Battlefield Heroes

The_Doctor · 22-01-2008, 07:10 PM

EA revamps Battlefield with free, ad-supported online title
PC gaming is a business where it is becoming increasingly hard to make a dollar. The rise of consoles, the threat of piracy, and the ever-increasing cost of development all lead to an environment that doesn't welcome innovation or, for that matter, profit. EA is beginning a new approach with the upcoming Battlefield Heroes, a cartoonish and lighthearted take on its popular Battlefield series of war games. The catch? The game will be released for free and will support itself through in-game advertising and microtransactions.

"[Ads] wouldn't work inside the fictional world. Instead, adverts will appear on the website and the 'front-end' of the game," Ben Cousins, the senior producer at DICE, told BBC News.

The for-pay items will also only make cosmetic changes to your character; nothing you buy in the game will give you an advantage in actual game play. For example, you may pay a dollar for a new rakish hat, but you won't be able to pay for a gun that shoots faster or does more damage. Keeping the advertisements outside of the play experience and making sure the play itself isn't a matter of who has spent the most look like solid decisions.

This isn't a new idea, although ad-based gaming and for-pay updates has mainly been used as a business strategy in Korea and Asia. EA has already launched a web-based, free version of its popular FIFA series in South Korea, and the game reportedly pulls in $1 million in monthly sales from its five million users. EA has also long supported the idea of in-game ads, using the Microsoft-owned Massive to place dynamic advertisements in some of its titles. Research is also showing that placing ads in gaming actually does help brand recognition, although the study was performed when the ads were placed into play, something Battlefield Heroes won't be doing.

DICE knows how to create a compelling online experience; the Battlefield series has consistently provided some of the better online shooters on the market. This approach and early character art almost seem to be a reaction to Team Fortress 2, the hyper-popular and frenetic team-based online shooter included in the Orange Box. The new title strays far from the original feel of Battlefield, however, so how well DICE will be able to create a more casual-gamer-friendly approach is an open question. Expanding the market with games that can run well on older systems may prove to be a popular choice, especially as the more technically demanding games are having some sales issues on the PC as of late.

Taking a known quantity with a strong brand, shortening play time into smaller chunks with a more newbie-friendly game, and then giving away the title is certainly a bold move. If EA succeeds, the company may move more titles into this business model; EA certainly isn't hurting for properties. If the game is subpar, however, it may harm one of EA's more lucrative properties. This is a high-risk, high-reward strategy that many other players in the gaming industry will certainly be watching.

The Star Hermit · 22-01-2008, 07:17 PM

I'll move this to the Battlefield Heroes forum for you Steve.

Sfx2008Kosak · 27-01-2008, 05:52 PM

This game looks awful.
Why don't you spend your time doing something useful and make..#

BATTLEFIELD 3

ALREADY!

22-01-2008, 07:10 PM	#1 (permalink)
The_Doctor Forum Junkie Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Doncaster,UK Gender: Male Posts: 4,685 Blog Entries: 3	Battlefield Heroes EA revamps Battlefield with free, ad-supported online title PC gaming is a business where it is becoming increasingly hard to make a dollar. The rise of consoles, the threat of piracy, and the ever-increasing cost of development all lead to an environment that doesn't welcome innovation or, for that matter, profit. EA is beginning a new approach with the upcoming Battlefield Heroes, a cartoonish and lighthearted take on its popular Battlefield series of war games. The catch? The game will be released for free and will support itself through in-game advertising and microtransactions. "[Ads] wouldn't work inside the fictional world. Instead, adverts will appear on the website and the 'front-end' of the game," Ben Cousins, the senior producer at DICE, told BBC News. The for-pay items will also only make cosmetic changes to your character; nothing you buy in the game will give you an advantage in actual game play. For example, you may pay a dollar for a new rakish hat, but you won't be able to pay for a gun that shoots faster or does more damage. Keeping the advertisements outside of the play experience and making sure the play itself isn't a matter of who has spent the most look like solid decisions. This isn't a new idea, although ad-based gaming and for-pay updates has mainly been used as a business strategy in Korea and Asia. EA has already launched a web-based, free version of its popular FIFA series in South Korea, and the game reportedly pulls in $1 million in monthly sales from its five million users. EA has also long supported the idea of in-game ads, using the Microsoft-owned Massive to place dynamic advertisements in some of its titles. Research is also showing that placing ads in gaming actually does help brand recognition, although the study was performed when the ads were placed into play, something Battlefield Heroes won't be doing. DICE knows how to create a compelling online experience; the Battlefield series has consistently provided some of the better online shooters on the market. This approach and early character art almost seem to be a reaction to Team Fortress 2, the hyper-popular and frenetic team-based online shooter included in the Orange Box. The new title strays far from the original feel of Battlefield, however, so how well DICE will be able to create a more casual-gamer-friendly approach is an open question. Expanding the market with games that can run well on older systems may prove to be a popular choice, especially as the more technically demanding games are having some sales issues on the PC as of late. Taking a known quantity with a strong brand, shortening play time into smaller chunks with a more newbie-friendly game, and then giving away the title is certainly a bold move. If EA succeeds, the company may move more titles into this business model; EA certainly isn't hurting for properties. If the game is subpar, however, it may harm one of EA's more lucrative properties. This is a high-risk, high-reward strategy that many other players in the gaming industry will certainly be watching. __________________ GhostStorm is now colour blind friendly!!

22-01-2008, 07:17 PM	#2 (permalink)
The Star Hermit Super Moderator Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Sol 3 - Sector 001 Age: 39 Posts: 24,307	I'll move this to the Battlefield Heroes forum for you Steve. __________________ The Star Hermit Forum Moderator The Sims Series \| The Sims 2 Frequently Asked Questions

27-01-2008, 05:52 PM	#3 (permalink)
Sfx2008Kosak Rookie Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 3	This game looks awful. Why don't you spend your time doing something useful and make..# BATTLEFIELD 3 ALREADY!