The free-to-play Battlefield Heroes model is a new one in this hemisphere, at least with a major franchise like Battlefield. Companies have blamed piracy more and more for the reasons for more heavily enforcing DRM and shifting to console development. And it impacted the way Battlefield Heroes‘ model came about, but not in the way you’d think.
You might remember this trailer I posted about in late February that made a quip about downloading the game on BitTorrent. Speaking with DICE executive producer Ben Cousins, GI.biz asked about the joke and if piracy had any effect on Heroes.
If you look at Korea - and really the idea for Battlefield Heroes came from a business trip to South Korea that a couple of guys had a few years ago - Korea and China are markets which are basically killed by piracy on the console side and on the PC side.
As a result this free-to-play model kind of came because people were used to not paying for their games because they were pirating them.
The companies started offering them for free and started monetizing it with micro-transactions. I don’t know whether DICE has been driven by piracy in our games - it’s certainly a problem but we do quite well anyway. It was more the case that the business model itself originally came from piracy back in the old days.
In that movie [the Battlefield Heroes trailer]…I think it’s important - I wrote the script for that movie - that we address the fact the piracy exists and there’s no point in hiding under the carpet or just sweeping it under the carpet.
Piracy is out there and the industry needs to find ways of dealing with it, and one of the ways is free-to-play games.
I’m so excited to get my hands on Heroes. Everything about it fascinates me, from the business model to the gameplay. And you can’t go wrong with something that’s free.
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I don’t know how I missed this, but it’s probably for the best since I wouldn’t have been able to finish GTA IV otherwise. MTV Multiplayer’s Patrick Klepek posted a story a few weeks ago about how he was having trouble getting work done after coming across a web game called TypeRacer.
Your goal is simple: to type the quote on screen as quickly as possible while competing against other players doing the same. You see little cars racing across the screen as you progress through the quote. Afterwards, you can see how many words per minute you typed and immediately hop into another game — and these are always real people you’re competing against.
Is it just me (and Patrick), or is this ridiculously fun for some strange reason?
Remember that Flash version of Portal that came out shortly after the actual game? Now it looks like the developer behind that, We Create Stuff, has ported the levels from the Flash game into the actual game. That means there are now 40 new maps you can work your way through in Portal,which is probably the closest thing we’ll get to an expansion pack for awhile. Plus, the developers are saying these maps will add up to 3.5 hours of extra gameplay, which is about the time it took most people to beat Portal the first time. To download the new maps, just click the link below, and then be sure to check out the details of the file for instructions on how to get them working.
Looking to play an innovative game that blends MMO elements with RTS gameplay? Well, Filefront’s got you covered. We’ve teamed up with the 1UP network and publisher Silverlode to bring you 50,000 copies of the critically acclaimed “MMORTS,” Saga. The game will have players amassing huge armies to fulfill their goals in a world created by the lead programmer for Starcraft: Brood War, Dallan Christensen. You’ll be able to build up an army of human, orcs, elves, dragons, giant mechs, and much more by acquiring booster packs of units. Units and resources can be bought and traded much like items in a traditional MMORPG, and the game’s persistent world will continue to evolve and expand even while you’re offline. Plus, as icing on the “awesome cake,” Saga is completely free to play.
Want your free copy of Saga? Well, then just click on the link below to download the game client. The client will come with a serial key, which you’ll need to use to create an account at the official Saga website. Be sure to check out the file’s description for instructions on creating your own account. You’ll have between now and May 11th to secure your copy of the game, unless we run out before then. We’re seriously giving away $1 million dollars worth of stuff here, people, so be sure not to miss out.
[Update: Some people seem to be having trouble locating their serial key. After following the link below and clicking “Download Now,” the red text near the top of the page will change to display your own personal key so you can register your free copy. Happy gaming!]
Audiosurf has today received a huge update that adds all sorts of functionality – last.fm audiscrobbling (which I’m particularly happy about), the ability to use Audiosurf as a music visualizer, scoreboard comments, and more. It’s pretty amazing to consider that all of this was added to the game by a single guy – Dylan Fitterer, who was the solo developer of the game.
In addition to all of that, a mod interface has been added. There was a beta version available previously, so there are already a number of mods available, including Shuffle Play, an MSN messenger status writer, and an addition to your right-click menu so you can launch a song in Audiosurf from Windows Explorer.
This all adds up to a much better game, and when you consider it’s only $10 to begin with, it’s definitely one of if not the best deals on Steam.
The Team Fortress 2-styled, free-to-play Battlefield game, Battlefield Heroes, is set to begin beta testing on May 6, according to Eurogamer. Registration will be conducted on the game’s official website, so keep an eye out for updates on that.
In case you missed any of our previous coverage, Battlefield Heroes is entirely free to play and will run primarily off of advertisements – although there will be no ads in the game itself. With a cartoony look and streamlined gameplay and low system requirements, EA is hoping to reach a broader audience with what is clearly a radical change for Battlefield on a number of levels. This isn’t, however, Battlefield 3, so diehard fans don’t need to worry – that’s still coming, even if EA isn’t talking about it right now.
As much as I like blowing up environments, I’m looking forward to Heroes much more than I am Bad Company. Luckily for me, I’ll be able to roll from the Bad Company beta right into Heroes, although I’m not exactly sure what will fill the gap between now and Heroes’ release in Q3 2008.
Those of you who have been enjoying (or not enjoying, in my case) the Bad Company beta who are also longtime fans of the core Battlefield franchise will know that the game is sorely lacking in the game modes department. In particular, the lack of the classic Conquest mode is a real bummer; Gold Rush is a fun mode, especially with the destructible environments, but some of us yearn for that classic Battlefield gameplay.
Luckily, DICE will be addressing this concern through some free downloadable content (free DLC from EA – shocking, I know) that will be available as soon as the game is released. And as Eurogamer points out, it’s being added because gamers wanted it.
You’ve gotta love that they were willing to implement the mode in response to community feedback. And the fact that it’s free makes it that much sweeter; it’s nice to see what amounts to a fairly significant gameplay feature being added through DLC for free in an EA published game.
Now, if they’ll just stop selling cheat codes, we’d really be in business.
Next Friday, PlayStation.Blog will be giving away free Eye of Judgment cards – the (supposedly) hard to find Set 2 Promo cards, no less. Provided you live in North America, all you’ll have to do is visit the blog next Friday afternoon, and they’ll post a link for where you can sign up to receive a few freebies. You’ll have to be one of the first few hundred people to register, though, so be prepared to mash your refresh button if you’re interested.
In the meantime, enjoy those Set 2 cards that were recently released.
The full game of Spore is still about four and a half months away (it’s currently slated for September 7), but you’ll be getting your hands on part of it sooner than that. A free version of the Spore Creature Creator will be available for download from Spore.com in June or in the recently announced The SimCity Box.
In addition to the free version, which Maxis’ Patrick Buechner says will include “about 25-percent of the creature making parts from Spore), there will be a retail version that will include the entire Creature Creator you’ll find in Spore when it ships in September. Both versions will be available around the same time. Buechner didn’t specify what would left out of the free version, but the full version will include the ability to create creatures and then have it walk around and do certain animations, as well as take screenshots and videos.
These creatures wil be shareable and will be compatible with Spore when it ships, so there won’t be any need to remake your creations.
The lingering question is what the price of the retail version will be. You’re essentially purchasing access to a portion of a game you’ll be paying full price for in September, so you’ll have to figure out if creating your creatures three months in advance will really be worth the entrance fee.
PC gamers can breathe a sigh of relief now. You may not be getting BioWare’s RPG, Mass Effect, until later next month; but when you do, you’ll also be getting some bonus DLC free of charge. BioWare has announced that the “Bring Down the Sky” add on for the game will be released for free at the same time as the full game. As with the Xbox 360 version, the extra content will introduce a side mission involving the Batarians, an alien race set on destroying a colony of civilians. My guess is that this is part of the reason the PC version was delayed, so that’s a small price to pay for some extra free stuff.
This week’s GameTap Thursday will add three new games for subscribers: Alien Shooter Vengeance, Dark Matter, Dracula Twins. (All together now: who, what, and huh?) Only subscribers will be able to access those games, as well as last week’s major addition, the Sam & Max Season Two Finale.
In the world of freebies, one new game is being added to GameTap’s free play service. X2 The Threat will now be free for all to play, so long as it remains on the free play list, which still includes Tomb Raider Legend and the ever-excellent Psychonauts.
You’ll also be able to find coverage of Nintendo’s Media Summit on GameTap TV, and a new Castlevania Retrospective will be added to the Games channel.
All in all, not really a substantial update in terms of games, but that’s excusable with new Sam & Max content so fresh in our minds.
In case you didn’t happen to notice yesterday, new firmware is now available for the PlayStation 3 which allows you to access the brand-spanking new PlayStation Store. I can say from firsthand experience that the new Store is much, much nicer than the previous iteration. (Although it would’ve been difficult to take a step backward from that mess.) There are broken images here and there, and the mainpage is simply taunting you as it says Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is coming soon, but overall I think you’ll all agree that it’s a much better shopping experience.
For whatever reason, Sony decided to release two juicy pieces of DLC out of the bag yesterday instead of waiting for the usual Thursday update. First is the free Lair “Dragons and Control” pack, which includes the much-needed analog stick control update, rumble support, and two new dragons. The other piece of DLC is an add-on to Super Stardust HD. It costs $4.99, but take my word on this one: it is absolutely positively worth it. Stardust was a really good game already, but with this new add-on content I have no problem saying that it’s significantly better than Geometry Wars. I never thought I’d say that about anything other than Geometry Wars 2. The add-on will give you several new game modes and a retro soundtrack that you should definitely check out.
Check back tomorrow for what should be a monster update for content on the PlayStation Store.
The latest free TrackMania Nations game, TrackMania Nations Forever, has been released today and can now be downloaded right here on FileFront.
65 new maps await you, as well as a new solo mode and some enhanced community features. Florent Castelnerac, the director of the game’s developer, explained, “The PC is the premier gaming platform when it comes to the number of casual and expert players. To satisfy this wide range of players, we designed the game for everyone instead of trying to focus on the average gamer. We have put a lot of effort in developing the competitive spirit and challenge between players in order to present a game adapted to big e-sports competitions while remaining captivating and accessible to players who have less gaming experience. Even if you play Nations Forever quietly alone, you can still be ranked in the world, your country, your city or even in your list of friends that you can create by inviting friends to join like in Facebook or MySpace. It is up to each player to set his/her goals - become one of the best players in the world or just impress friends.”
An interesting feature is the ability to play with people who have purchased TrackMania United, provided the server is set to the Stadium level, which is featured in both games. Those who own United will also find new tracks, new design blocks, and a graphics update to the Desert, Snow and Rally levels.
From the brief time I spent with the game just now, Forever lives up to the reputation set by previous TrackMania games. It did seem to be significantly harder than the first Nations; it seemed like the cars were heavier, which one of the people I played online with happened to notice. The benefit of this, though, is that you’ll find it much more rewarding when you make it through the entire level. Tiger Woods fist pumps will no doubt ensue.
Hit the badge below to start downloading the 504MB file.
STOP! Have you already paid for the Halo 3 Legendary Map Pack? If not, you might be interested to know that Circuit City is currently running a promotion that could net you the pack for free. Right now, if you pre-order Ninja Gaiden II through them, they’ll e-mail you a code to download the map pack at no charge. Granted, it’ll take up to a week for them to get the code to you, but, hey, free is free. So you pretty much guarantee yourself a copy of a game that already looks great, and you get some new maps for Halo 3. Or I guess you could just wait three months for the maps to become free. You can click the link below if you want to put in your pre-order.
I remember being turned onto TrackMania Nations by the 1UP Show a while back, and I’ve been having fun with it ever since. Despite being a free game, it’s offered more hours of enjoyment than I get out of the average game I pay $60 for, and I think the millions of other players would agree. That’s why I’m happy to bring word that the sequel, TrackMania Nations Forever, will be released on April 16. And it’ll be free.
The trailer above might seem over the top, what with the driving along walls, soaring through the air and such, but anyone who has played TrackMania can tell you that’s really what the game is like. It’s truly exhilarating to race through any of the game’s many levels, which are so perfectly designed that even when you’re failing, you’ve got a smile on your face.
The upcoming free-to-play Battlefield game will be launching with only two maps when the beta launches later this year, but DICE has every intention of supplying plenty more – and they’ll be free.
Speaking with Gamasutra, Battlefield Heroes senior producer Ben Cousins talked about a lot of decisions made with the game, including the decision to launch with only two maps – when series vets are used to seeing upwards of a dozen.
So, it’s interesting — what I was thinking about is, you talked during your presentation about shipping with two maps, and that implies to me that you’re planning to upgrade later — I mean, obviously, the game is not going to persist on two maps.
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, what we did is, we come to this from two angles. The first one is that in every Battlefield game, we bust our asses making 50 maps, and then within six months of the game being released, everyone’s playing two maps. The two best maps. So, we just decided to make just the two best maps, and not the other kind of maps.
I understand the rationale, even if I don’t care for the way he made his explanation. 50 maps is quite an exaggeration when talking about Battlefield, and saying they’ll build the two best maps assumes they know exactly which maps the community will best respond to.
And being the cynical bunch of gamers most people are, many people assumed that EA would simply charge for any and all future maps. However, Evil Avatar posted an update from Ben Cousins addressing that claim with an assurance that it simply isn’t the case.
…we have two maps to play at the open beta launch of the game later this year, and we already have another map quite far along in development which will be included in an update soon after launch.
We have no plans to charge people for maps. We want to keep the community of paying and free players together.
Just to re-iterate the business model here. We assume that 95% of Battlefield Heroes players never spend a penny on items. We will be delighted if 95% of players never spend any money on items. This is a free game, supported by advertising, with a small number of paying customers.
I’m glad to hear they’re planning on delivering free maps, as I’m very optimistic about the game’s potential. Let’s just hope Cousins is right and they make the two best maps right off the bat.
Make a note here: “huge success!” Okay, I swear that’s my last Portal reference in this post. Harmonix has revealed an April Fools Day special that is thankfully not a joke. Tomorrow, Rock Band owners will be able to download the now-infamous song from Portal by Jonathan Coulton, “Still Alive.” To top it off, the track will be available absolutely free of charge. Xbox 360 owners will be able to snag it tomorrow, but PS3 owners will have to wait a couple weeks while Sony makes some changes to the Playstation Store. Check out the video above to see the track being performed by Jonathan Coulton himself. Then decide for yourself if the cake is a lie (okay, I swear to God, that was my last Portal reference).
As Jonathan reported earlier, the new (free!) map pack for Unreal Tournament 3 is now available for download from the PlayStation Store. You’ll get Facing Worlds and two other maps I couldn’t care less about because Facing Worlds is the greatest thing ever, courtesy of Epic Games and Midway. That sure is awfully nice of them, and it makes me wonder if we’ll get to see a similar pack for free on Xbox 360 once the game gets moved over to Microsoft’s box.
Turok also is getting the downloadable content treatment today, although it’s not free. $4.99 will net you five new maps (although that statement might not hold true if you don’t view changes in time of day as constituting a “new” map).
$8.99 is the asking price of the new flOw bundle, which simply includes the full game and its expansion pack. Nothing new about the actually content, but if you want to take the plunge with flOw, this is the way to do it.
For the next two weeks (until April 15) you’ll find Warhawk on sale for just $29.99, $10 cheaper than it normally costs. You can use that saved money to buy some of the downloadable content that’s been released for the game since last August, or maybe you can just change paces and pick up that flOw bundle.
Videos, themes, Rock Band tracks, and an update to High Stakes: Poker Edition are also new on the Store. Hit the break for the full list of content. Read the full article
More from the world of free to play MMOs today; FileFront is now home to the Magic World Online client. One of the game’s most interesting features is video chat, which will allow you to talk to your in-game friends while showing them your mug with the help of a webcam. Maybe it’s not the most kid-friendly feature to ever be included in a game, but it’s nevertheless an interesting concept. I wonder if it won’t be a distraction from the game more than a useful tool, though.
The download is a pretty hefty one at 2.28 GB, so get downloading now and then check out the official website for details on video chat, your very own moving castle (how sweet does that sound?), and everything else there is to know about the game.
This week’s PlayStation Store update is headlined by two new demos of Sega games: Condemned 2: Bloodshot and Sega Superstars Tennis. Xbox 360 owners have had access to the Condemned demo for nearly a week now, but Stephany thinks highly enough of the game that it’s something you have to download. The Sega Superstars Tennis demo allows you to try out match mode or mini-game mode with up to two players as you get to play as characters like Sonic, Shadow, AiAi, and Amigo.
This week’s Earache Trash Pack addition to the Rock Band DLC library has also been added. You can find all the details here. Other in-game DLC you’ll find includes a new free course – the Turnberry Golf Resort – for Tiger Woods 08 as well as a premium course – the Doral Golf Resort Blue Monster Course – which costs $4.99. And, if you’re feeling like a sucker, you can pay EA $2.49 to max out your golfer’s skills. Y’know, to do the same thing cheat codes used to do back in the day. For free.
There’s also a helping of new videos and trailers. You can find all the details after the break.
Looking to play an innovative game that blends MMO elements with RTS gameplay? Well, Filefront’s got you covered. We’ve teamed up with the 1UP network and publisher Silverlode to bring you 50,000 copies of the critically acclaimed “MMORTS,” 
STOP! Have you already paid for the Halo 3 Legendary Map Pack? If not, you might be interested to know that Circuit City is currently running a promotion that could net you the pack for free. Right now, if you pre-order Ninja Gaiden II through them, they’ll e-mail you a code to download the map pack at no charge. Granted, it’ll take up to a week for them to get the code to you, but, hey, free is free. So you pretty much guarantee yourself a copy of a game that already looks great, and you get some new maps for Halo 3. Or I guess you could just wait three months for the maps to become free. You can click the link below if you want to put in your pre-order.
