear whether the Battelog will be available in-game or solely accessed via PCs, but given Autolog's implementation in Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, we imagine at least some form of the service will be available via consoles. Thankfully it seems that we won't be waiting long to hear more, as the post notes plans to reveal the "full suite of features" in Battlelog "at a later date." The multiplayer beta kicks off in just two months, so that "later date" will likely be "sooner" than ... erm .. well, you know.

Gallery: Battlefield 3 (Battlelog)

Battlefield 3's 'Battlelog' will battlefeed you stats about your battlefriends originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More Battlefield 3 multiplayer footage surfaces

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 16:40:00 EST

Haven't had quite enough of Battlefield 3's Parisian multiplayer map "Operation Metro?" Neither has YouTube user FPSMoose, apparently, as he's compiled a more thorough (and likely leaked) assortment of footage. Take a peek before EA takes it out!

Continue reading More Battlefield 3 multiplayer footage surfaces

More Battlefield 3 multiplayer footage surfaces originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battlefield 3 preview: Consoling myself on the PS3

David Hinkle — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:30:00 EST

Guys, I love Battlefield. And like a lot of you, I was concerned about Battlefield 3 on the home consoles. I play Bad Company 2 on Xbox 360 regularly and since EA came packing a PC build at E3, after months of flaunting the high-powered PC version, my concern over the console release grew.

So when I learned that EA would be showing off the E3 multiplayer demo on the PS3 at its Summer Showcase event earlier this month, I went in with no small amount of trepidation and curiosity. Rest assured, not only does it run smoothly on the console, it also looks amazing. Console players have nothing to worry about come October 25.

Continue reading Battlefield 3 preview: Consoling myself on the PS3

Battlefield 3 preview: Consoling myself on the PS3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Get your first thorough look at Battlefield 3 multiplayer in action right here

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 09:01:00 EST

That tantalizing 12 minutes of campaign footage from Battlefield 3 sure was exciting, but we've sorta been waiting for a good look at multiplayer gameplay since the moment Battlefield 3 was announced. Today, finally, EA has done just that.

Get your first thorough look at Battlefield 3 multiplayer in action right here originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Battlelog' images leak on German Battlefield 3 site (think Autolog with guns)

Christopher Grant — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 13:15:00 EST

The German-language Battlefield 3 blog accidentally published some screens from the game's not-yet-revealed "Battlelog" system, a web (and in-game?) stat-driven social layer that borrows its naming convention from the Autolog, first featured in Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. The available screens show off a voice- and text-based chat interface, player progression stats, and a Battle Feed that unapologetically recalls a Facebook wall.

For PC players, it looks like you'll be able to join multiplayer games and resume your campaign directly from the website. If the Battlelog reveal is anything like the actual game's reveal, we'll be seeing a bunch of PC footage before EA finally shows off the console implementation.

[Thanks, Justin]

Gallery: Battlefield 3 (Battlelog)

'Battlelog' images leak on German Battlefield 3 site (think Autolog with guns) originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Jul 2011 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ngmoco to launch Swedish branch with former EA Easy boss Ben Cousins

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 11:30:00 EST

When Ben Cousins left EA Easy as head of the studio earlier this year, he didn't leave a forwarding address. Cousins and his new employer revealed today his position as head of newly formed ngmoco Sweden, where he'll be leading the studio in the development of "freemium games for mobile platforms like iOS/Android" (according to Cousins' Twitter feed). His last major project with EA was Battlefield Play 4 Free.

The official PR from ngmoco puts the Swedish branch in a position of support for parent company DeNA's "Mobage" social gaming platforms. And the new studios puts Cousins in a position to hire up colleagues in a part of the world ripe for the picking -- Sweden. Don't be surprised if you see some high profile ex-DICE staffers showing up at ngmoco's new Swedish office over the next few months, as we totally warned you.

[Image credit: OfficialGDC]

ngmoco to launch Swedish branch with former EA Easy boss Ben Cousins originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Jun 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battlefield 3 console footage unveiled on latest Fallon

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:02:00 EST

As promised, the first console-based action from Battlefield 3 appeared last evening on Jimmy Fallon's late night show, teasing a scene we've watched play out a dozen or so times now on the PC version. Despite the grumblings of many long-time PC Battlefield gamers -- not to mention our own doubts -- BF3 running on PlayStation 3 looks pretty wonderful.

We'll leave it to the pixel counters at Digital Foundry to fully analyze the difference between console and PC releases of Battlefield 3 when it launches this October, but given our lack of expensive gaming rigs and our overabundance of Xbox 360s and PlayStation 3s, you can guess where we'll be playing the next big Battlefield title. Head past the break to see how Fallon fared.

Continue reading Battlefield 3 console footage unveiled on latest Fallon

Battlefield 3 console footage unveiled on latest Fallon originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ex-Battlefield lead Gordon Van Dyke joins Paradox Interactive as senior producer

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 16:30:00 EST

After exiting the dev battlefield of DICE back in 2010, Gordon Van Dyke recently left his second EA gig at Visceral Games in favor of a different Swedish game company: Paradox Interactive. Before wild accusations start flying, know that his reason for leaving was rather heartwarming. "During my time back in California [with Visceral], I married my girlfriend from Sweden and we had a baby. We decided it was best to raise her in Sweden," Van Dyke told Joystiq this afternoon.

In the process of moving, a friend of Paradox CEO Fred Wester put he and Gordon in contact. The rest is Swedish history. "I got an email from a friend introducing me to Gordon. Two days later he was hired," Wester explained of his rapid hiring process. Van Dyke, unsurprisingly, had nothing but nice things to say about his new employer, explaining that the studio "offers me more room to explore, take risk, and work on creative niche IPs."

Continue reading Ex-Battlefield lead Gordon Van Dyke joins Paradox Interactive as senior producer

Ex-Battlefield lead Gordon Van Dyke joins Paradox Interactive as senior producer originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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