Battlefield-4
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Battlefield 4 devs talk warm fuzzies about Frostbite 3
This Battlefield 4 trailer is a glorified sizzle reel for Frostbite 3, but it's a glorious sizzle reel too. Developers working on the DICE engine discuss the detail work the latest Frostbite delivers to the multiplayer mayhem of the battlefields.
Battlefield 4 'Spectator Mode' jumps into many soldiers' boots
Daniel Matros, producer on Battlefield 4, gives us a look at the new Spectator Mode direct from E3. The voyeur mode is there for those soldiers who want to watch a battle go down, but don't want to participate in the skirmish directly. Spectating is live, with no delay – which may present problems with ghosting in the final game, though it should be noted that this is pre-Alpha gameplay from E3 and spectating may be changed prior to launch on October 29.
Battlefield 4 and the unstoppable helicopter
As sprawling as the skirmishes in Battlefield 4 can get, I found myself most fascinated with a helicopter that was able to murder me many times during my E3 multiplayer session. In the Siege of Shanghai map, a massive downtown location of skycrapers and bridges forming ample choke points across a bay that cuts the city in half, players can bring down a massive building by destroying pillars at its base. While destroying the environment is central to the Battlefield experience, destroying this building will cover the entire map in a thick coating of dust, hampering visibility. This is where the helicopter became the bane of my existence.%Gallery-190958%
Battlefield 4 ups squad count to five, DICE explains why
Battlefield 4 will feature five-man squads over the series' staple four-man grouping. "They've been asking for bigger squads," DICE producer Aleksander Grondal told Joystiq at E3, referring to the Battlefield community's insistance on larger squad counts. "We believe five is a good figure. It allows for more team-based gameplay, basically. You have more options and you can spawn in more places." In previous Battlefield games, DICE made a purposeful design decision to limit the number of players per squad. "It was a design choice back then – forgive me, I don't exactly remember why it was chosen four. You know, it feels like light years ago from previous games," Grondal joked, rubbing the tired from E3's first day out of his eyes. "But five is a little better; it gives a bit more flexibility and more interesting choices." Battlefield 4 launches on October 29 for Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.
Battlefield 4 will feature Commander Mode [Update: First multiplayer footage]
Battlefield 4's multiplayer will feature a Commander Mode, EA has announced at E3, similar to the one seen back in Battlefield 2142. The mode will allow players to send commands out or deliver intel or artillery fire to five-man squads from tablets and other devices across Battlelog, in maps that will support up to 64 players at a time. EA showed off a demo of the mode on a map called the Siege of Shanghai map, and will have gameplay streaming live from the show on Battlefield.com all this week. %Gallery-190958%
Battlefield 4: Second Assault map pack first on Xbox One [Update 2: 'fan favorite' maps]
During Microsoft's pre-E3 Xbox One event, EA revealed an Xbox One exclusive: Battlefield 4: Second Assault. It's a map pack that will launch on Xbox One before anywhere else. Update: The trailer from EA's part of the Xbox E3 keynote has been added to the post above. Update 2: An EA representative indicates that Second Assault will be a collection of four "fan-favorite" maps in Battlefield 4. The Second Assault map pack will be available sometime after the launch of Battlefield 4 on October 29, first on Xbox One.%Gallery-190915%
Rumor: Battlefield 4 alpha build screenshots leak
Images reportedly showing off an alpha build of Battlefield 4 have leaked on site NSS. The images reveal loadouts, a map, menus and what's clearly some very early in-game screenshots. Head on over to NSS to view them all.
GameStop offering Battlefield 3 unlocks for Battlefield 4 pre-orders
GameStop Power-Up Rewards members who pre-order Battlefield 4 can unlock some vehicle upgrades in Battlefield 3 immediately. The Air Vehicles Shortcut Kit instantly unlocks all 38 upgrades across all airborne vehicles in Battlefield 3. Looking to go through a different retailer with your early commitment? All Battlefield 4 pre-orders will also receive the China Rising expansion: a collection of four maps, weapons and tech. Battlefield 4 is slated for October 29 on PC, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4 and PS3.
Xbox One, PS4 game box art appears on Battlefield 4 site
Are these the designs for Xbox One and PS4 game covers? The images come via the official Battlefield 4 site, where they're pictured prominently on a couple of pages. They may just be EA mock-ups - no other companies, including Microsoft and Sony, have released any images - but maybe they are the real deal. We reckon they look elegantly crisp.
Battlefield 4 launching on October 29, both it and Destiny coming to Xbox One
Battlefield 4 has announced via its Facebook page that the game will launch on October 29 of this year. In addition to versions on the PC, Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3 and the PlayStation 4, the team has also confirmed the game will be coming to Microsoft's newly announced Xbox One console. The Xbox One doesn't have a confirmed launch date just yet, so it's possible that version will arrive later. Additionally, EA's announced Battlefield 4's first expansion pack, called China Rising. The pack will contain four extra maps, along with extra vehicles and weapons. It will be available at launch, and come free with any pre-order of the game. And speaking of confirmed Xbox One titles, Bungie has also made it clear that Destiny is due out on Xbox One as well. Stay tuned for more confirmations on next-gen titles for Microsoft's new console.
EA developing Frostbite Go mobile game engine for iOS and Android
EA has published a website for its Frostbite graphical engine, and text on the website mentions the existence of a project called Frostbite Go, which EA describes as "a mobile division empowering EA game developers with Frostbite's proven excellent workflows and features to bring true Frostbite experiences to all major mobile platforms." In other words, the company is putting together the technology to run Frostbite on platforms such as iOS and Android. The blurb doesn't say which version of Frostbite the mobile engine will be based on, but given that Frostbite 3 is the new hotness around EA, it's a fair guess that the company is adapting the latest and greatest for Frostbite Go. We're supposed to see Frostbite 3 games arrive later on this year (with Battlefield 4 being the first of these), so odds are that any Frostbite Go-created products should hit the market at that same time.
Battlefield 13-20 domains registered by EA
Electronic Arts – using a known third-party service – registered the dot-com domains for Battlefield's 13-20. Fusible took note of the registrations, going on to mention that EA owns most of the Battlefield domains between one and 20 now. Battlefield 4 is expected to launch later this year. Although the initial instinct may be to call this long-term planning a little overdone, it's not so crazy if Battlefield takes the annualized approach á la an EA Sports title. Battlefield '14 through Battlefield '20 doesn't sound so crazy now. Update: Rock, Paper, Shotgun has picked up Battlefield21.com in the starry-eyed hopes of cashing in. It's a gold rush, folks. Don't get left behind!
Battlefield 4 sees a duo of new screenshots
Here we have two new Battlefield 4 screenshots. Once you cross-multiply and divide for no reason, it's almost as if we have four Battlefield 2 screenshots, or eight Battlefield screenshots, or even one giant Battlefield 8 image. But math isn't really our strong suit.%Gallery-187726%
Battlefield 4 skipping Wii U to avoid stretching team 'too thin'
There will be no touchscreen leg-cutting minigames at launch for Battlefield 4. DICE Creative director Lars Gustavsson told Videogamer a flat "no" in response to a query about the existence of a Wii U version of the military shooter."I think overall for me as creative director, number one is to deliver a really great game and experience," Gustavsson explained. "Sometimes, at least for us, it's focus on what you do well and what you know well, and ensure that you deliver something good than trying a bit too much, stretching yourself too thin and risking it. I'd rather play it safe, deliver something really good and then look at the future and what could possibly be done than trying a bit too hard and then, flat."Just a few minutes earlier, on stage at the presentation, EA Games vice president Patrick Söderlund touted the game as "a new era of interactive entertainment," built on an engine that provided "no excuses. There's nothing really holding us back anymore."
Editorial: How the Concessions Stand in Battlefield 4
EA seized an entire movie theater in San Francisco in the midst of GDC 2013 to demonstrate nearly 20 minutes of Battlefield 4, which is also a video game. The venue was large and loud enough to encapsulate the shooter's cinematic aspirations, and flaunt every extravagant detail manifested in the weapons, soldiers, lighting and urban environments – right down to the cracking, withered paint on a door. Battlefield 4 belonged on every inch of that big screen.And that's fine. I enjoy shooters, I adore movies, and I think there's a valid convergence to be found between the two. It's rarely a shortcut for superior storytelling, but the medium is malleable and fit for many authors. Some strive for realism, others seek expression in the abstract, and some guys prefer to make a crazy game about shipping soup to other planets.None of those, however, have claimed responsibility for a "new era of interactive entertainment." That would be Battlefield 4, according to EA Games Vice President Patrick Söderlund. "Revealing the game to you all today is a big deal for us," he said in epilogue to the game's exquisitely rendered destruction. "It signals a new era of Battlefield and, frankly, a new era of interactive entertainment."%Gallery-183940%
Battlefield 4 confirmed to launch this fall
Battlefield 4 was officially announced this evening, coming in the fall to PC, PS3 and Xbox 360. The game runs on Frostbite 3. It's been a weird road since Battlefield 4's unceremonious reveal in July 2012, where it was part of a pre-order bonus for Medal of Honor: Warfighter. Two EA military franchises enter, one survives a year later.Pre-orders from any retailer receive the Premium expansion pack, while Origin pre-orders get the Digital Deluxe version that includes the game, the Premium expansion, access to the multiplayer beta and some bonus in-game items. Check out the first official in-game footage above.
Battlefield 4 screens leak [Update: Trailer]
A trio of Battlefield 4 screenshots found their way to the Battlefield blog and were picked up by Neogaf member L1NETT. The pictures have since been removed from the official blog, but they come directly before an EA event kicking off tonight, tied in with GDC 2013 in San Francisco.EA announced Battlefield 4 in July, predicting a fall 2013 launch window; it will be set in modern times. We expect plenty more news about Battlefield 4 tonight.%Gallery-183940% Update: We now have the official trailer.
EA: DICE doesn't want to be a 'Battlefield factory'
DICE's Stockholm studio has 300 people and no, not all of them are working on Battlefield content, EA Games Vice President Patrick Soderlund tells OXM. DICE launched Mirror's Edge in 2008, but since then it's been all Battlefield, all the time, with Battlefield 4 scheduled for beta next fall.Asked whether taking a risk on a Mirror's Edge-type game is worth it when Battlefield is so lucrative, Soderlund responds, "Well it depends, right? Maybe it is and maybe it isn't. It's also important for us – the DICE guys are roughly 300 people in the Stockholm studio; not all of them are working on Battlefield things, and that's intentional, because we don't want to become a Battlefield factory."One way to circumvent the transition to "Battlefield factory" is to develop a sequel to Mirror's Edge – which is exactly what former Battlefield executive producer Ben Cousins says DICE is doing. "It is general knowledge in the Stockholm dev scene that Mirror's Edge 2 is in production at DICE," he tweets.It's worth noting that Cousins isn't with EA anymore, but he is based in Sweden.
Battlefield 4 sticking to modern warfare
Battlefield 4 will be set in modern times, DICE general manager Karl Magnus Troedsson revealed at GDC Europe today. The game, which was announced with no pomp last month, will have a beta sometime next year, but little else has been revealed. However, with a lag time of six years between Battlefield 2 and Battlefield 3, why did the studio go with Battlefield 4 so quickly instead of heading back to Bad Company?"There's a lot of things inspiring us as to how the franchise will move on. Everything from fans' feedback, to market research and, of course, what we want to build ourselves. It's not just one single thing," said Troedsson, continuing with a hint of sarcasm. "And, yes, I know Battlefield 4 is probably the most creative name we ever could come up with. I can't comment any more on that game because it's all secret."However, he did go on to say, "We still want to stay in this genre, the modern day as it is. We feel this is a place we can be and continue with the series. Battlefield 4 can live in this space and be very successful."Hinting, in conclusion, "That doesn't mean there might not be a Bad Company game again in the future."
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.
