BFBC2 VIP Map Pack 2 detailed, releasing March 30th

EA and DICE have today revealed details of their second VIP Map Pack for Battlefield: Bad Company 2, set to release across all platforms at no extra cost to those that have VIP codes entered within the game.

The VIP Map Pack 2 will include the following;

• Arica Harbor Conquest mode – US Command launches a break through action directly at the Russian base. Collateral damage is of no consequence. Capture and secure tactical positions in Conquest Mode across the vast Arica Harbor map.
• Laguna Presa Rush mode – The valley and surrounding mountains possess a strategic value in the battle for South America, and an infantry assault supported by light armor vehicles is likely by both armies as US forces defend the nearby Dam.

The aim of releasing such content for free, whilst contradicting the industry standard and what direct competitors are doing (read: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2), is to ensure that the community doesn’t become segmented – ensuring that everyone has the same maps and can still play together.

It has been confirmed that there will be paid downloadable content in the future but they will involve expanding other parts of the game experience rather than the selection of maps available for the basic game modes.

Finally, they even had a further pop at their competitors by stating “ We’re dedicated to taking care of this product for a long time – helping you avoid mapathy without getting nickel-and-dimed.”

BFBC2 Xbox 360 Server maintentance “taking longer than expected”

It would seem that EA are continually trying to battle demand on the Xbox 360 servers for Battlefield Bad Company 2, having revealed last night that the load was 400% higher than expected with servers for all consoles encountering issues. Whilst it seems that they are all currently being monitored, the Xbox 360 servers are those suffering to meet the quanitity of players seeking to get online.

In a tweet from the OfficialBFBC2 account, they explain “EA server maintenance which is affecting the Xbox 360 BFBC2 is taking longer than expected. We’ll have the servers back as soon as possible.”

For those looking to get online, it would seem that you’ll have to be patient for a little while longer. Why not delve into the single player portion for a little while… you know you want to!

The Charts: Bad Company 2 take the front line

No surprises at this weeks number 1 in the all format charts as those heroes of Bad Company take top spot in Electronic Arts Battlefield sequel. However gamers have experienced some difficulty in playing the multi-player aspect of the game with servers seeing 400% more demand than expected. The ever popular Just Dance from Ubisoft regains the number 2 spot and sadly the rain is that heavy that the groundbreaking Sony title Heavy Rain falls to number 4.

There’s a bit of sneaking going on down the lower end of the table too as the ever popular Assassin’s Creed 2 returns to the chart in 14th place, whilst two driving games are this weeks non movers with Forza 3 and Mario Kart Wii firmly with the brakes on.

Position	Title	Publisher	LW
1	Battlefield Bad Company 2	Electronic Arts
2	Just Dance	Ubisoft	3
3	Aliens vs Predator	SEGA	2
4	Heavy Rain	SCE	1
5	Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing	Sega	8
6	Wii Fit Plus	Nintendo	4
7	Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2	Activision	5
8	Wii Sports Resort	Nintendo	6
9	FIFA 10	Electronic Arts	10
10	New Super Mario Bros Wii	Nintendo	7
11	Bioshock 2	2K Games	9
12	Mario and Sonic at Olympic Winter Games	Sega	11
13	Forza Motorsport 3	Microsoft	13
14	Assassin's Creed II	Ubisoft	31
15	James Camerons AVATAR: The Game	Ubisoft	16
16	Grand Theft Auto IV	Rockstar Games	18
17	Mario Kart Wii	Nintendo	17
18	Lego Batman: The Videogame	Warner Bros	14
19	Uncharted 2: Among Thieves	SCE	23
20	Napoleon Total War	Sega	12

Leisure software charts compiled by GfK Chart Track, (C)2010 ELSPA (UK) Ltd

EA release BFBC2 Server Status, 400% higher demand than expected

The launch of EA and DICE’s Battlefield Bad Company 2 is currently being hampered by a few server issues that are preventing fans from enjoying the online multiplayer portion of the title.

With the servers having been optimised and restarted yesterday, they have today suffered from further outages that took the Xbox 360 servers offline completely earlier. To ensure fans that they are on the case, EA have released information regarding the current issues and status of on-going fixes.

The Xbox 360 servers have been the most widely affected today, and the service has been recently been restarted. It should be back online now, and will be continually monitored for any more issues.

PC servers have had an outage, and the service is currently offline and being restarted. It should again be back online, and will be monitored. EA will then check the quality of the customer experience to determine as to whether it requires further fixes.

PlayStation 3 owners shouldn’t be being affected too much, and despite a brief outage the service quickly recovered and should be functioning properly.

You’ll be pleased to know that teams are actively diagnosing issues and solutions, as well as additional services being employed to alleviate the current load as any problems occur.

Whilst EA had a major, extensive infrastructure in place to support those picking the game up at launch, peak traffic has risen to 400% higher than any previous peak amount on other Battlefield titles. Employees are continuing to work around the clock to monitor services closely, and will continually provide further updates as they become relevant.

So, fingers crossed that everything will be sorted soon!

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Battlefield Bad Company 2

With an eventual Metacritic score of 86 Battlefield Bad Company was met with mixed reviews when it released in 2008 and with the die-hard fans of the Call of Duty series keeping those rose tinted glasses on, it was hard for Electronic Arts to push through and win over the critics. However those gamers that had been subjected to the Battlefield franchise on PC knew exactly what to expect with the first console outing for the series and were an instant win for the game, yet too many doubters meant that the Call of Duty war machine kept rolling on. As in all good war stories though there is always a twist, a pivotal point at which the side that was winning make a wrong move for whatever reason, or the losing side have a stroke of genius and catch the enemy with their pants down and strike at the key moment. Well, welcome to that moment.

Just like the first title, Bad Company 2 puts you in the middle of that rag tag bunch of soldiers. Playing as Preston Marlowe and fighting alongside your fellow squad members was fun the first time round but now in Bad Company 2 it’s an absolute joy. The narrative that surrounds you as the bullets, mortars and bombs ring around your ears never stops and at the moment when you should be hearing cries for help it’s either a quick joke and humour that comes from the lips of your team mates or a well timed four letter expletive. The beauty of the story telling aspect of the game though is that it is exactly what you would expect from a movie such as Platoon, Full Metal Jacket and plenty more, which all showed that when the chips are down there is no point moaning and groaning. It’s a case of do or die and smiling as you go and as you progress through the 13 levels of the campaign this becomes more evident with jokes flowing, and for those that listen carefully there is even the odd jibe at the competition.

What can hamper first person shooter titles though, during single player campaigns, is that feeling of being dragged down a dark dingy alley with every conceivable weapon coming at you from every angle and this was one of my biggest criticisms of Modern Warfare 2 with its very narrow corridor like levels. We’ve been there too many times in the genre and got the bullet wounds and shrapnel to prove it, but I’m pleased to say that’s not the case here. The levels are well planned out and although they are clearly one way linear streets with a checkpoint at the end there is a real sense of openness about them, a feeling that you are actually able to go anywhere and also that anything can and will jump out and surprise you. This may be due to the fantastic draw distances and although the areas you can see are strictly out of bounds the illusion of thinking it’s a reachable place on the map is fantastic. The maps have also been designed in such a way that flanking your enemy is made a whole lot easier and when you come face to face with a .50 cal machine gun and no grenades you’ll be glad that sneaking round the back can pay off, but watch out for the well placed snipers expecting your arrival.

The AI of your fellow squad members has also been improved and although they are still invincible and merely dust themselves down and get back up again their ability to pick off incoming enemies at just the right moment is very well executed and still leaves you enough of a challenge. When playing through the game I selected the hardest difficulty so I could see how challenging it could be, and whilst the enemies are not the most difficult to fight against there are times they are not the easiest too. Vehicles again play a big part and certain levels of the game are used to get you driving around and no matter which vehicle your driving they all handle very well – tanks feel big, sluggish and crawl up hills whilst the quad bikes are quick, agile and easily turned over.

The destruction engine has also had a complete revamp and with it brings a huge improvement on its predecessor. It’s not on the grand scale of complete demolition like Red Faction: Guerrilla and its Geo-Mod 2.0 engine, but when buildings are damaged you can hear them groaning and creaking before the impending collapse. The result of course is a pile of debris and the dust that fills the air will only serve to hamper you as your view will be temporarily marred as you try to pick out the enemies as the air clears. The effects of both lighting and visibility are another of the Frostbite engines strong points and the areas of desert with its sandstorms and the blizzards in the snowcap mountains are certainly realistic and the sun rays shining through the dense forest is certainly something to stop and admire.

Sound is a key part to any game and as one of our key senses its ability to add to the enjoyment and immersion of a gaming experience is one that is sometimes missed or glossed over by developers. It’s evident from the very first level of the Bad Company 2 that DICE have put great effort into the games Frostbite engine, aircraft passing overhead, helicopter circling and even down to the noises that can be heard in the moments of stillness in the jungle, it’s all there to make the immersion factor more real. Of course its the sound of the guns that will be heard the most and the rockets wizzing past your head as the buildings crumble all around you but nevertheless it’s all done exceptionally well.

One of the main draws for the Battlefield series and the FPS genre is of course the multi-player mode, and many will head here straight away so it’s pleasing to say that the game doesn’t disappoint. Everything you know and love from the the original Bad Company is here but it has got all that polish on that we’ve talked about earlier from the single player campaign. The online game includes 10 maps and 4 game modes allowing 24 players to battle for supremacy. Rush mode is true to the original game, where it was previously named Gold Rush, and will have you darting about to either attack or defend the crates, whereas Conquest is all about capturing flags and defending them. There are also 2 new modes Squad Rush, which is played out by just 2 squads on a condensed map, and Squad Deathmatch, which is exactly what you think it is with the first team to fifty kills taking the glory. Player classes of Assault, Medic, Engineer and Recon are all selectable and through character progression you can shape your soldier with all manner of weapons, gadgets and specializations. It is also very pleasing to see the collectible pin badges and insignia are all still present as well as the ability to collect dog tags for the knife kills you make.

What DICE have achieved with Battlefield Bad Company 2 is remarkable and the way in which they have taken the original game and polished it so much without spoiling it is extremely impressive. More importantly though, they have taken a genre that had an out and out leader and attacked them in such a way that the fog of war is clearing. The battle for genre supremacy is well and truly underway and both Electronic Arts and DICE have made a critical strike at the heart of the Modern Warfare franchise.

Lost Gamer Verdict: 9/10

Title	Battlefield Bad Company 2
Developer	DICE
Publisher	Electronic Arts
Release Date	Out Now
Platform Reviewed	Xbox 360
Version Availability	PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC

Battlefield Bad Company 2 launches in slow motion

With the launch of Battlefield Bad Company 2 today in North America, Electronic Arts have released the Official launch trailer for the title. Its certainly explosive and its certainly got guns, tanks, helicopters and a splattering of blood, however rather than sounding like a war zone its set to a rather beautiful waltz and captivates some of the great review scores that the game was awarded today.

Awesome stuff……

Battlefield Bad Company 2 gets TV ad

Electronic Arts have released a 30 second TV advertisement for Battlefield Bad Company 2 ahead of the games release next week. Featuring quotes from major gaming publications its full of everything you would expect, helicopters, tanks, soldiers and a whole load of explosions.

The game releases next week on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC or for a chance to win a copy in time for release why not enter our competition here

V.I.P DLC system coming to Bad Company 2

Patrick Bach, the Senior Producer on Battlefield Bad Company 2 has confirmed to MTV Multiplayer that the title will feature a ‘VIP’ system for the exclusive day 1 downloadable content similar to the ‘Cerberus System’ that was used in Mass Effect 2.

Commenting on the new day 1 DLC, Bach said “We want people to insert the code they get when they buy the game to get access to [DLC content]. It’s connected to your personal account, more or less, and what we want to do is give you something extra, added value, for that. In the future you will get more content, for free, if you have this VIP code.”

It appears that once the code has been entered it then locks the DLC to the users EA.com account and thus prevents used or pre owned users from accessing the extra content. Of course you can buy your way into the VIP program with a pre owned copy but no price has been set as yet.

[Source]

EA release new Battlefield Bad Company 2 screens

EA and DICE have today released more tantalising screens for their upcoming first-person shooter title, Battlefield Bad Company 2. Due out on March 5th, the title will see the return of ‘B’ company as they fight across snowy mountaintops, dense jungles and dusty villages.

Check out the images below;

Bad Company 2 gets review score and new screens

EA have released new screens today for the upcoming first person shooter Battlefield Bad Company 2 and very nice they are ‘two’ (pun intended) whilst Game Informer have given the shooter a 9.5/10 according the games U.S. Box art and although we haven’t actually seen the review yet their accompanying statement on the back of the box reads “The Best Tactical Multiplayer Action On The Planet.”

So look out Infinity Ward the DICE Army is advancing from Sweden and it looks like they might have you in their gun sights.

BF: Bad Company 2 PC Beta Keys distributed by Multiplay

EA have announced today that Multiplay has been chosen as one of its major hosts and game client distribution sites for their anticipate FPS title, Battlefield Bad Company 2.

It is at 5pm GMT today that the Beta is set to officially launch, and to coincide with this 10,000 Beta keys are set to be given away with an expected 100,000 downloads of the game client over the next few days.

Multiplay’s Fileplay site has been chosen as one of a few global providers of the official ranked servers for Bad Company 2, having established itself as one of the key gaming file distribution sites.

Craig Fletcher, Managing Director of Multiplay said: “I am very excited that Fileplay has once again been chosen as a primary release site for a major game beta. Owning our own network gives the capability to serve hundreds of thousands of gamers in just a few days.”

He continues, “The same approach to quality, low latency and lag free gaming has meant we are once again chosen as a trusted partner for EA. We look forward to many thousands of gamers playing on our servers in the beta and beyond.”

Head on over to www.fileplay.net to get involved!

Bad Company 2 Demo goes Live on Xbox Marketplace

Remember we told you that DICE had a demo planned for the upcoming sequel to Battlefield Bad Company, well this morning Microsoft’s very own Community Manager AceyBongo’s let us know that the demo for Battlefield Bad Company 2 is now live on the Xbox Marketplace.

The demo itself weighs in at a cool 1.35Gb and we’ve got ours zipping down the pipe as we type, whether a PlayStation 3 version will appear on their store tomorrow you’ll have to wait and see.

Queue up your download here

Bad Company 2 Single player trailer released

If you were a fan of the original Battlefield Bad Company and its single player campaign with the mad cap bunch of renegade soldiers that argued more than your wife then your in for a treat. Gametrailers have today posted the first trailer for Battlefield Bad Company 2’s main campaign and it looks even more explosive than the first.

It looks like our loony bunch of soldiers are being tasked with using all those skills that they severely lack to stop some sort of weapon of mass destruction and why not, after all you wouldn’t want it any other way.

Take a look…….

Battlefield Bad Company 2 demo incoming

For those lucky enough to get on the recent beta for Battlefield Bad Company 2 you’ll realise what a great prospect this game is for 2010 and how it builds on the success of the first title. For those that didn’t manage to gain beta access fear not as according to a small snippet of information on the Battlefield Bad Company 2 blog page a console demo for the title should be with us on a date (TBD).

We know this is still pretty vague but at least it shows that a demo is in the DICE studios plans and hopefully it will be a pre release demo rather than an after thought. The game is due for a March release so hopefully any such demo should be making its way to us all very soon.

Thanks TSA

Battlefield Bad Company 2 PC Beta on the Way!

PC fans have had some good news today. DICE announced that the Battlefield: Bad Company 2 public Beta will start on January 28th and is set to end on February 25th. The public Beta will feature one map called Port Valdez and will allow 32 players to battle it out within the game mode ‘Rush.’ The map will also include a nice snow environment featuring both vehicles and infantry.

Alongside this announcement, DICE have also revealed a back story for the map:

The battle for Port Valdez is fought alongside the waterline towards a great oil industrial landscape in the Alaskan mountains. Using basically everything they’ve got the Russian forces are launching an airborne assault to knock out the oil industries in the area. In their arsenal there are Main Battle Tanks as well as fast-moving Quad Bikes and mobile armored AA. It’s a vehicle focused battle, but with plenty of infantry combat.

To be able to get into the Battlefield: Bad Company 2 public Beta, you need to keep checking the Battlefield Beta Page

DICE also mentioned a possible download via Steam but can’t confirm this just yet, although such a possibility is great for all of you Steam users out there! The Beta will be using the Anti Cheat system, entitled Punkbuster, which will be supporting the same options BF2 and BF2142 had to be able run unranked without the use of it previously. DICE also mentioned that there will be no mod tools for Battlefield: Bad Company 2, but go on to say “However a majority of the the games logic is controlled by the server and there will be Serverside control options for the dedicated servers.”

Also at the end of the blog post, it shows a member of the DICE team playing Battlefield: Bad Company 2 in 3D. I would love to see this in action! Below is the image:

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