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JoyStats: Reaching Rank 50 in Battlefield: Bad Company 2 takes about 282 hours
Battlefield: Bad Company 2, EA's addictive team-based shooter, requires approximately 282 hours -- or 11 days and 18 hours -- of play to reach the highest rank of 50. The statistic was provided to Joystiq by Darius Kazemi, president of Orbus Gameworks, a consulting company that helps game developers keep track of what players are doing in-game. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the International Game Developers Association (IGDA). Kazemi collected the data of 3,373 player profiles from BFBCS.com using their API. For a jarring sense of scale: the average Rank 50 player has put 295 hours into the game, the equivalent of over seven weeks of working a full-time, 40-hour-a-week job. The time requirement to rank up increases dramatically around Rank 25. Kazemi explained, "From rank 1-25 it takes about 2 hours to climb to a new rank. From rank 25-50 it takes about 10 hours to level up." Read on to see how it all breaks down -- if you have time, that is.
Battlefield DLC available tomorrow through Dr Pepper promotion
Not only has that fort you built out of old Dr Pepper bottles been the showpiece of your living space, but now you can have it work for you. Remember that partnership with EA? Starting tomorrow, you can use one of those bottles' cap to access some Battlefield: Bad Company 2 DLC: the Kit Upgrade. The add-on spices up each class in the cosmetic department, providing new looks for each outfit and specific camouflaged weaponry. Outside of the updated garb and stealthy guns, the update also includes 12 new awards and four Achievements. In North America, the DLC is only available via the Dr Pepper promotion. (In Europe, where the promotional partnership between EA and Dr Pepper is not in effect, Xbox Live users snag each class kit for 160 or the whole set for 440.) The DLC will be available on the Xbox 360 tomorrow, while the PS3 and PC platforms will get the Kit Upgrade "later on."
Splinter Cell takes top UK sales spot with 'Conviction'
Just Dance will just have to wait for its turn back at the top of the UK all-formats sales chart, as Splinter Cell: Conviction has debonairly cut in this week. Although it may appear that the two Ubisoft published titles are in a sashay for supremacy, history has taught us that Just Dance will keep gyrating high above the charts long after Sam Fisher's latest adventure holds the bargain bin hostage. The PS3 and PC release of the faaaaa-bulous and leather-heavy Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City sent the title motoring up the charts to third. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 lost an M-COM station and slipped two spots to fourth, while Wii Fit Plus found the power to jump up one spot to round out the top five. Check out the complete UK top 10 after the break. Source – Ubisoft shows Conviction [GFK Chart-Track] Source – Latest UK Software Charts [GFK Chart-Track]
Just Dance just can't help being tops on UK sales charts
At this point, just give into the madness: Ubisoft's Just Dance is an unstoppable beast on the UK all-formats sales chart. According to Chart-Track, the title has been the top-selling Wii game every week in 2010 (except New Year's week) and boogies down as the third-largest third-party Wii game ever in the UK -- Sega's Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games and Take-Two's Carnival Funfair Games are the top two, respectively. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 regained some ground, crawling back to the second spot, as Just Cause 2 parachuted down another spot to third. Modern Warfare 2 held its ground at fourth as Wii Sports Resort moved up one notch to fifth. The rest of the top ten has some Pokémons sprinkled in there. Check out the complete UK top 10 after the break. Source – Ubisoft Can't Stop Dancing [GFK Chart-Track] Source – Latest UK Software Charts [GFK Chart-Track]
Play Battlefield: Bad Company 2 with EA this Wednesday
Electronic Arts community managers are holding a "game with developers" session for Battlefield: Bad Company 2 this Wednesday, April 7, from 7-10PM Eastern. To join, you'll have to send a friend request or squad up with one of the following Gamertags: easoulsurfer EA Pruitt EA Echo7 EAGamers1 eagamers2 eagamers3 eagamers4 eagamers5 eagamers6 eagamers7 Of course, if finding nice Battlefield buddies on a regular basis is a problem for you, join the JPAG. Also, keep an eye out for the "JOY" clan tag out on the front. Happy hunting.
UK charts: Just Cause 2 just defied by Just Dance
Apparently the word "just" resonates deeply with UK buyers, as Just Dance and Just Cause 2 take the top spots on the UK all-formats sales chart, respectively. Just Dance sales rose 56 percent over the Easter holiday, hopping the rhythm title back to the top spot, which it previously held during the second and third weeks of 2010. The international success of Just Dance is absolutely fascinating and we're curious to see its impact on E3 this year. Clones must be in the cards. Just Cause 2 sales glided down 21 percent after riding the top of the charts last week. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 held its ground at third, while Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Pokémon SoulSilver rounded out the top five. You'll find the complete UK top 10 after the break. Source – Just Dance Just Beats Just Cause [GFK Chart-Track] Source – Latest UK Software Charts [GFK Chart-Track]
Another Amazon deal: Battlefield: Bad Company 2 for $47
Though the boys of Bad Company usually won't spare any subject from being the target of their crude brand of wit, there's one thing they'd never think of dissing: Sweet, sweet savings. Amazon recently began offering Battlefield: Bad Company 2 on 360 and PS3 for just $47. That's not quite as hot as getting both Mass Effect games for just three dollars more -- but really, in this economy, three dollars is a pretty substantial sum of money. You could easily buy one of your favorite candy bars with that much cash, which, in the long run, will provide much more enjoyment than any video game possibly could. Unless it's a Mounds, of course.
PSA: Battlefield: Bad Company 2's 'Squad Rush' now available to all
EA's lifted the velvet rope and now the whole of the unwashed masses enjoying Battlefield: Bad Company 2 can access the Squad Rush multiplayer mode. Previously only available to those who pre-ordered the game, this mode pits two squads (of four players) against each other as they fight over a single M-COM station. Once the attacking team has destroyed the M-COM station, it opens up the next section of the map -- it's a scaled-down version of the regular Rush multiplayer mode. If you're looking for something in the way of moving pictures, head past the break for a trailer that EA was kind enough to send over.
$20 off any game priced at $40 or more at EA Store
While they're improving, things still aren't the best for EA financially. Like all of the best misfortune though, EA's current cash situation can be capitalized on, with the offer of $20 off of many items in the company's store. You want Battlefield: Bad Company 2 for $30? No problem. Want The Saboteur for $20? Done. Does taking advantage of this sale help or hurt EA's financial situation? We don't know. Just use the code "PAXEAST842" when you check out, keeping in mind that the offer's only good for one item, and only on those $40 and up. If you're the indecisive sort, you've got until the offer expires on April 9 to make up your mind. [Via GamerDeals]
DICE doesn't want to charge for Battlefield:BC2 maps; EA can't comment
A producer at DICE has apparently stated that the company doesn't want to "ever" charge for Battlefield: Bad Company 2 maps. According to CVG, DICE Senior Producer Patrick Bach told Xbox World 360 magazine, "We don't ever want to charge for our maps and insisted to EA that this attitude was crucial when it came to keeping our community happy and playing together." Joystiq contacted DICE to confirm the quote and was told by a representative, "Unless they aren't standard maps we won't charge and there aren't any in the plan that would cost." Unfortunately, Electronic Arts – publisher of Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and ultimate decision-maker in this situation – wasn't willing to go that far, telling us, "We can't comment on the future. But we'll have more details on our DLC plans shortly." And we'll share those plans with you, dear reader. Shortly. %Gallery-43916%
Bad Company VIP Map Pack 2 trailer (realistically) falls apart
EA has released a new trailer for the upcoming VIP Map Pack 2 for Battlefield: Bad Company 2. As the name of the DLC implies, this DLC is for VIP members only. Much like Mass Effect 2's Cerberus Network, VIP membership is free for those who bought the game new. Meanwhile, those with used copies on Xbox or PlayStation 3 will have to fork over $15 (1200 on Xbox) for a VIP membership. PC players (lucky dogs) are exempt from all this business and will receive the pack as an update. It's worth noting that the map pack doesn't actually include any maps. Instead, it unlocks the Conquest Mode in Arica Harbor and Rush Mode in Laguna Presa. Still, it's essentially new gameplay for free, so it's hard to complain. Unless you aren't a VIP, of course. The DLC releases tomorrow, March 30.
Just Cause 2 grapples to top of UK sales chart
In true revolutionary fashion, Just Cause 2 took the top spot on the UK all-formats sales chart last week. The sandbox title that's more fun when you ignore your objectives beat out Pokémon SoulSilver and HeartGold, which fought to the second and fourth spots, respectively. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 kept on the pressure in third, while the unstoppable Just Dance took fifth. Kratos fell down the charts, like he tumbled out of the good graces of Mt. Olympus, as God of War III went from first to seventh. Check out the complete UK top 10 sales list after the break. Source – Just Cause 2 Swoops in Ahead of Pokémon [GFK Chart-Track] Source – Latest UK Software Charts [GFK Chart-Track]
PSA: Activate Bad Company 2's M-COM stations early to avoid picking up kits
DICE informed us at PAX East that it will continue to support its hit title Battlefield: Bad Company 2 with patching -- however, one thing it won't "fix" is players accidentally picking up kits from corpses when trying to activate M-COM stations in rush mode. With millions of copies sold so far, the kit kerfuffle is a problem we've consistently heard and experienced. Little did we know that there's been a remedy to the issue all along, as Bad Company 2 producer Gordon Van Dyke told us that players can press the M-COM activation button early. He expressed that BC2 players should spread the word. It turns out that if players hold the M-COM activation button (example: the B button on Xbox 360) before the prompt displays, they'll be able to initiate (or deactivate) the station once in range. This avoids the frustration of picking up kits off the stacks of bodies that inevitably pile up next to the boxes. It's a rather simple solution to one of the most frustrating elements in the excellent multiplayer shooter.
Bad Company 2 in good company on Japanese sales chart
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 has cracked the Japanese sales chart in its first week of release -- the only Western title to appear in the top ten -- having amassed 28,353 unit in sales of the PS3 version to reach #7 in the weekly rankings. In addition to being the only Western game in the top ten, it's also the only PS3 game! The Media Create chart is heavy on new games this week. In addition to Battlefield, the third game in what used to be the Badman series debuted at #4, Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce 2 on PSP entered the chart at #5, and NIS's Absolute Hero Modding Project gave the publisher a much-needed source of income at #6. RPG Maker DS is the other new title on the chart, at #8. See the full top ten after the break.
Kratos stands atop Mt. UK, Metro 2033 has strong sales debut
God of War III quick time–evented the top spot from Final Fantasy XIII on the UK all-formats sales chart last week. Kratos' latest adventure outsold God of War II during its launch week 2.65 to 1, according to Chart-Track. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 retained the second spot for the week, while Final Fantasy XIII sales slipped 80 percent to summon third. Where's the stalwart Just Dance, you ask? Why, it's in fourth place, of course. Surprisingly, THQ's Metro 2033, another quality title from the reinvented publisher, premiered in fifth -- a strong debut week for the post-apocalyptic dark horse, which had previously been a faint blip on the Q1 2010 radar. Source – God of War 3 rules supreme [GFK Chart-Track] Source – Latest UK Software Charts [GFK Chart-Track]
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 sells 2.3 million
Not content to wait for March to end, EA went ahead and announced that "Battlefield: Bad Company 2 tops March sales charts." The somewhat hasty press release goes on to explain that with 2.3 million copies sold so far, Bad Company 2 is "on pace" to be the top selling title in March 2010. It is already, according to EA, the best-selling March release yet, which lends credence to EA's early claim of March dominance. We look forward to seeing if this claim rings true at the end of the month, after Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver have had two weeks to sell. Or maybe that's why EA issued the "we won" press release now?
Bad Company 2 'F.R.A.G.S.' video continues Modern Warfare mockery
Hey, you remember when Infinity Ward released that unbelievably offensive "Fight Against Grenade Spam" video starring Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels to promote Modern Warfare 2? Yeah, we were trying to forget it too (sorry to remind you!), but Battlefield developer DICE just released its own variation of the video (found after the break) starring New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia to explain why grenade spam isn't so much of an issue in Bad Company 2. According to CC, due to the variety of other gameplay options (destructible environments, a handful of different vehicles and "adrenaline pumping weapons"), grenade spam isn't the same problem that it is in "competing games of this particular genre." (It probably helps that each class only starts with one grenade too, huh?) Rather than being sponsored by the notorious acronym that closed out Infinity Ward's ad, this one ends with: "Friends Really Against Grenade Spam." Oh, and for those of you playing along at home, this is at least the second advertisement for Bad Company 2 that directly parodies Modern Warfare 2 promos. We're still holding out hope that all this culminates in a cage match between Robert Bowling and Patrick Söderlund.
Battlefield Heroes gets decked out in Bad Company 2 gear
When EA DICE decided to release some downloadable armaments in the original Battlefield: Bad Company, it proved to be a fairly unpopular decision. However, the recently found a way to outfox the gaming community, releasing Bad Company 2 DLC without drawing our ire. How did the studio accomplish such a feat? Easy -- it just released the DLC in a completely different game. Battlefield Heroes recently received a large push of content inspired by Bad Company, including six modern weapons and the outfits of George Haggard and Kirilenko. Best of all, if you log onto Heroes while using an account that's also linked to Bad Company 2, you'll receive the Battlefunds required to purchase the new gear. Check out the new equipment in the trailer posted after the jump. [Thanks Graeme!]
EA completes Battlefield: Bad Company 2 server maintenance
[sugree] EA assures us via Twitter that, after a rocky launch period, the Battlefield: Bad Company 2 online servers have now been stabilized. Pretty much every iteration of Bad Company 2 has seen issues arise when connecting to EA's servers for online multiplayer, with Xbox 360 kicking some users all the way out to the Dashboard and PC users experiencing authentication issues with PunkBuster. The developer now says that those issues have been addressed, due in no small part to new servers being added over the weekend. "All new hardware is in place and ready to serve your BFBC2 needs," the tweet reads, backed up by a Q&A on the Battlefield Blog with more info. While some players may still experience a stat loss issue, EA and DICE are actively looking into a fix and encourage anyone who experiences said glitch to report it online. Now, if you'll excuse us, we've got dudes to sneak up on and knife in the back. Source 1 - Twitter Source 2 - Battlefield Blog
Final Fantasy XIII tops UK sales chart, Just Dance shows stamina
In its first week at retail, Final Fantasy XIII charged up the UK sales charts like a Lightning bolt, becoming the "fastest selling" game of the year -- a record set by Bad Company 2 just last week. According to Chart-Track, the console sales split for the latest edition in Square Enix's flagship series was fairly even, with a 54 to 46 percent split on PS3 and Xbox 360, respectively. Bad Company 2's sales slipped 38 percent last week, bringing EA DICE's fantastic multiplayer title (wait, there's single player, too?) down to second place. And, in third -- there it is: Just Dance. The game is unstoppable and has the stamina of a six-year-old hyped up on Pixy Stix. Like we noted last week, Just Dance just keeps going and going. We're just waiting to see when this epic sugar rush wears off. Source – Lucky XIII for Square Enix [GFK Chart-Track] Source – Latest UK Software Charts [GFK Chart-Track]
