NY Times Battlefield Heroes Article

[Manzi]

New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/) has a new article about the upcoming Battlefield Heroes game by DICE Studios. Take a look:

Ever since John Riccitiello took over last year as chief executive of Electronic Arts, the video game industry bellwether, he has promised to revitalize the company with new games and new ways of reaching consumers. Now, that may be happening.

In a major departure from its traditional business model, E.A. plans to announce Monday that it is developing a new installment in its hit Battlefield series that will be distributed on the Internet as a free download. Rather than being sold at retail, the game is meant to generate revenue through advertising and small in-game transactions that allow players to spend a few dollars on new outfits, weapons and other virtual gear.

At a conference in Munich, the company intends to announce that the new game, Battlefield Heroes, will be released for PC this summer. More broadly, E.A. hopes the game can help point the way for Western game publishers looking to diversify beyond appealing to hard-core players with games that can cost $60 or more.

E.A.’s most recent experiment with free online games began two years ago in South Korea, the world’s most fervent gaming culture. In 2006, the company introduced a free version of its FIFA soccer game there, and Gerhard Florin, E.A.’s executive vice president for publishing in the Americas and Europe, said it has signed up more than five million Korean users and generates more than $1 million in monthly in-game sales.

Players can pay not only for decorative items like shoes and jerseys but also for boosts in their players’ speed, agility and accuracy. Mr. Florin said that while most users do not buy anything, a sizable minority ends up spending $15 to $20 a month.

http://images.totalgamingnetwork.com/images/21game.190.jpg

Read the rest of the article here (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/21/technology/21game.htm).

Thanks FPSAdmin (http://www.fpsadmin.com) for the heads up.

[The_Eliminator]

You have to buy speed agility and accuracy points? This is complete BS, next they will be charging us for guns and ammo.

[THEONEANDONLY]

^^ agree WTF we have 2 pay like WOW idiots :(

[[3MD]A|Pvt.iTrek]

Whioa i thought they said you couldnt buy your way to better skills?

[Cryptik]

WOW.... That was a big change from "You can't buy anything to gain advantage" thats extremely strange

[Webs961]

Keep this in mind: they're talking about FIFA 08 in South Korea, not BFH. Let's not make this a slippery slope just yet until we get more details.

Number two, this isn't a subscription based game, so the WoW analogy is completely off point: you need to spend nothing to play this game. From what we've seen so far, spending cash will only serve to make your player more distinct.

[Alex98uk]

It's not buying an advantage, it's simply a perk type feature that will make some tasks quicker and easier to complete ;)

[Vreki]

Alex;1838667']It's not buying an advantage, it's simply a perk type feature that will make some tasks quicker and easier to complete ;)

As long as one of those task isn't "killing the enemy".
I must admit, I am a bit cautious about just taking EAs word for this, they don't have a huge amount of credibility after the BF2142 ad mess.

[Alex98uk]

I agree EA have to really focus on balancing the game well if they want it to succeed with the general public.

But, hopefully it can be done and we will have to wait and see!

[The_Eliminator]

Im sorry but we have all been in the position where we have been screwed over by EA when they charge us for tiny booster packs or release non finished games at the full price and then release terrible patches to "fix" the game.

WHY does anyone here think that this game is going to be free in the respect that you cant buy skills. This is EA we are talking about, there is always a catch.

[Alex98uk]

Which tiny booster packs are you talking about?

[The_Eliminator]

Northern Strike being one of them, all the ridiculously overpriced sims boosters that gave the same content but with a different shade of green.

Now EA are saying Australians wont get it, im not usually one to complain about EA but i wish they would get their act together.

[Alex98uk]

Don't download them, simple as.

I here people complaining about Euro Forces and Armoured Fury being too small and not enough new content. I then have to remind them it cost £5.99, the same price as a large Big Mac meal....

[The_Eliminator]

Alex you cant not agree with me that EA do not care about the community in the slightest, i would love to wish they did but they dont. They release overpriced games that are not finished then continue to "fix" them then shove them aside until their next money making project comes along. Ok this is how businesses make their money, but for once they should listen and look after the community who buy their games. EA are not stupid and this is why i truly believe this game will be a lot more disappointing than people realize. The game is free, but imo thats about it.

I wouldnt be surprised that when the hype is raised even more on the game they give it a $5 start up fee.

[Alex98uk]

I agree focus on the community would be better, such as greater support for mods etc...

Although, as you implied yourself, businesses are about making money. That means keeping to strict deadlines and doing what's best for the shareholders.

Even if they did do what you said, people would find something to complain about. Perfection is impossible and there will always be someone whining since your both looking at the same product from different point of views.

[The_Eliminator]

I agree with everything you just said, but i cant help that feel that EA are going to pull a "got ya!" on us all.

[Quemical]

all the ridiculously overpriced sims boosters that gave the same content but with a different shade of green.



lol, that's so true. If i were to buy all the sims 2 expansions and stuff packs, it would be about $250. Those stuff packs are a ripoff, because it's just recolored crap and a few new items that the fan sites already had up for download months ago.

[Manzi]

i had the original Sims and got every expansion pack including superstar.. when they came out with "making magic" i was like ok enough of this crap for $30 each

[Quemical]

Sucked when they started coming out with the deluxe packages. 3 expansion packs for $20 when i had paid $60 for them. That sucked bad

[The_Eliminator]

Exactly my point, and you guys Trust EA that this will be "free", free to the extent of getting to the install screen is my guess.

[Cryptik]

lol yeah you get in game your soldier is running around naked holding a branch as a weapon and this pops on the screen "Just for $10 extra you can upgrade your branch to a stump"

[[3MD]A|Pvt.iTrek]

Upgrade your branch with thorns today!(5 dollar fee is required)

[The_Eliminator]

You guys are laughing but we all know EA go all put to drain as much money as possible.

I will be surprised if we start the game with 2 functioning limbs to hold weapons.

[iQu'e]

EA predicts that 95 % of all BFH players never will pay for anything, do you really think they would do stuff like that then?

EA isn't some sort of monster taking over the world even if it seems that way sometimes ;)

Keep up the work EA/DICE and make this a good bugfree game worth playing!

:salute:

[The_Eliminator]

EA isn't some sort of monster taking over the world even if it seems that way sometimes

They got another one! :cry:


:p

[BIFF EXPLODER]

lol yeah you get in game your soldier is running around naked holding a branch as a weapon and this pops on the screen "Just for $10 extra you can upgrade your branch to a stump"

dude... just... try not to give them any ideas okay? :cry: