http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004136203_btbriefs21.html

In a major departure from its business model, Electronic Arts today is announcing work on a new installment in its hit "Battlefield" series that will be distributed on the Internet as a free download.

Oh great, so whoever throws the most money at their game will shoot further, reload faster, run faster and longer and have the best weapons.

We used to have this sort of thing with Lineage2 on certain servers that allowed donations, and it created a small group of players who virtually couldnt be beaten and ruined the game for the rest of the players.

L2 i played on a privite server for free for awhile

Pretty sure this is the one with the SP focus rather than MP..

next thing you know will have to pay each month to play online.

Relevant GSA News Post

ow ya thats gonna suk. i think i had a spot of these little free online games from Acclaim b4 errr. gunbound and bots i think they were. the only way 2 beat the other people that r coated in armor and big fancy crap is either play 4 far 2 long 2 get money r use real money and cough up 4 something that technicaly doesnt exist. im stayn clear of that 1 if wasting time or money is the only way 2 be any good.

I used to play maple story which is a free-of-charge, 2D, side-scrolling Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game it has a similar system to what is outlined here. You can buy virtually anything under the sun for your character using paypal or game cards if your in America. However virtually all of the equipment is ascetic you can buy all sorts of weapons from crazy looking chinese swords to fry pans. However all they do is mask your real weapon theres no stat change what so ever. The only game alter things you can buy are pets which pick up items for you and with some extra gear for them they will even heal you or your magic. Also they have a 'cards' which give you a set period during the day in which you can receive double exp.

 

You can flow hundreds of dollars into the game all the while only making it slightly easier or more pleasing to the eye. In that regards it works well especially given how there is NO PVP or any kind within the game so theres no real abuse of the system. If they new Battle Field was like this then it would certainly get my vote however if you can buy more powerful weapons or stat increase then they can shove it up there arse.

YUCK! no wounder its free, thats just crap.

 

looks like the BF series is coming to a sadder ending

If its free, who cares. I'll give it a go of course, and we'll see how it goes...

good god. cant EA spend money on something better than that crap.

all they ever want is more money. how about some quality games?

Just make it more of a challenge

good god. cant EA spend money on something better than that crap.

all they ever want is more money. how about some quality games?

 

convince the millions that lap EA's crap up to not buy Battlefield 3 and quality might happen.

convince the millions that lap EA's crap up to not buy Battlefield 3 and quality might happen.

 

But then wouldn't they just let the BF franchise die? I'm not particularly confident that EA will go "Oh, they don't take this tripe anymore, let's actually release quality games"... Moreso like

 

"Quick, get the marketers/R&D to check out the next fad and start churning out 6-7 [near] identical titles in the next 2 years".

whats the bet when u download it u get a pistol and a few nade and the every thing after that starts with the $ sign, people will probobly spend more on it than the $60+ that they spent on BF2, im not gonna download it unless someone can convince me

 

Im sensing the new begining of WOW rip offs

Edited January 22, 200817 yr by plaz

What, CS style "kit buying" but with real money... That'd be a laugh. Probably would happen though considering EA and all that.

 

Still, until I get more info/start seeing trailers/play the game, I have no idea what it will be like. Who knows, it might actually be fun :shok:

What, CS style "kit buying" but with real money... That'd be a laugh. Probably would happen though considering EA and all that.

 

Still, until I get more info/start seeing trailers/play the game, I have no idea what it will be like. Who knows, it might actually be fun :shok:

 

 

best that i deleated this as jim disliked it

Edited January 25, 200817 yr by plaz

A cartoon style??? please!

I can't believe your even talking about it.

Shotgun, that discussion on the incident on the PRM forums was not an invitation for you to start the same sort of tomfoolery. Please kindly refrain.

Guys,

 

Has anyone got any actual information that this is the model (paying $ to upgrade kit) EA is looking to adopt? It seems much more likely that they would adopt a pay-to-play model. Hell, if I was advising them on how to extract value from the software this is the model I would recommend.

 

Think about it, EA makes perhaps $15 or $20 from each copy of BF2 sold. They make this from each person who buys it irrespective of how much they play. For us PR players we basically use their engine for free now. Sure, they made money up front but there is no revenue model.

 

All the big software players are moving to a revenue model - in business revenue and cash flow residuals are much more important than initial sales so why wouldn't EA take the same path?

 

I bet the game will be a free download and you can play a limited number of kits in one map. To unlock the kits and play all the maps you will need to subscribe to a service for something like $10 a month. That's the model *I* would adopt in their shoes...

U SICK SICK :hi:

 

im gonna :artist: u a picture on what will happen

 

Ea had an :bulb:

 

lets rip people of by making them pay 4 guns and armor

 

zomg lets just take the BF1942 we no and then change it just enough so that noone will notcie

 

DONT :plane:the line

 

oh gawd, my eyes.

 

When people first bought BF2, did they actually think it was a quality game worth the $90 or so it was when it first came out?

 

I honestly think the average gamer wouldn't think something like BF2 or CS is that great if they had gotten into a more in depth game and honestly much better (IMO smaller more unnoticed companies try harder ) games like the original rainbow six.

Ea failed big time last year and posted massive losses, the nintendo Wii kicked there arses and so they are going to market in the same fashion creating games that are more interactive and appeal to both sides of the market ie: the average gamer suffers and the gimmiky gamer reaps the rewards..

They do not have a new engine and BF3 will be a rehash of their current model, the ingame advertising wont affect us thanks to australian law (touch wood) but yes a pay as you go system will provide a continous income for providing jack all..

They hope to cash in on the ingame advertising more so I would suggest but I would be suprised if they didn't attempt the pay to play subscriber method. Even charging servers lease for server side content?

We need a New engine for PR

it'll come mate - it'll take time - but it'll come

That's a great way to market a game. You've got to pay money for the normal one anyways. I'm sure if you paid the same amount for unlocks as for a retail purchase you'd get a decent experience from it. Well, maybe if it turned out to be a decent game.