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EA delays the next Need for Speed to focus on Battlefield
Criterion Games is helping out with the next Battlefield game, which is due out in the fall.
'Battlefield V' finally supports DLSS anti-aliasing
For a flagship single-person shooter, Battlefield V didn't exactly set the sales chart alight. But EA Dice keeps cranking out the updates to keep devotees happy, while everyone else waits for its incoming battle royale mode. And so we come to Chapter 2: Lightning Strikes Update #3, which is out now. The biggest change, aside from a new co-op mode (we'll get to that later), is support for NVIDIA's performance-boosting DLSS tech and optimized ray-tracing for GeForce RTX graphics cards.
DICE promises more Battlefield 4 DLC, surveys classic maps
Battlefield 4 developer DICE doesn't know when to stop Battlefieldin', as the game's latest map pack "Final Stand" won't be the last piece of content for the first-person shooter. "With Battlefield 4 Final Stand released, we hope and believe that you will enjoy it together with the rest of the game for a long time," the developer wrote in a blog this week. "However, there is one thing we want to assure you: There is more content coming for Battlefield 4." While DICE did not specify what it had in store for further DLC, it did acknowledge the "many requests of re-creating classic Battlefield maps within the Battlefield 4 universe." The developer opened a poll to the public to see which maps from the previous games in the series would be most popular among fans, available here. The next entry in the series, Visceral Games' Battlefield Hardline, was delayed to March 17, 2015. [Image: EA]
Battlefield 4 class action lawsuit dismissed on 'puffery'
No, not puffinry. Puffery. A class action lawsuit levied against Electronic Arts for allegedly misleading investors over the performance of Battlefield 4 was dismissed this week, with U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California Judge Susan Illston labeling the publisher's promises as pre-release "puffery," rather than intentionally misleading hype. The lawsuit was filed late last year, accusing Electronic Arts of misrepresenting "the development and sales of the Company's Battlefield 4 video game and the game's impact on EA's revenue and projects moving forward." Battlefield 4 suffered numerous issues upon its launch in November, leaving many players unable to access its online multiplayer component. Fixes arrived months after the game's initial release, leading EA CEO Andrew Wilson to later describe the debacle as "unacceptable." EA argued that its pre-release statements had no direct bearing on the plaintiffs' decisions to purchase company stock. In addition, the publisher noted that five of the eight company-issued statements labeled as misleading in the suit were made after plaintiffs had already purchased EA stock. "Defendant [CFO Blake] Jorgensen's Oct. 29, 2013 statement comparing 'BF4' to a World Series ace pitcher is puffery," Judge Illston wrote. "Defendant Wilson's Oct. 29, 2013 statement explaining that EA 'worked more closely with Microsoft and Sony throughout the entire process' resulting in a 'launch slate of games that are the best transition games that I've ever seen come out of this company' is an inactionable opinion, as well as a vague statement of corporate optimism." Illston's response does not represent a total dismissal of the case. Lead plaintiffs Ryan Kelly and Louis Mastro must revise their statements by November 3 to continue the suit. [Image: Getty]
Xbox Deals With Gold delivers discounted Battlefield 4 DLC
Battlefield series die-hards can pick up an arsenal of discounted DLC this week through Microsoft's Deals with Gold promotion, which currently offers a 33 percent discount on Battlefield 4's Premium membership, China Rising, Second Assault, Naval Strike, and Ultimate Shortcut Bundle add-ons for the Xbox One and Xbox 360. The Xbox 360 Games on Demand versions of Madden NFL 25, FIFA 14, and NHL 14 are half-off this week for Gold members, and 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil is available for 70 percent off its regular price. Xbox Live Silver members, meanwhile, can pick up a copy of SpikySnail's liquid puzzler The Splatters for 50 percent off through next week. [Image: EA DICE]
Battlefield 4 console update lets players squad up with friends
EA DICE has launched a long-requested "Squad Join" feature for the console versions of Battlefield 4, allowing players to team up with friends and maintain a persistent party across multiplayer matches. The Squad Join feature supports up to five simultaneous squadmates, and the beta version is available for base game maps in the Conquest, Team Deathmatch, Obliteration, Rush, and Domination game modes. EA notes that additional Squad Join features will be added alongside the launch of Battlefield 4's Dragon's Teeth DLC pack this summer. Currently, the Squad Join beta is exclusive to the Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4 versions of Battlefield 4. [Video: EA DICE]
Battlefield 4 'Naval Strike' DLC now approaching PC waters
DICE isn't keeping PC marines on standby for the latest Battlefield 4 content as long as expected. The delayed "Naval Strike" DLC was projected to hit PC sometime in early April, but the studio announced it's rolling out on the platform today for the shooter's Premium members. DICE originally delayed the content because it was concerned about potential performance issues on mid-to-high-end PCs. Naval Strike introduces new maps, weapons, gadgets and assignments to Battlefield 4, as well as a hovercraft vehicle and a brand new Village People rhythm mini-game. Okay, we made that last one up, but it really does introduce a new Carrier Assault mode in which teams do battle and try to sink each other's aircraft carriers. [Image: EA]
Delayed Battlefield 4 'Naval Strike' DLC rolling out on Xbox One
The Battlefield 4 'Naval Strike' DLC is sailing towards Premium members on Xbox One after DICE delayed it earlier in the week to address animation issues. However, PC players are still waiting on the update, and DICE is pinning its arrival for "early April." "We have delayed the PC version of Naval Strike because we are concerned that the combination of the pack and planned PC updates would increase performance issues on mid-range to high-end PCs," reads an update on the Battlefield Blog. "We are working hard to resolve that issue now." When it finally docks on PC, Naval Strike will bring four new maps, ten assignments, five weapons, two gadgets, and a hovercraft vehicle to Battlefield 4. The DLC also features a new Carrier Assault mode in which opposing sides fight to sink each other's aircraft carrier while keeping their own one afloat. [Image: EA]
Rentable Battlefield 4 servers on the way for consoles
Committed Battlefield 4 players will soon be able to rent their own dedicated servers to power online multiplayer matches on consoles, Electronic Arts announced. "Indeed, it is coming," Battlelog manager "EA_Stiv" confirmed in response to a user question regarding rented servers on the PlayStation 4. "I'm afraid we don't have any information on this quite yet, but it is coming soon! Keep your eyes peeled on the Control Room and Battlefield blog, as those are most likely where you'll see it announced first." Electronic Arts previously hosted a server-rental service for Battlefield 3, leading to public server shortages as rentals exceeded anticipated demand. An implementation date for Battlefield 4's server rental service has not been announced. [Image: Electronic Arts]
Next major Battlefield 4 update due for release by early February
EA DICE plans to roll out its next multiplatform Battlefield 4 update "at the end of January/beginning of February," the developer announced today. The next round of updates will introduce stability improvements across all supported platforms, along with fixes for lingering bugs in Battlefield 4's multiplayer component. Platform-specific patches have been issued frequently since the game's launch in October last year. EA DICE additionally seeks player feedback regarding proposed balance tweaks targeting DMR performance and anti-air defense. The developer will weigh the results of its feedback polls and will detail resulting gameplay updates soon.
Battlefield 4 updated on PS3 and PS4 with stability improvements, bugfixes
Another day, another Battlefield 4 update. EA DICE focuses on the PlayStation 3 and PS4 versions of its glitch-prone military FPS in a pair patches released earlier today targeting player damage indication, general stability, and other issues. Today's PlayStation 3 update addresses out-of-sync animations and sound dropouts, and adjusts the damage-dealing capabilities of playable jets. PS4 players benefit from fixed flickering and spawn improvements, along with normalized vehicle repair rates. A recent server update should additionally boost performance across all platforms. Yesterday, EA released a new patch for the PC version of Battlefield 4 eliminating sound loops and Windows 8.1 crashes, among other previously reported problems.
EA finds itself in third law firm's iron sights over Battlefield 4 issues
EA has been under a lot of scrutiny lately. First, law firm Holzer Holzer & Fistel, LLC launched an investigation to uncover whether or not the company deliberately misled investors on the state of Battlefield 4 and the game's impact on company revenue. Then, law firm Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd, LLP filed a class action lawsuit against the publisher. Now, law firm Bower Piven has likewise filed for a class action lawsuit, and is currently seeking a lead plaintiff. Investors who lost more than $200,000 between July 24 and December 4 of this year have until February 17, 2014 to contact Bower Piven, should they wish to take up the mantle of lead plaintiff. The law firm alleges that EA violated the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by failing to disclose the game's multitude of issues before release, which in turn left investors unable to make informed choices about their investments. EA's stock declined sharply following the announcement that future DICE projects would be put on hold until Battlefield 4 was fixed, hence Bower Piven's case. This legal kerfuffle is starting to look like a regular battle(field).
Battlefield 4 targeted in class action lawsuit
Law firm Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP has filed a class action lawsuit against Electronic Arts alleging that the company issued "materially false and misleading statements" regarding the quality and playability of its troubled first-person shooter Battlefield 4. Battlefield 4 has seen numerous patches in the weeks following its release, addressing major issues ranging from client crashes to save file corruption. The suit highlights the PlayStation 4 version of Battlefield 4 in particular, claiming that "players of Electronic Arts' games were being subjected to multiple glitches and significant crashes when attempting to play Electronic Arts' titles on PS4." The Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd suit marks the second time a law firm has targeted Electronic Arts over Battlefield 4 this month. Previously, Holzer Holzer & Fistel, LLC launched an investigation to determine whether EA misled investors regarding Battlefield 4's projected impact on company revenue. The results of this investigation have not yet been disclosed. Individuals who purchased EA common stock between July 24 and December 4, 2013, have until February 15 to contact Robbins Geller for representation in the firm's class action lawsuit.
Battlefield 4 Xbox One patch fixes one-hit kills, save file corruption bug
EA DICE has released a new patch for the Xbox One version of Battlefield 4 that fixes several crashes and other bugs affecting the game's multiplayer component. The Xbox One update addresses a persistent "one-hit kill" bug, bringing the port up to speed with the recently patched PC and PS4 versions. The update additionally "reduces the probability" of single-player save file corruption, which emerged as a widespread complaint among players after the game's launch last month. Battlefield 4 shipped with several major issues on next-gen platforms, rendering some multiplayer modes unplayable prior to recent updates. The game's problems are severe enough to warrant the attention of law firm Holzer Holzer & Fistel, which recently launched an investigation to determine if Electronic Arts misled investors regarding the game's estimated revenue and market impact.
Battlefield 4 update hits PC and PS4 tomorrow, fixes 'one-hit kill' glitch
EA DICE will release an update for the PlayStation 4 and PC versions of Battlefield 4 tomorrow, addressing a one-hit kill glitch that has plagued the game since launch, among other fixes and improvements. The patch will eliminate reported instances of a single bullet dealing damage multiple times upon impact, often resulting in one-hit kills. The PC version will see additional fixes that target audio bugs and screen blurring, while the PS4 patch will enable audio playback in video captures and fix crashes relating to large Friends lists. The PC patch will deploy at 1:00 a.m. PST on December 3, while the PS4 update will be available "in the afternoon EU time."
EA's Söderlund discusses Star Wars: Battlefront, Mirror's Edge reboot
EA Games Label vice president Patrick Söderlund revealed new details and insight regarding DICE's upcoming Star Wars: Battlefront and Mirror's Edge games in a recent interview with CVG. Describing DICE and Star Wars: Battlefront as "a match made in heaven," Söderlund explains that the next Battlefront game was approved at DICE's insistence. "It was almost not happening," Söderlund recalls. "It was just something as boring as resources and availability. The DICE guys Karl Magnus Troedsson and Patrick Bach were talking and I told them we were in dialogues with Disney over this deal and they just looked at me and said, 'Why haven't you spoken to us? What are you doing? We want to make Battlefront.'" "I didn't anticipate them wanting to work on a license – they've always been new IP or their own IP," Söderlund continued. "But they were just like, 'we would kill to make this game' and the whole studio started talking about it like, 'please give us this game'. That's when I called Frank [Gibeau, EA Labels boss] and I realised we had something here. [...] They begged to do it, the opportunity was there and that's exactly why you'll see a game that will be what it needs to be."
How Mirror's Edge gave legs (and more) to Battlefield 3
The dextrous legs of Mirror's Edge heroine Faith helped to shape the movement of characters in Battlefield 3, EA DICE general manager Karl Magnus Troedsson said in a speech today during GDC Europe. No, you don't spend too much time parkouring around the war torn arenas of Battlefield 3, but various animations – Faith vaulting over obstacles, for instance – directly shaped the way BF3's soldiers interacted with their environment."Not just the legs, but the actual movement," Troedsson told us in a followup. "So in BF3, when you jump over something, you can see the vaulting, etc. So the whole animation setup has actually changed quite a bit." Beyond just the animation, he said, it changed how first-person perspective was designed in Battlefield games. "Before in our games – before Mirror's Edge and before BF3 – the camera was actually just something that was floating. Now it actually sits on the animation rig that we have, which is a big difference."When we pressed for more news on Mirror's Edge within DICE and the potential for a sequel, Troedsson was predictably coy. "How many people want it? We'll see. You have to wait and see," he said. "As I mentioned, we want to do other things in Battlefield, so of course making a sequel to a game like that could be an option moving forward." And hey, it if it helps DICE's "core franchise," it could be worthwhile even without the level of financial support Battlefield sees from fans. At least that's what we're hoping.
Battlefield series celebrates 10 year anniversary: over 50 million served
DICE general manager Karl Magnus Troedsson took to GDC Europe today to celebrate his company's 20-year anniversary and the 10-year anniversary of its "core franchise," Battlefield. He revealed that the series has "served" more than 50 million players, and added that DICE is "still in love."Battlefield's latest franchise entry, Battlefield 3, shipped over 12 million copies as of last November. Battlefield 4 is up next, expected in holiday 2013.
Ex-Battlefield lead David Goldfarb now at Starbreeze, working on Payday sequel
Last month, we heard that Battlefield 3 lead designer David Goldfarb exited EA's Sweden-based DICE studio. It seems that Goldfarb is staying in the country, as he's accepted a job at Starbreeze-owned developer Overkill Software. Goldfarb announced as much on Twitter, donning the above Payday: The Heist mask and scaring children worldwide.Goldfarb is set to work alongside studio lead Ulf Andersson on a sequel to Payday, as well as an unannounced title Overkill is working on. "I've worked on these huge games, and that was great, but I really wanted to work on smaller, tighter, and more intimate projects that are more gameplay driven, and I saw the opportunity to do that here," Goldfarb told Develop. Andersson added, "I'm really looking forward to this to see if we can make something really cool together."
DICE 'committed' to Battlefield 3 even after Battlefield 4's launch
Battlefield 4 is coming, with a beta scheduled to begin next fall, but DICE assures fans that doesn't mean a premature end to support for Battlefield 3.Following up on earlier pledges to the same effect, the developer said on the official Battlefield blog that it intends to continue with BF3 support past the beta, continuing even after BF4 is released. "We are committed to providing an excellent Battlefield 3 experience well into the future , past the releases of Aftermath, End Game, and Battlefield 4," a representative said on the blog. "DICE is continuing its work on Battlefield 3 alongside Battlefield 4."Of course, there's no way of telling what that "work" will entail following the release of Battlefield 4. It's certainly an impressive claim nonetheless, one that we hope isn't equivalent to pre-selling us some exclusive bridge DLC.
