DICE
Latest
'Battlefield 1' breakdown reveals a close attention to history
Video games play fast and loose with realism by definition, but authenticity still matters to some degree After all, it's hard to enjoy a history-focused game if there are obvious factual errors. So how does Battlefield 1 stack up, then? So far so good, if you ask the World War I history buffs at The Great War. They've conducted a shot-by-shot breakdown of the cinematic trailer and revealed that EA DICE is largely faithful to the technology of the conflict -- including in ways you wouldn't expect. That shovel-wielding German soldier you see above makes sense, for example, as the infantry learned that bayonets got stuck in victims. Early tanks behave as they should, and things like gas masks or pickaxes (for Italian soldiers scaling mountains) are true to form.
Watch the announcement of the next 'Battlefield' here (updated)
EA and DICE are ready to show the world the next Battlefield game, and today's the day. Watch the live reveal right here starting at 4PM EDT / 1PM PDT. Little is known about the setting or timeframe of the new game, though rumors abound. Get the confirmation for yourself in the livestream embedded below. Update: The new game is called Battlefield 1 and it takes place during the first World War. Read our story about the setting, release date and platforms right here. Re-watch the reveal starting at 6:10:33 in the following video.
'Mirror's Edge Catalyst' gets delayed once again
EA will release Mirror's Edge Catalyst on June 7th in North America and June 9th across Europe, a delay of two weeks. This is the second time Catalyst has been delayed; the first re-scheduling pushed the game's release back three months, from February 23rd to May 24th. In the first instance, DICE Senior Producer Sara Jansson said the team needed more time to polish the game's mechanics. This time around, Design Director Erik Odeldahl says DICE needs more time to work on Social Play features.
'Star Wars: Battlefront' gets Lando Calrissian in Bespin DLC
DICE just can't stop making wonderful downloadable content for Star Wars: Battlefront. And although we already knew the game was getting new goodies this summer, the developer has now shared more details about the Bespin DLC. Most notably, beloved character Lando Calrissian is being added into the mix along with Dengar, the ruthless bounty hunter from The Clone Wars and The Empire Strikes Back. Both arrive in June.
Here's how 'Star Wars Battlefront' does Jabba the Hutt's palace
Part of the allure of Star Wars Battlefront is seeing how it translates classic scenes from the movies to the video game world. How will it handle Jabba the Hutt's palace, for example? As of this week, you now have a good answer to that last question. EA and DICE have posted a trailer for the imminent Outer Rim expansion that gives you a solid look at Jabba's home, whether it's the vast sail barge garage or the tighter confines of the throne room. The clip also offers a peek at the volcanic world of Sullust and the two new hero/villain characters, Greedo and Nien Nunb -- Greedo's multi-shot ability looks like it could be a real ace in the hole when you're surrounded by enemies.
'Star Wars: Battlefront' is coming to PlayStation VR
If you wanted something a little bit bigger to sink your teeth into for PlayStation VR, there's Star Wars: Battlefront. It's a third-party exclusive and, well, Sony's Andrew House didn't say much more beyond that at today's GDC event aside from it being a DICE-developed project -- just like the base game. He promised we'll hear more about it in the coming months. So, E3? Here's to hoping it's more than just virtual reality viewer for the game's collectible diorama pieces.
Play as two new heroes in the next 'Battlefront' DLC
DICE has announced the next map and character DLC pack for its wildly popular Star Wars: Battlefront game. The new pack, dubbed Outer Rim, will feature two new maps including a close-range field within Jabba the Hutt's palace and garage complex as well as a second map for Sullust (which already has one in-game), a lava-laden industrial planet.
'Star Wars Battlefront' adds a retro film grain option
Are you the sort of Star Wars fan who seeks out "de-specialized" versions of the original movies, and knows that Han shot first? If so, you're going to have a field day with the latest update for Star Wars Battlefront. The release adds a film grain option that lets you dial in as much of that classic look as you like, giving the game more of the late '70s/early '80s vibe from the early flicks. That's not the only upgrade, either.
Watch the 2016 DICE Awards right here!
The invite list to what's essentially gaming's Oscars is pretty exclusive, but thanks to the magic of Twitch you won't need to call in any favors to watch the Academy of Interactive Arts and Science's annual award show from the DICE summit in Las Vegas tonight. Starting at 10:30 PM ET/ 7:30 PM PT, you can catch what some 22,000 members of the game development and publishing community thought were the best titles released last year.
Registration opens for the 'Mirror's Edge Catalyst' test run
February 23rd, the date when publisher Electronic Arts originally promised Mirror's Edge Catalyst is coming up. But rather than mope until it finally releases in May, there's a reason to turn that frown upside down: We have news to share of a multiplatform (!) closed beta in addition to a pretty good looking new trailer. Wait, a beta for a game that doesn't have traditional multiplayer? Yep. Apparently EA and developer DICE, fresh off Star Wars Battlefront, want to ensure that returning protagonist Faith's asynchronous multiplayer modes work as smoothly as possible. Best of all, the test isn't locked behind a pre-order or console purchase -- nor is it exclusive to one console.
Death Star map coming to 'Star Wars: Battlefront' this fall
Get ready, Star Wars: Battlefront buffs -- there's a ton of downloadable content coming your way. For starters, following the release of the Battle of Jakku in December, DICE will add more DLC content to its game tomorrow, January 27th. This includes the ability for player's to create private matches, support for new multiplayer modes in the Tatooine Survival map, and Battle of Hoth-themed character clothing for Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. While that's all fine and dandy, we know what you're here for: the Death Star.
'Battlefield 4' hides an incredibly elaborate Easter egg
You've probably seen some clever gaming Easter eggs in your day, but few of them are likely to be this... involved. Gamers playing Battlefield 4's new Dragon Valley map have discovered an Easter egg that requires a massive, multi-step sleuthing campaign to complete. How massive? Well, it starts with translating Belarusian Morse code and moves on to hidden objects, logic puzzles and audio editing. The kicker is that this isn't repeatable -- even if you pay close attention to the video below, you'll have to do some of the hard work yourself.
EA's new jobs hint at plans for VR gaming
EA hasn't done much of anything with virtual reality so far, but that may well change soon. DICE has started hiring creatives and engineers to bring VR support to Frostbite, EA's seemingly ubiquitous game engine. Don't expect the developer to go all-in on immersive displays just yet. This is a "small and collaborative" team, technical director Johan Andersson says. Still, the hires could represent a big step toward bringing VR gaming into the mainstream. While you can already find VR in a few important game engines, such as Unreal Engine and Unity, EA has some of the gaming world's biggest franchises under its belt -- a VR Battlefield or sports title could give the technology broader recognition.
Playdate: Crushing the Rebel scum in 'Star Wars: Battlefront'
Not too long from now, on a Twitch stream in the very near future, Sean Buckley and myself will be blasting Rebel scum in Star Wars: Battlefront. The sci-fi shooter's the topic du jour on the latest edition of Playdate and you can tune in starting at 6 PM ET/ 3 PM Pacific to catch two hours of the hot Empire on Rebel action across Sullust, Hoth, and who even knows where else? And since we streamed the game's beta on PlayStation 4 we're giving the full version a go on PC today. As always, you can tune in here on this post, the Engadget Gaming homepage or Twitch.tv/Joystiq if you'd like to join us in chat -- it's your destiny.
'Mirror's Edge Catalyst' release date pushed back to May 2016
Mirror's Edge Catalyst, the long-awaited sequel to 2008's free-running spectacle Mirror's Edge, has been delayed from February 23rd to May 24th, 2016. The developer, DICE, will use the extra months to polish the game's mechanics and make it "as entertaining, impressive and memorable as it can be," Senior Producer Sara Jansson writes. The publisher, EA, will probably put the extra time to good use as well -- Catalyst's original February date was getting crowded, with Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Far Cry Primal also launching then. Packed release dates aren't new: Last year, it looked like five major games would launch on the same day, October 7th, and of course a few of them ended up changing dates.
'Star Wars Battlefront' multiplayer test starts in early October
You won't have to wait until November to find out whether Star Wars Battlefront's large-scale online conflicts are all they're cracked up to be. EA and DICE have announced that Battlefront's multiplayer beta will launch in early October for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PCs. This test run will include an epic 40-player Hoth battle, a two-versus-many fight on Tatooine and an as-yet-unexplained Drop Zone mode. At the same time, you should get a Companion Experience mobile app that includes both a card game as well as helper tools for Battlefront itself. It sounds like exciting stuff, although here's hoping that EA has learned its lessons from past betas -- you don't want to have your childhood dreams crushed by server connection problems.
'Mirror's Edge Catalyst' is make or break for Faith
Even now, after seven years, Mirror's Edge is a unique and exhilarating parkour thriller. It's littered with flaws -- a paper-thin story, some frustrating level design and unnecessary gunplay -- but the clean, dystopian world and fluid motion still impress. The game didn't sell particularly well, so it was a surprise when EA first announced that it was giving developer DICE another roll at the franchise. Mirror's Edge Catalyst is a complete reboot for Faith, but it could also be the team's last chance to prove the series has a future. If the game can't find a larger audience this time around, it's unlikely that EA will green-light another.
'Star Wars Battlefront': a fine line between authenticity and fun
The Star Wars Battlefront franchise has a simple goal: to put players in the middle of huge, sprawling battles ripped straight from the films and wider fiction. Whether that's battling the AT-AT walkers on Hoth or an X-Wing squadron above Sullust, you're made to feel small -- just one of many soldiers fighting for the Rebel Alliance or Galactic Empire.
'Mirror's Edge Catalyst' hits consoles and PC on February 23rd, 2016
Do you recall that Mirror's Edge reboot we reported on at last year's E3, and the E3 before that? Yeah, EA is finally providing a close look at the long-in-the-making parkour title Mirror's Edge Catalyst, which is slated to arrive February 23rd, 2016, on the PS4, Xbox One and PC. As hinted early on, you're witnessing Faith's origins as she becomes an underground hero in the corporate-dominated City of Glass. This is an open-world story with no arbitrary levels and loading times -- your main goal is simply to navigate the urban landscape and fight the oppressive regime of business mastermind Gabriel Kruger. There are a few new activities, too, such as A-to-B races and the as-yet-undescribed "Dash" mode. The new Mirror's Edge will be playable on the show floor, and you can be sure that we'll give it a spin. Joseph Volpe contributed to this report. Check here for everything happening at E3 2015!
The 'Mirror's Edge' sequel is due to launch in early 2016
The sequel to the beloved 2008 parkour game Mirror's Edge is scheduled to release in early 2016 for consoles and PC, EA's quarterly financial presentation reveals (PDF). EA announced a new Mirror's Edge during E3 2014, but didn't provide any information about the release window, platforms or gameplay details, so this is the best we have so far. EA's financial presentation suggests the game will launch on consoles and PC within the same window, from January 1st to March 31st next year. Keep the Faith, folks.
