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Battlefield 4 Second Assault out now for Premium members
The Second Assault DLC for Battlefield 4 is now available on PC via Origin as well as PS4 and PS3 for Premium members, and should arrive tomorrow on Xbox 360. The DLC first launched with the game on Xbox One, and is free with the $50 Premium service. Second Assault includes four new maps for the game: Caspian Border, Operation Metro, Operation Firestorm and Gulf of Oman. Each map is a "fan-favorite" from Battlefield 3, re-imagined in the Frostbyte 3 engine. The DLC will arrive on all consoles for non-Premium subscribers on March 4, as revealed last week.
Battlefield 4 Second Assault arrives February 18
Confirming a rumor from earlier this week, developer DICE has announced that the Second Assault DLC for large-scale military shooter Battlefield 4 will debut on February 18. "In a week, you'll take a step back in time with Battlefield 4 Second Assault, featuring four fan-favorite maps from Battlefield 3 – Operation Metro, Caspian Border, Gulf of Oman, and Operation Firestorm," a DICE representative wrote on the official Battlefield 4 blog. "Reimagined with Frostbite 3 graphics and Battlefield 4 gameplay, Battlefield 4 Second Assault will be released on February 18 for Battlefield 4 Premium members on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC, and for all Battlefield 4 players two weeks later on March 4." As Second Assault has been available to Xbox One users since Battlefield 4 launched on that console, there isn't anything left to reveal about the DLC. Instead, the remainder of today's announcement is focused on the game's next addition, dubbed Naval Strike. "In this expansion, you'll experience intense water-based combat as the Chinese armada takes the fight to the sea. You'll have access to new weapons, gadgets, and amphibious vehicles, and four all-new maps – Lost Island, Nansha Strike, Wave Breaker, and Operation Mortar." DICE has yet to reveal a release date for Naval Strike. [Image: EA]
Rumor: Battlefield 4 Second Assault rolls out next week
The second DLC pack for the beleaguered Battlefield 4 may be released on February 18, assuming you trust a screenshot captured in a German-language version of EA's digital distribution service, Origin. Here's the admittedly tenuous situation: A Reddit user under the handle "OurRobOrRos" recently posted the image you see above. He or she claims that it was part of a screencap taken from the German version of Origin a short time ago. As you can see, the image indicates a February 18 release date for the PC version of Second Assault, a DLC pack that will bring four fan-favorite Battlefield 3 maps to Battlefield 4. If this release date is accurate, it becomes simple to extrapolate the Second Assault release schedule based on EA's previously-announced DLC plans. Second Assault is slated to reach Battlefield 4 Premium members across all platforms first, about two weeks prior to the general public receiving the downloadable addition. Thus, Second Assault would reach Battlefield 4 Premium users on PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and Xbox 360 on February 18, then become available to the remainder of players in early March. Xbox One users received Second Assault as a timed-exclusive with the launch of their iteration of EA's shooter. We contacted EA for a comment on this discovery, but were told that the company is currently unwilling to assign a release date to Second Assault. [Image: Reddit]
Killzone, Knack and other PS4 game deals at Best Buy
A $60 game is an expensive proposition, but you knock $20 off the price and things get tempting. Best Buy is looking to do just that with a PS4 launch game sale and is offering up Knack and Killzone: Shadow Fall for $40, with free shipping on all orders over $25. Best Buy is also knocking some ducats off Call of Duty: Ghosts, Battlefield 4 (both the Standard and Limited editions) and Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition. All of these games are available for $50 with free shipping. While we'd have a hard time suggesting Knack for any price, Killzone: Shadow Fall is a tempting deal. In our review, we said Killzone: Shadow Fall has some interesting sci-fi moments but is ultimately a game residing on "the border between good and great."
Battlefield 4 sales not hurt by 'quality issues,' EA says
Sales of Battlefield 4 were not affected by any server issues or bugs in the game itself, EA President Peter Moore said during an investor call today. Any negative impact on Battlefield 4 sales comes from the transition to next-gen, Moore said: "We obviously saw some decline in current-gen software that wasn't picked up by the increased anticipation that gamers had and the sales thereof of next-gen. Battlefield 4 was no different than FIFA or Need for Speed in this issue, but this was focused on current-gen rather than, we believe, any issues with the game itself. This game has got a long tail, as you well know, and we will continue to be able to sell this effectively throughout the next fiscal year. "So yes, we did see some impact of the current-gen softness that was indicated by Andrew and Blake in their prepared statements, but this is not, we believe, a link to any quality issues." EA has not released the sales numbers for Battlefield 4, but Battlefield 4 Premium, a $50 season pass of DLC content for the main game, has 1.6 million members.
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 patch on Xbox One addresses single-player save file issues
DICE began rolling out an update for Battlefield 4 on Xbox One today. The update offers similar changes to the game seen in the patches issued to the PC, PS3 and PS4 versions earlier this week, such as the damage dealt by the stealth jet cannons. Of the issues addressed in today's update, DICE fixed a map and minimap flickering problem players encountered during the Rogue Transmission and Operation Locker stages. Additionally, the patch "reduced the risk of single player campaign save file becoming corrupt," according to the full update notes, which can be found after the break.
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.
Battlefield 4 PC update tweaks stealth jets, addresses stability
An update for the PC version of Battlefield 4 was issued this morning, bringing with it some stability, balancing and player spawning fixes. Among the more tangible differences players will notice are tweaks to the stealth jets in the game, which see a 25 percent damage increase to their cannons and some changes in their handling attributes. DICE also fixed an issue where the friendly marker didn't always show when it was supposed to, which resulted in players shooting their teammates. Looks like you're all out of excuses for shooting at your team, Doug. Head past the break for the full update notes.
Joystiq Streams: Big trouble in Battlefield 4: China Rising DLC [UPDATE: It's over!]
After a couple of weeks away from the lands of multiplayer shooting, Joystiq Streams returns to Battlefield 4 with a vengeance that would make Kurt Russel in trucker mode blanch in fear and respect. The Joystiq Twitch channel will be broadcasting Battlefield 4's China Rising DLC starting at 4p.m. EST today, Jan. 7. Alexander Sliwinski will once again be leading a merry band of shootists and grenadiers into the fray. Anthony John Agnello will be hanging in the chat and feeding your questions directly to Alexander as we go. Tune in and hang out with us. [NOTE: Sorry to those looking for archived footage of this stream. PlayStation 4 game streams don't archive on Twitch yet, though they hopefully will in the near future.]
EA wants your opinion on Battlefield 4
Whether you love Battlefield 4 or despise its constant crashes and tendency to lose save files, EA wants to hear from you. The publisher has issued a survey to members of the Battlefield 4 community which first asks players to rate the likelihood that they would recommend Battlefield 4 to a friend, then asks for a short, personalized review of the open-world, first-person shooter. There's no tangible reward for participation, though given the number of vocal Battlefield 4 detractors we've seen since the game's October debut, the chance to release all of that anger directly at the people responsible for the game should prove tempting by itself. Despite this attempt by EA to take the pulse of its community, Battlefield 4 remains less than functional. The game's ongoing stability issues have improved since launch, but crashes and failures to connect to servers remain common. As a result of these problems, EA now finds itself the target of two class-action lawsuits alleging the publisher convinced players to purchase the unfinished game by filling its marketing materials with false and misleading information.
Battlefield 4 Premium double XP event today, AMD 'Mantle' update this month
A recently delayed Battlefield 4 double XP event for Premium members has been rescheduled. Originally supposed to take place on December 30, the new date for the event is ... today. It began at 8am ET this morning and will run for a total of 58 hours. If you've had your eyes on a particular unlock, now would be the time to log on. Here's hoping you can stay logged on. In other Battlefield news, the "Mantle" update for AMD-powered PCs has been delayed. It was meant to launch in December, but AnandTech reports that Electronic Arts and AMD now plan to release the update in January. Mantle is expected to offer a hefty performance boost for machines packing AMD hardware.
Double XP event delayed for Battlefield 4 Premium members
A double XP event for Battlefield 4 Premium members has been delayed, according to an alert posted on the Battlefield forums. Originally slated to take place yesterday, the event has been "postponed" and will "run at a later date." Unfortunately, developer DICE offers no further information regarding a specific date. According to the Battlefield 4 Premium calendar, January's Premium event should go down on January 27. Presumably, the rescheduled December event should take place sometime before then. The delayed event joins a host of problems – including buggy gameplay and persistent connectivity issues – that have plagued Battlefield 4 since it launched at the end of October. The problems reached fever pitch this month, with publisher EA finding itself the target of multiple lawsuits alleging that the company misled investors about the state of Battlefield 4 prior to launch.
Battlefield 4 connectivity issues continue across 'various platforms'
DICE posted an alert on its support forums for Battlefield 4 to warn players of ongoing connectivity issues across multiple platforms. This is the latest update in a string of problems the game has faced since its launch in late October, which has seen multiple patches go live in the past few weeks. The game's support forums note that the developer is "continuing to monitor some intermittent connectivity issues affecting some players across various platforms." Though no other information is provided in the alert, DICE's Battlefield 4 issues tracker mentioned that it is investigating a bug that is "accounting for a large amount of crashes" on Xbox 360. Among the other problems encountered by Battlefield players are reports that the game's China Rising DLC failed to carry over from PS3 to PS4, for players that made the switch to the next-gen system. As a result of its constant problems, multiple law firms have launched investigations into EA to determine whether the publisher intentionally mislead investors on the game's state leading up to its release.
Report: Battlefield 4 banned in China
The Chinese government has banned Battlefield 4 in the country following the release of the China Rising expansion, the Wall Street Journal reports. The game was banned over "national security" reasons. EA declined to comment when contacted by the Wall Street Journal. We have also reached out to EA and will update this post accordingly. The Battlefield 4 single-player campaign takes place during 2020, when a Chinese admiral initiates a plan to overthrow the government. The China Rising expansion features a variety of new maps, vehicles and an additional gametype, all set on the Chinese mainland.
Joystiq Streams: Blazing out of 2013 with Battlefield 4 on PlayStation 4
Batten down the hatches and make sure you've downloaded the latest PlayStation 4 patch, because it's time for a little Friday afternoon Battlefield 4. Joystiq's Alexander Sliwinski and his merry band of crack shots are going to be streaming matches over on the Joystiq Twitch page at 2PM EST today, demonstrating their specialized lack of skills as well as the game's impressive new stability. There will be victory, good times, and plenty of humorous asides. Anthony John Agnello, your intrepid community manager, will be hanging out in the chat as well. Tell you friends and come hang out!
GameStop post-Christmas sale hacks $10 off select next-gen games, more
That money grandma tucked into your card this year? GameStop wants it, and is holding a post-Christmas winter sale to get it. The retailer's deals end on December 29 and take $10 off the following Xbox One and PS4 games: Call of Duty: Ghosts, FIFA 14, Battlefield 4, Need For Speed: Rivals, Madden 25 and NBA Live 14. Each game is $10 cheaper on their respective current-gen platforms as well. Additionally, Assassins Creed 4: Black Flag and Battlefield 4 are discounted to $39.99 on their other respective platforms (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U and PC), though the former isn't on sale for PS4 or Xbox One. GameStop's sale page features a number of items that aren't discounted at all, including listings for available Xbox One and Wii U consoles. Among the other games and accessories on sale are Tearaway ($19.99), Grand Theft Auto 5 ($39.99), NBA 2K14 for Xbox 360 and PS3 ($39.99), Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD Remix ($24.99) and Gran Turismo 6 ($39.99).
Report: Battlefield 4 DLC purchase fails to upgrade to next-gen
A wholly new problem has found Battlefield 4, thanks to a report claiming that the PlayStation 3 version of the game's China Rising DLC is not being upgraded to its PlayStation 4 counterpart, despite EA's earlier, public claims to the contrary. China Rising is the first in a series of planned expansions for Battlefield 4 and was offered as a free pre-order bonus to anyone willing to put down cash early on any version of the game. At the same time, EA (and many other publishers) were involved in a promotion that would allow players to upgrade a game from its PS3 or Xbox 360 iteration to a next-gen counterpart for a small fraction of the game's purchase price. Though the official Battlefield Twitter account claims that China Rising should be upgraded alongside the game using the aforementioned promotion, a player using the name "buckethead232" has revealed a text chat with an EA customer service representative which directly contradicts that idea. "According to the latest updates, upgraded players have to purchase [China Rising]," the representative told the player, before adding that the only ways to get China Rising on either a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One are to pre-order a next-generation version of the game, spend $15 to buy the DLC piecemeal, or spend $50 for the Battlefield Premium service (which bundles all Battlefield 4 DLC). We've contacted EA for further information on this apparent policy change, though have yet to hear back. That's not surprising given that it's two days before Christmas, but we'll offer an update when and if we hear more.
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.
