Battlefield 2042 is wrapping up with a surprisingly fun-looking Outbreak event, and the really fascinating bit about it is that it's even got a set of Dead Space-themed cosmetics to top it all off. The big bummer, though, is that there's absolutely nothing happening with Dead Space otherwise.

At least, there's nothing to suggest that we'll be seeing a new Dead Space game anytime soon, as the franchise has apparently been put back on ice after the critically acclaimed remake of the original... failed? It's hard to say, but the game was great, and I was really sorry to see that we wouldn't get a series continuation, given how much effort and passion there was in the? remake. It's a tad strange, then, that DICE is now releasing a surprisingly detailed and intricate set of Dead Space cosmetics. You'd expect this to coincide with something bigger to do with the classic horror franchise, but that's not the case. It's weirder still that it's a timed event, to boot.

Battlefield 2024: Outbreak is a time-limited survival defense event, and all the Dead Space content we're getting anytime soon

This whole scenario does make a bit more sense when you consider what, exactly, is happening in the background. As Battlefield 2024 comes to a wrap with the release of Season 7, so too is the developer of the Dead Space remake, Motive Studio, joining DICE's ranks. With that in mind, the appearance of none other than Isaac Clarke - alongside a set of BF2042's weapons re-envisioned as Dead Space armaments - in Battlefield 2024 makes a bit more sense.? The fact that the game's Outbreak event is only going to be available July 9 - 16 is still a shame, though, as this means only a small number of players will be able to give the experience a go.

For what it's worth, Outbreak does look interesting in the context of Battlefield 2042: it's a PvE survival game mode where squads of player?s go against hordes of ??cyborg bodies armed with combat axes and whatnot. Motive's official Twitter account has also been hyping it up:

So, it's not a total wash from the look of things, but fans of Dead Space are ?unlikely to be all that thrilled with this when they might've hoped to see the announ??cement of a whole new game.

One could make the argument that purchasing skins for a live-service game that's about to wind down support isn't all that great of an idea, of course, but I myself can't blame you if you choose to do so. It's a pretty darn great set of Dead Space skins, after all, and that see??ms to be all we're getting for the foreseeable future.

The post Battlefield 2042 is getting a confusingly mistimed Dead Space ev??ent appeared first on Destructoid.

Battlefield is an illustrious first-person shooter franchise that's experienced a fair share of highs and lows over its 20-year-plus run. At Battlefield's peak, the series re-defined massive combat to a scale never seen before. But after the underperforming recent entry, it's easy to wonder where Battlefield can go to right the ship.

Battlefield 1942

Release date: 2002

How to play: Not available

Battlefield 1942 set the tone and laid the groundwork for what went on to be a winning formula. The title introduced the class system pla??ye?rs would go on to know and love. Favorable reviews and financial success also paved the way for DICE to kick off the series.

Battlefield Vietnam

Release date: 2004

How to play: Not available

After deep diving into World War II for Battlefield 1942, DICE re-created several historical settings for Battlefield Vietnam. Once again the devs struck gold by introducing an early iteratio?n of Conquest, which would later go on to be the marquee game mode for the series.

Battlefield 2

Release date: 2005

How to play: Not available

Following the success of its predecessors, Battlefield 2 continued to innovate by introducing modern combat. DICE added squads, the ability for players to issue commands to their tea??mmates, and a wide array of m?emorable multiplayer maps.

Battlefield 2142

Release date: 2006

How to play: Not available

DICE designed Battlefield 2142 with multiplayer in mind and continued to hit every note with its new features. 64-player servers are now considered a series staple, and ?that all started with thi??s futuristic FPS that depicted a war known as "The Cold War of the 22nd Century."

Battlefield: Bad Company

Release date: 2008

How to Play: The campaign is still playable on PlayStation,? Xbox, and PC, but online se??rvers have been shut down.

After focusing on multiplayer in the previous installment, DICE offered a refreshing change of pace by delivering an engaging single-player experience in Battlefield: Bad Company. The story follows a rag-tag group of soldiers caught in a war between the United States and Russia. As for multiplayer, the devs controversia??lly shrunk the server size back down to 24, but that wasn't much of an issue thanks to the iconic ga?me mode Rush, players fell in love with.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2

Release date: 2010

How to play: The campaign is still playable on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, but online? serve??rs have been shut down.

DICE brought the Bad Company back for another spin, and the sequel was met with positive reception and achieved commercial success. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 leaned into destructible environments and introduced regenerating health. Both innovations captivated mu??ltiplayer fans, and the single-player story also delivered plenty of hits.

Battlefield 3

Release date: 2011

How to play: Currently available on PC throu??gh Ori?gin, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360

In what many consider the gold standard of the series, Battlefield 3 sold five million copies within its ?first week of release and combined everything DICE had built and put it into one robust multiplayer package. Modern combat, destruction, ?64-player servers, Conquest and Rush, vehicles, soldier classes, and more were the multiplayer highlights, while the title also delivered an immersive single-player campaign.

Battlefield 4

Release date: 2013

How to play: Currently avail?able on PC through Origin, PlayStation and Xbox

A lackluster campaign and bug-filled multiplayer launch marred Battlefield 4 at launch, but the title went on to age like a fine wine, as players still regularly load into multiplayer matches over 10 years later. The title used the same cor??e principles from the previous installment but with a whole new host of maps. And some of those environments became some of the most popular in the series, such as Siege of Shanghai, Operation Locker, and Zavod 311.

Battlefield Hardline

Release date: 2015

How to play: Currently available on PC through Ori?gin, PlayStation and Xbox

After spending years on massive battlefields in different eras, Battlefield Hardline boldly deviated and explored the war on crime. Th??e game is still considered one of the most controversial in series history,?? as the single-player experience failed to live up to expectations, and the heist focus divided the player base. In saying that, all of the familiar beats in multiplayer were still present, and the multiplayer received praise.

Battlefield 1

Release date: 2016

How to play: Currently ?available on PC through Origin, Pl??ayStation and Xbox

Battlefield 1's awe-astonishing reveal trailer raised the bar higher than fans thought was possible ??for a series entry, and the title delivered on most fronts. The World War I FPS introduced behemoths that wreaked havoc on matches and brought back all ?the usual multiplayer fixings. But for the first time in a few years, the single-player campaign also garnered a positive reception, amounting in a total package.

Battlefield V

Release date: 2018

How to play: Currently available on PC through Origin, ??PlayStation and Xbox

For everything that the Battlefield 1 reveal trailer did right in building anticipation, the opposite can be said about Battlefield V. Instead of 72 million views and 2.4 million likes, the BFV trailer brought in 16 million views and 371,000 likes. The bright ??and vibrant trailer rubbed players the wrong way about a World War II title, and a dispassionately meek offering of multiplayer content at launch drove most players away. It's unfortunate, because the gameplay itself was loved, and DICE went on to add phenomenal post-launch content that most players never experienced.

Battlefield 2042

Release date: 2021

How to play: C??urrently available on ?PC through Origin, PlayStation and Xbox

With no single-player campaign, DICE put all its eggs in the multiplayer basket for Battlefield 2042. That's not an issue as that's the franchise's bread and butter, and it's been pulled off before, but this title floundered in every sense. A delay already scared fans, but then multiplayer launched in a ??severely glitch-filled state with insufficient maps to satisfy players. As a result, the title did not perform well financially and potentially set the series back years.

The post How to play all Ba??ttlefield games in order of release appeared first on Destructoid.

Marcus Lehto's new studio is working on some Battlefield

Electronic Arts is officially revealing its newest studio. Ridgeline Games is the Seattle-based studio led by Marcus Lehto, and it's working on a project set in the Battlefield universe.

Lehto's move to Electronic Arts was announced almost a year ago, in October. Today, we have confirmation of both the studio's name and its first project. Ridgeline Games is working on a narrative campaign, set in the Battlefield universe.

"It is a great honor to have the opportunity to collaborate with DICE and Ripple Effect and lead the charge on expanding the narrative, storytelling and character development opportunities in the Battlefield series," said Lehto in a press release.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcvP8tPkXM0

The Battlefield universe

In a new blog, Battlefield general manager Byron Beede confirms that longtime DICE developer Lars Gustavsson is leaving the studio. Gustavsson was the creative director on the Battlefield series.

"As we build for the future of Battlefield, we must remember to thank those who got us here," said Beede. "Creative Director Lars Gustavsson, who has been with the franchise since the beginning and is affectionately known as Mr. Battlefield, has decided he is ready for a new adventure. We would like to thank him for his invaluable experienc?e, expertise, and friendship for all these years."

Meanwhile, Beede says the vision for the future is "all-in" on Battlefield. Last December, EA locked in Respawn co-founder Vince Zampella as the one overseeing the Battlefield franchise. Now, this plan for a connected Battlefield universe looks to cover many different studios.

And there's a lot of Battlefield on the way, too. A Battlefield Mobile is on the way from Industrial Toys. DICE is continuing to work on the multiplayer side of Battlefield, while Ripple Effect is working on an "entirely new Battlefield experience that will complement and build upon" the foundation of the series. Now, Ridgeline also joins the lineup of EA studios working on Battlefield projects.

The post EA’s Ridgeline Games is working on a narrative campaign in the Battlefield universe appeared first on Destructoid.

Familiar classes are returning to Battlefield 2042

DICE laid out a new roadmap for Battlefield 2042 today, and it includes a deeper look at its Specialist system. In today's update, Electronic Arts and DICE confirm they're going to rework Specialists, bringing them more in line with classic Battlefield classes.

As part of the August 2022 Development Update, the Battlefield 2042 team t??alks about some of the work ahead for the first-person shooter. This includes map reworks and Vault Weapons, as well as new content. But?? the first chunk of the update talks about something a bit further off: a rework of the Specialists.

Specialists were a new addition to 2042, having players take on specific characters that loosely aligned with traditional Battlefield roles. With this new update, planned for Season 3 later on this year, the existing roster of Specialists will go into one of four roles. The four Classes are ?the Assault, Recon,?? Support, and Engineer roles.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXwQknbg64A

With Classes comes new restrictions, as well as ne??w Class Traits. Weapons will still be open for anyone to use.

DICE says in its new blog that this will address difficulty in assessing just what a player can do when encountered, or what teammates can do, in Battlefield 2042. Support characters will always have a Defibrillator, for example, and Engineers will always have a Repair Tool. Classes can also choose between different gadgets to deploy with; Assault, for example, can pic??k between a Smoke Grenade Launcher, C5 Explosives, or an IBA Armor Plate.

Building a better force

Specialists will still have their Trait and Ga?dget, it seems, but this will make the tools a bit more universal across the board. All of this is planned for Season 3, which is still? a ways away.

In the nearer future with Season 2, which DICE plans on revealing soon, there will be a new map and Specialist inbound. There will also be new hardware, Battle Pass, and more. It seems like Battlefield 2042 is set on overcoming its launch struggles. We'll see how the classes shake out once Season 3 rolls aroun?d.

The post Battlefield 2042 is planning to shake up its S??pecialists with Classes appeared first on Destructoid.

Losing Faith

Studio DICE has stated that it intends to entirely focus its efforts on the beleaguered Battlefield franchise going forward, eschewing new IPs and alternate franchises such as the studio's cult series Mirror's Edge while it ensures Battlefield 2042 becomes the team's core release.

Speaking in her first interview since taking the role, DICE's new General Manager Rebecka Coutaz told GamesIndustry.biz that the Battlefield franchise was the now core focus of the studio. In particular, Coutaz notes that DICE is committed to its long-term plans for blah shooter Battlefield 2042, with support expected to roll out for another three years at the very least. Asked about whether this meant Mirror's Edge or any other projects were off-the-table, Coutaz was very c??lear about DICE's direction:

"Totally," she confirmed. "We are only focusing on Battlefield 2042. There is?? no time for anything else and this is what we want to do. In three years, we want to be the first-person shooter powerhouse that DICE deserves to be, and that is what we’re going for?."

"The team is here to make Battlefield, and they’re passionate about Battlefield. We have many Battlefield veterans. So it’s important for us to improve Battlefield 2042 an?d the experience that we can ?provide to our players. We owe them that."

Battlefield 2042, which launched on PC and consoles back in November 2021, was met with mediocre critical reviews and would go on to become one of the Steam platform's worst-reviewed games, with critics and players citing chaotic gameplay, boring maps, and a li?tany of bugs. DICE and publisher Electronic Arts have since spoken of their desire to co?rrect course, and have already rolled out numerous hotfixes, rebalances, updates, and new content drops in efforts to rescue the sinking vessel.

While DICE should be praised for its commitment to the product, with a clear desire to restore the faith of the Battlefield fanbase, there's one other Faith that I, personally, would be far more interested in seeing restored. Mirror's Edge is hardly the most popular, successful, or most exciting of franchises, but it has its own niche and dedicated community, many of whom saw the writing on the wall years ago. Th??is news does not come as a shocking surprise.

We get it. Mirror's Edge didn't sell half a billion copies. It doesn't have rolling multiplayer elements, it doesn't facilitate the potential for DLC, microtransactions, or loot boxes. And studios have to make millions upon millions of dollars with every single release or the publisher fires/disbands everybody. Same as it ever was and ever will be. We get it.

Regardless, it's still disappointing to see creativity and design take a fatal fall at the behest of not making All The Money. I'm just glad that we got the two titles that we did. Solid, gorgeous, engaging adventures that I pl?ay and enjoy today, and probably will tomorrow, and probably will for years ?to come.

So, here's to your semi-annual military shooter.

"We want to be proud of Battlefield 2042" [Gamesindustry.biz]

The post DICE to forgo Mirror’s Edge-style projects to focus entirely on Battlefield appeared first on Destructoid.

Season 1 kicks off in Battlefield 2042 on June 9

More tools for mayhem are arriving on the battlefield. Electronic Arts and DICE debuted a trailer today, showing what's coming in Battlefield 2042 Season 1 on June 9, 2022.

In today's trailer, the team?? gives us a good look at Exposure, the new? map arriving in Season 1. It's set in the Canadian Rockies and looks to make big use of verticality, allowing aircraft and wingsuits to really get around.

Also?? shown is the new Specialist, Ewelina Lis. Lis is particularly skilled at tackling vehicles, using a remote-controlled rocket launcher to wreak? havoc on armor.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Hfeb7eIzbo

Alongside those, new vehicles and weapons are also coming in Battlefield 2042 Season 1. Two new gunships, the RAH-68 Huron and YG-99 Hannibal, take to the skies. ??The BSV-M Marksman Rifle offers a new mid-range option. And the Smoke Grenade launcher offers some infantry ground cover.

But good lord, the Ghostmaker R10 Crossbow looks like a blast. Literally, because it has explosive ammo, alongside regular, light, and heavy ammo. The core content additions are available as part of the free Battle Pass track, ??though it will require playing to unlock. Additional cosmetics are in the Premium Battle Pass Track.

Seasoned veterans

There are also more fixes for stability, balance, gunplay, performance, and more. It looks like DICE is trying to make good on its commitment to improving Battlefield 2042 after its rough launch.

The focus comes at the cost of some initial pillars, like the removal of the 128-player Breakthrough variant. The team also shuttered all future content development for Hazard Zone, its Tarkov-style multiplayer?? mode, in favor o??f focusing on its other pillars.

With Season 1 for Battlefield 2042 finally going live, it seems like this could be the time for DICE to rally and try to right the ship??. Exploding crossbow bolts are a good start, at least.

The post Battlefield 2042 shows new map, Specialist, and more arriving in S??eason 1 appeared first on Destructoid.

No more updates for the Zone

As DICE keeps ramping up to the launch of Season 1, another Battlefield 2042 mode is taking a backseat. The studio confirms today that it's shutting down future development on Battlefield 2042's Hazard Zone mode.

The new mode, an Escape From Tarkov-like experience in the Battlefield setting, was one of Battlefield 2042's major pillars going into launch. Today though, EA and DICE are saying that future d?evelopment will cease on the ??mode.

"All of us on the team had great ambition and high hopes for this new Battlefield experience throughout our development, but we’re the first to hold our hands up and acknowledge that it hasn’t found the right home in Battlefield 2042 and that we’ll benefit greatly from letting our focus and energy stay on the modes we see you engaging most with," reads today's blog post.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkMiPwL8G1w

Hazard Zone will still be available to play in Battlefield 2042. But aside from "addressing critical errors and odd behaviors" that may pop up, no more content will be rolling out for the mode. New maps release??d in future season??s will not be supported in Hazard Zone, either.

The long war

Several other changes are planned, as DICE is building up towards its Season 1 launch in June. Animation and traversal improvements are planned, as well as an overhaul to the Kaleidoscope map. Plus, a new map, Specialist, and Vehicl??es, as well as a Battle Pass.

In terms of game modes, Breakthrough is moving to 64 players as previously announce??d. Conquest will still have the 128-player option open on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC. And DICE says ?it's also looking at including Rush, the 32-player experience, into the official mode fold during Season 1.

It all feels like DICE is trying to reset, slim down, and move forward, as Battlefield 2042 hasn't been the smoothest of launches. Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson said Battlefield 2042 "did not meet expectations" on an earnings call in February. We'll see if dropping Hazard Zone from the priority list helps the team move 2042 forward.

The post Battlefield 2042 is shutt?er?ing future Hazard Zone development as it ramps towards Season 1 appeared first on Destructoid.

The patch adds a big feature for Battlefield

A new update for Battlefield 2042 hits this week, adding a feature the community has been asking for. Battlefield 2042 Update 4.0 adds VoIP functionality for Party and? Squads, as we?ll as a few other areas of interest.

VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol, options are the big one for Battlefield 2042. The massive multiplayer shooter launched without VoIP last year, and it was a noticeable ?issue for folks who?? are used to those options.

The dev team at DICE has been working on updating Battlefield 2042 with more patches since then. Patches have included an updated scoreboard and other quality-of-life fixes.

//twitter.com/Battlefield??Comm/status/1516068203922919428

Update 4.0 for Battlefield 2042 goes l??ive on April 19, and adds two voice chat channel options. Players will be able to choose between Party and Squad VoIP, and can adjust their settings in-g?ame too.

Additionally, the updated scoreboard that arrived with Update 3.3 will now be a?vailable during End of Round screens.

Getting attached

The other big part of the Battlefield 2042 Update 4.0 is an overhaul of weapon attachments. The dev blog notes that?? previously, some attachments had effects that were too similar, and their im?pact was unclear.

A few bug fixes and quality-of-life adjustments have been made, as well as an overall retooling of the weapon attachments. This will probably take some in-game inspection to see the results, but considering how core the new attachment system is to Battlefield 2042's infantry experience, it's good to address it.

The Update 4.0 notes for Battlefield 2042 also detail a lengthy number of additional fixes. You can find the full patch notes here. More is on the way too, as the team says it expects another update for release in May. That update will focus on bringing more quality of life updates and bug fixes. Efforts to right the ship after a rocky launch are still underway, but at least one major piece of Battlefield is finally in.

The post Battlefield 2042 Update 4.??0 brings?? VoIP to the party appeared first on Destructoid.

Request permission to retreat

The Battlefield community is not happy. Following the beleaguered launch of the million-dollar shooter's latest installment, Battlefield 2042, a rapidly increasing number of the game's community are demanding that publisher Electronic Arts offer all pla?yers the option of refunding their purchase.

A petition, opened just yesterday on Change.org, currently bears the signatures of over 50,000 players and countin?g, demanding that EA reimburse any and all purchasers that are unhappy with the release. Accordi??ng to the text accompanying the petition, "one of the best class-action lawsuit lawyers in the country" is willing to take a case against the publisher to a court of law. Hopefully, it's not Lionel Hutz.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=HV5Tc1Z4DnI

Launching on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms in November 2021, Battlefield 2042 was met with middling review scores from critics and derision from players, who criticized the sequel's myriad bugs and glitches, while voicing their frustration at missing features, DLC decisions, and a general confusion toward the roadmap for the shooter's first season of content. The number of active players has dropped off shar??ply since launch.

EA's Andrew Wilson has responded to the controversy in numerous reports and/or investor calls.

"We launched with strong stability, however as more players experienced the full game it became clear that there were unanticipated performance issues that we would need to address," said the CEO. "Some of the design choices we made with the game also did not resonate with everyone in our community. We are fully committed to realizing the full potential of this game and fully committed to our Battlefield fans [...] ?We’ve already implemented a series of major updates to the game and there are more to come."

It appears, however, that the Battlefield community is done waiting. Whether this is an official response to the petition by Electronic Arts, whether a class action lawsuit is filed, or whether this all amounts to nothing remains to be seen. One thing seems certain, however: in a world where even Call of Duty fails to achieve sustainable numbers �battling against its own contemporary, Call of Duty Warzone �there might simply be no space for Battlefield in the ninth generation of gaming.

The post Over 50,000 players?? signed a Battlefield 2042 refund petition appeared first on Destructoid.

Score updates pending

DICE has been working on updating and tuning Battlefield 2042 since its launch. One? of the more requested ??features—an improved scoreboard—was set to arrive in February, but now the studio is aiming for March.

Update 3.3, which was first set for mid-to-late February, would have brought a refreshed scoreboard to Battlefield 2042. In a new post from the Battlefield comms account, the next update will be?? rolling out in early March instead.

"The extra time will help to ensure we improve the quality of our Updates, and include additional changes,?" the statement reads.

//tw?itter.com/BattlefieldComm/status/148916064394515?2512

You can see a look at the work-in-progress from back in January here. It has a lot more ??info available at a glance, and also moves its elements around a fair bit.

It's a small bump, though the scoreboard is one of many features still yet to arrive for Battlefield 2042. DICE recently published a dev blog addressing the response to 2042, and highlighti??ng features like the scoreboard and VOIP as something they're focusing on include "as soon as possible."

"We have heard you. So, we are heavily invested and committed to the future of Battlefield 2042–working on taking action on multiple fronts to address feedback and implement extensive fixes to the game, key features that are important to you, and getting tea??m play where it needs to be."

The addition of these features has pushed the launch of Battlefield's first season out into early summer. It seems like Electronic Arts hasn't been happy with the results, either.

Time will tell if Battlefield 2042 can right the ship and shift public opinion. For now though, those waiting for a fancy new?? scoreb?oard will be waiting a little while longer.

The post Battlefield 2042 scoreboard update pushed back to Ma????rch appeared first on Destructoid.

Rollin' Sixes

The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences has released its list of nominees for the 2022 iteration of the annual DICE Awards. The event, scheduled to take place February 24 at the glamorous Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, will recognize some of the finest releases that rolled o?ut of the gaming industry and into our homes over the course of 2021.

Insomniac Games' stellar PS5 adventure Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is the most nominated game of the awards, with a mighty nine noms in total, including one for the coveted Game of the Year award. Also riding high is Arkane Studios' shooter Deathloop, which itself has racked up an impressive eight nominations?? including Game of the Year, Action Game of the Year, Outstanding Animation Achievement, and Outstanding Audio Achievement.

Elsewhere in the list, Housemarque's fab sci-fi shooter Returnal, Acid Nerve's delightfully grim Death's Door, Arc System Works' Guilty Gear Strive, and Playground Games' Forza Horizon 5 are all putting on their best tux and hoping to claim themselves a DICE award. The Game Awards' own GOTY, Hazelight Studios' It Takes Two, is also hoping to walk away with yet another best-of-year trophy. Also of note is Daniel Mullins Games' creepy Inscryption, which is slowly win??ning over more and more players with each passing month.

"From all of us at the Academy, we want to thank our peer panelists who continue to dedicate their energy, expertise, and time in evaluating and selecting 2021's best games," writes Meggan Scavio, president of the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. "To all our finalists, congratulations! You continue to amaze us with how you push the boundaries of creativity, technical ??innovatio?n, and storytelling."

Her?e is the full list of nominees for The 25th Annual DICE Awar??ds. Get settled, it's a doozy.

Game of the Year

• Deathloop (Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks)
• Inscryption (Daniel Mullins Games / Devolver Digital)
• It Takes Two (Hazelight Studios / Electronic Arts)
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Returnal (Housemarque / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Outstanding Achievement in Animation

• Call of Duty: Vanguard (Sledgehammer Games/ Activision)
• Deathloop (Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks)
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits (Ember Lab)
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Resident Evil Village (Capcom)

Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction

• Call of Duty: Vanguard (Sledgehammer Games/ Activision)
• Deathloop (Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks)
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits (Ember Lab)
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Resident Evil Village (Capcom)

Outstanding Achievement in Character

• Deathloop - Colt Vahn (Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks)
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits - Kena (Ember Lab)
• Life is Strange: True Colors - Alex Chen (Deck Nine / Square Enix)
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart - Rivet (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Resident Evil Village - Lady Dimitrescu (Capcom)

Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition

• Deathloop (Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks)
• It Takes Two (Hazelight Studios / Electronic Arts)
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits (Ember Lab)
• Psychonauts 2 (Double Fine / Xbox Game Studios)
• Returnal (Housemarque / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design

• Forza Horizon 5 (Playground Games / Xbox Game Studios)
• Halo Infinite (343 Industries / Xbox Game Studios)
• It Takes Two (Hazelight Studios / Electronic Arts)
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Returnal (Housemarque / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Outstanding Achievement in Story

• Before Your Eyes (GoodbyeWorld Games / Skybound Games)
• Inscryption (Daniel Mullins Games / Devolver Digital)
• Guardians of the Galaxy (Eidos-Montréal / Square Enix)
• Psychonauts 2 (Double Fine / Xbox Game Studios)
• The Forgotten City (Modern Storyteller / Dear Villagers)

Outstanding Technical Achievement

• Battlefield 2042 (EA DICE / Electronic Arts)
• Forza Horizon 5 (Playground Games / Xbox Game Studios)
• Moncage (Optillusion / XD)
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Returnal (Housemarque / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Action Game of the Year

• Deathloop (Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks)
• Halo Infinite (343 Industries / Xbox Game Studios)
• Metroid Dread (Mercury Steam / Nintendo)
• Returnal (Housemarque / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• The Ascent (Neon Giant / Curve Games)

Adventure Game of the Year

• Death's Door (Acid Nerve / Devolver Digital)
• It Takes Two (Hazelight Studios / Electronic Arts)
• Guardians of the Galaxy (Eidos-Montréal / Square Enix)
• Psychonauts 2 (Double Fine / Xbox Game Studios)
• Resident Evil Village (Capcom)

Family Game of the Year

• Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Happy Home Paradise (Nintendo)
• Cozy Grove (Spry Fox / The Quantum Astrophysicists Guild)
• Mario Party Superstars (Nintendo)
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Warioware: Get it Together (Nintendo)

Fighting Game of the Year

• Guilty Gear -Strive- (Arc System Works)
• Melty Blood: Type Lumina (French-Bread, Type-Moon / Delightworks)
• Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl (Ludosity & Fair Play Labs / Game Mill)

Racing Game of the Year

• F1 2021 (Codemasters / EA Originals)
• Forza Horizon 5 (Playground Games / Xbox Game Studios)
• Hot Wheels Unleashed (Milestone)

Role-Playing Game of the Year

• Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker (Square Enix)
• Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous (Owlcat Games / META Publishing)
• Shin Megami Tensei V (Atlus /Sega)
• Tales of Arise (Bandai Namco)
• Wildermyth (Worldwalker Games / Whisper Games)

Sports Game of the Year

• EA Sports FIFA 22 (EA Originals)
• Mario Golf: Super Rush (Nintendo)
• NBA 2k22 (2K Games)
• Riders Republic (Ubisoft)
• The Climb 2 (Crytek)

Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year

• Age of Empires IV (Relic Entertainment, World's Edge / Xbox Game Studios)
• Gloomhaven (Flaming Fowl Studios / Asmodee Digital)
• Griftlands (Klei Entertainment)
• Inscryption (Daniel Mullins Games / Devolver Digital)
• Loop Hero (Four Quarters / Devolver Digital)

Immersive Reality Technical Achievement

• Lone Echo II (Ready at Dawn / Oculus Studios)
• Puzzling Places (Realities.io)
• Resident Evil 4 VR (Capcom)
• Song in the Smoke (17-Bit)
• YUKI (ARVORE Immersive Experiences)

Immersive Reality Game of the Year

• Demeo (Resolution Games)
• I Expect You To Die 2 (Schell Games)
• Lone Echo II (Ready at Dawn / Oculus Studios)
• Resident Evil 4 VR (Capcom)
• Song in the Smoke (17-Bit)

Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game

• Death's Door (Acid Nerve / Devolver Digital)
• Inscryption (Daniel Mullins Games / Devolver Digital)
• Loop Hero (Four Quarters / Devolver Digital)
• Sable (Shedworks / Raw Fury)
• Unpacking (Witch Beam / Humble Bundle)

Mobile Game of the Year

• Behind the Frame (Silver Lining Studio / Akupara Games, Akatsuki Taiwan Inc.)
• Fantasian (Mistwalker)
• League of Legends: Wild Rift (Riot Games)
• Moncage (Optillusion)
• Pokémon Unite (TiMi Studio Group / The Pokémon Company)

Online Game of the Year

• Back 4 Blood (Turtle Rock Studios / Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment)
• Call of Duty: Vanguard (Sledgehammer Games / Activision)
• Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker (Square Enix)
• Halo Infinite (343 Industries / Xbox Game Studios)
• Knockout City (Velan Studios / EA Originals)

Outstanding Achievement in Game Design

• Deathloop (Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks)
• Inscryption (Daniel Mullins Games / Devolver Digital)
• It Takes Two (Hazelight Studios / Electronic Arts)
• Loop Hero (Four Quarters, Devolver Digital)
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction

• Deathloop (Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks)
• Inscryption (Daniel Mullins Games / Devolver Digital)
• It Takes Two (Hazelight Studios / Electronic Arts)
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• The Artful Escape (Beethoven & Dinosaur / Annapurna Interactive)

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The new game from many former EA devs looks set for a Game Awards spot

Embark Studios, the development house founded by former Electronic Arts executive Patrick Söderlund, looks set to reveal its first game. Today, the studio shared a post about ARC Raiders, with more info to come on Dec. 9.

ARC Raiders will be the debut project from Embark. And while we only saw a little bit today, more is coming later this week. And, wouldn't you know it, Dec. 9 is the same day as The Game Awards 2021. And the awards show tweeted an eyes emoji about the trailer, too.

//twitter.com/ARCRaidersGa?me/status/1467933244880392196

Watching the trailer, it looks pretty sci-fi and futuristic and oh my god was that a giant ball?

Giant orbs ricocheting around the environment aside, Embark has got some talent behind it and some solid backing too. It'll be interesting to see what the team has to show for ARC Raiders on ??Dec. 9. Hopefully it will entail some explanation for the giant doom ba?ll.

As for the awards show itself, the stream will start on Thursday, Dec. 9. You can find the full list of nominees here, and voting is already open for the fan-voted portion of the ballot. Halo Infinite had a lead previously, though who knows who could take it by th??e time the show goes up.

Alongside the awards, showrunner Geoff Keighley has also teased a bevy of games that will appear during the course of the evening. Those will, notably, not include any Activision Blizzard games, outside those already nominated for awards ??throug??h the selection process.

The post Embark S??tudios teases its debut game ARC Raider??s, more coming on December 9 appeared first on Destructoid.

Bah humbug

Battlefield 2042 has only been out for a few weeks, but in that short time, its issues have made it one of the worst launches of the year. The game is plagued with a variety of bugs, a lack of features, and overall design flaws, and now DICE and EA are scrambling to save face and basically redesign whole aspects of the game post-launch. When things were already looking bad enough for the studio, they pre-emptively showed off some of the Christmas-themed cosmetics items that would be introduced during the next update, and let's just say players were not happy. The game's third update since it was released introduces weekly missions, improvements to the menus, and over 150 much-needed fixes �but the real star of the show on social media was one of the new Specialist skins called Father Winter, which turns the Battlefield 2042 character Boris into a gun-tot??ing? version of Santa.

The first complaint is that the skin didn't fit into the aesthetic of the game at all. It feels kind of ridiculous to be playing A Very Serious War Game, only to see a literal Santa Claus run around the corner and melee you to death. Players have noticed an effect where these types of games will start off with skins that are pretty tame, but as time goes on, they feel the need to keep one-upping themselves with the over-the-top skins. But Battlefield 2042 just launched so... what's the excuse there?

//www.reddit.com/?r/gaming/comments/r78aqf/battlefi??eld_is_officially_dead/

Then there's the fact that players don't care about fancy skins right now �they just want the game they paid for to work. Rather than doling out obligatory seasonal updates, Battlefield 2042's community has expressed that they would much rather EA spend that time fixing the game and adding the features that they want. While it is pretty silly that a game that tackles topics as serious as climate change chose to include a playable Santa, the real crux of the problem is that players are losing faith in developers on a large scale, especially after the previous failures of games like Cyberpunk 2077.

The devs have since taken to Twitter to do some damage control after seeing the response -- the story now is that DICE won't be imp??lementing every item that was shown this year, and that most of the wackier stuff we've seen will be accessible in the game's Portal modes, rather than in the ??main game. Even if this was always the plan (which seems unlikely), it still doesn't really make up for what annoyed the fanbase in the first place.

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Battlefield is also seeing a shake-up at the upper levels

The latest Battlefield game is out in the wild, and 2042 has had an interesting go of it so far. EA and DICE have been rolling out updates pretty fast, but the publisher has also indicated? an interest to keep expanding the franchise outwards.

In an interview with GameSpot, Electronic Arts noted an intent to form a "connected Battlefield universe." Similar to how Call of Duty has an expanded presence with its mobile and Warzone offerings, it sounds like EA wants to look into new experiences in the Battlefield universe.

As part of this move, Respawn co-founder Vince Zampella is now overseeing the Battlefield franchise. Speaking to GameSpot, Zampella said this is an "and" strategy; Battlefield 2042 will continue to grow, and EA will explore new experiences and business models to add onto the Battlefield foundation.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=HV5Tc1Z4DnI

EA indicates that both Ripple Effect, the former DICE LA studio, and its new Seattle-based studio under the leadership of Marcus Lehto are working on new "experiences" in the Battlefield universe. That doesn't specifically mean games, but it could be something different than what we've seen previously in the Battlefield universe.

GameSpot's interviews also confirmed that DICE GM Oskar Gabrielson is leaving to pursue new opportunities. EA also confirmed that Ripple Effect will continue to support the Battlefield Portal mode inside Battlefield 2042, alongside working on its "new experience."

Though Battlefield 2042 has been a shaky launch, it seems like EA is still set to take a multi-pronged approach to the franchise. The Call of Duty similarities are there, as are other franchises' efforts to expand outwards, like those with PUBG, or what we've already seen with Ubisoft's various franchises crossing over. With Vince Zampella taking over the helm and more studios moving into the franchise, it seems like Battlefield making its own big push.

The post EA looking to create a ‘connected Battlefield universe’ appeared first on Destructoid.

Build your own Battlefield

Battlefield 2042 is arriving soon, with three different game modes in tow. Alongside standard multiplayer and the new Hazard Zone mode, Electronic Arts and DICE are also including the Battlefield Portal, a map customization tool for making your own versions of classic Battlefield battles. Today, a new explainer dives deep into what options and settings are available to tinker with in the Battlefield Portal.

Getting started with it is easy enough: log into the Battlefield Portal website using your phone, tablet, or computer, you can start creating there, even if you don't own Battlefield 2042. EA says that just having an EA Accoun?t in "good standing" will let you log in and play with the tools, and you can share it with ?your friends later using a share code.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbKJ_S6kqr8

Battlefield Portal will incorporate three different Battlefield entries alongside 2042: 1942, Bad Company 2, and Battlefield 3. For Game Mode options, you'll also have Conquest Large, Conquest, Rush, Free-For-All, and Te??am Deathm??atch.

Many ?different map options are available too, which will let creators break up large maps into smaller chunks or simply use the massive layouts that exist. Notably, only next-gen consoles and PC players will be able to pla?y the Large Layout maps. Here's the full lineup:

For options you can tweak, some are straightforward. They include Game Time, Per-Squad Character limit, whether Aim Assis?t is on, whether you can Prone or not, and what kind of Vehicles are available. Rules and modifiers can ?go even further, though.

Dive even deeper, and you'll find the Rules Editor, which will let creators use a toolbar to ?edit functions within the game system. It's unclear right now what players will be able to do with this, though it's fun to imagine.

Other server options will be available once you put your created maps live. These are commonplace server tools ?for those who remember playing FPS games on servers: kick, ban, unban, restart map, next map?, and so on. There's something heartwarming about seeing them in a modern FPS again.

If nothing else, I hope I can make a map solely dedicated to driving trucks into tornadoes. Battlefield Portal will launch alongside Battlefield 2042 on Nov. 19, 2021.

The post EA outl??ines the rules, modifiers, and settings you can toggle in Battlefield Por?tal appeared first on Destructoid.

A hacker, a shield, a wingsuit, wallhacks, and crates

Battlefield 2042 recently held an open beta, and it was met with some mixed reception. Today, alongside a new batch of Specialists that will be arriving in Battlefield 2042, Electronic Arts and DICE are resp??onding to some of the critiques of the open beta.

In a new blog, the team discusses some of the common criticisms it saw of the beta. It's taking a number of steps, both for the map Orbital—which was the one playable map in the ope?n beta—and in a broader sense. For example, it's doubling the number of Tanks available on Orbital on next-gen systems and PC. Those funky elevators are also getting a fix, too.

Some quality-of-life changes, like a grenade indicator and the ability to vault on moving objects, should help a bit with the moment-to-moment com?bat. It also outlines the branching process, as DICE reiterates that the version playable in the open beta was an older version of the game.

"We knew that the Open Beta build would therefore not showcase where we’re at today with polish and how the game plays, not benefiting from all the additional work that’s been done on the game since we branched in August," reads the blog. "In addition to what you’ve seen today from our full line up of Specialists, and many of the updates that you can read about and see here, expect more Battlefield 2042 updates over the next ??few weeks that let you get a glimpse of the great progress that the teams have made."

The team also put out a heat map from the Battlefield 2042 open beta. I really have to say, I love how th?e rooftop point—or the "Party Roof," as I call it—is lit up like a bonfire.

As for those Specialists, Battlefield 2042's new approach to both classes and hero-like abilities, we got a look at five more today. This includes a hacker who can mess with ?the environment and enemies alike, a shield-toting titan of a soldier, the wingsuit operator we've seen a few times, a Support-class fighter with a wallhack-like scanner, and a character that can drop Loadout Crates. Being able to swap loadouts to adjust on the fly, like picking up a sniper rifle or some anti-armor weapons, seems handy for team play.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFvZSwHq3nQ

Battlefield 2042 is set to la??unch on Nov. 19, 2021 for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox ??Series X|S, and PC.

The post Battlefield 2042 shows off more Sp??ecialists, responds to open beta criticisms appeared first on Destructoid.

Head into the storm

Electronic Arts and DICE have already revealed two of the three major modes coming to Battlefield 2042 at launch. Today, they detailed the third Battlefield 2042 mode, Hazard Zone.

Hazard Zone is a squad-based multiplayer mode, played on the regular Battlefield 2042 ?maps against both other human squa?ds and NPC forces. Teams pick specialists and loadouts, and then insert into the battlefield to hunt for data drives.

The goal of Hazard Zone is to get as many data drives as possible and then extract, at one of two of the possible extr??action times. If the team doesn't make it, they'll get swallowed up by the encroaching storm, along with any data drives on them.

EA has been adamant that Battlefield 2042's Hazard Zone mode is not a battle royale mode. From its description, it sounds similar to Escape From Tarkov. Getting in, getting data, and getting out is the name of the game, and while killing other squads can help wi??th that goal, it's also not the main objective.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkMiPwL8G1w

Secured data drives open up avenues for meta-progression thro??ugh dark market currency. This will let you bring in new and better gear, or even special gadgets, like a tool that lets you call in "reinforcements" t??o revive a downed-and-out squad member.

Hazard Zone will have 24 player-count bouts on Xbox One and PlayStation 4, while PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S consoles will have 32 player-count maps. This mirrors the player count difference in the All-Out Warfare modes as well, where newer-gen consoles and PC boast 128 players to p??revious-gen's 64.

EA and DICE recently hosted an open beta for Battlefield 2042 that led to some mixed reactions from the community. While it had lots of chaos and commotion, early players also pointed ?out plenty ?of technical issues.

Battlefield 2042 will laun?ch on Nov. 19, 2021 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox On?e, and Xbox Series X|S.

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Impressions from the open beta

When it comes to online FPS games, I like to cause chaos. I like to find ways to bend rules, do the unexpected, and take out enemies in bizarre "what-if" scenarios. I'm happy to say that Battlefield 2042 enables a great deal of chaos.

The Battlefield series has, in the past, been good at allowing moments like those to happen, whether it's driving a buggy rigged with C4 into the Commander's radar array or sneaking onto the enemy's aircraft carrier and stealing their jets. And in Battlefield 2042, I found plenty ??of opportunities to ask "what-if" an?d find out, often to delightful results.

We got the chance to go hands-on with the open beta content for a few hours, ahead of it going live on Oct. 6. Despite featuring just one map (Orbital) and one mode (Conquest), the best possible thing I can say about Battlefield 2042 is that even after a few straight hou?rs of playing it, I still wanted more.

I haven't had the Battlefield bug for a while now, to be honest. I put more hours than I can remember into 1942 and Battlefield 2, but I dropped off the series for a long time after that. But then, it's also been a while since we've had a more modern(ish) Battlefield game. The series' last three games ventured into side concepts: two were historical warfare, and another was the cops-and-robbers-themed Hardline.

Battlefield 2042 isn't quite as futuristic as Battlefield 2142 (so sorry, no Titans), but it definitely looks to the future with some of its technology. You?? don't just play a soldier, but a specialist equipped with a signature gadget that gives them a little more identity within their own role. You can also pick your loadout from among the game's different weapons, so if you want to be a submachine gun-toting Engineer or a sniper Support, go for it. The quick-attachment system makes it incredibly easy to mod your gun on the fly, swapping out scopes and attachments to suit the battle. And each specialist's ability gives the developers fun ways to develop identities and play styles within the class, and an avenue for expanding out the class roles in the updates to come.

The map, Orbital, is medium-sized by DICE's internal standard and focused around a rocket that will blast off into the stratosphere at some point during the battle. There are a bunch of other facilities to fight around, but the big rocket?? is always looming in the distance. Yes, this rocket is destructible. No,?? I wasn't able to grapple onto the rocket and ride it like a cowboy into space.

I mention that because it was one of the few times where it felt like Battlefield 2042 didn't "yes, and??" my dumbest ideas. Throughout my few hours with the beta, I saw players parachuting off tall buildings to rain down on those below. Engineers would hold down points by themselves with their trusty sentry gun and robot dog companion they can call in through the in-game airdrop option. Tanks slowly rolled across the field, and jets soared overhead.

I was queued wit?h someone from another games site, and we declared B1 the "party roof," because the point—atop a tall, tall building with a helicopter pad that felt like a nod to Nakatomi Plaza—was constantly under siege from helicopters, fighter planes, and infantry landing from above and surging up from below. ?It was chaos, and I loved it. When we drove a truck into a storm later on, we both laughed with sheer delight as it sent our pick-up soaring across the map and out of the battle.

The storms, by the way, are a sight to behold. I only glimpsed one during my time playing, but when it started roaring its way across the map, just about everyone on the server dropped what they were doing and took off into it. One of my fondest memories in gaming this year will likely be sailing around the edge of? the storm in my parachute, letting the terrifying winds lift me up and carry me, and looking around to see half a server's worth of players floating around in the sky amid a tornado. It was beautiful.

I could talk a lot about what guns and tanks were available, or how well-designed the map is (I really did like this map though), or the cool UI touches like the augmented reality heads-up display glitching out around the storm. But it was the little moments of player-i??nduced creativity that really reminded me why I dig these games in the first place.

Spawning into a teammate's helicopter and manning a gun turret for them is just straight-up fun. Holding down a point and then turning towards a distant rumbling to see a tornado barreling towards you is exciting. I stopped and p??aused to watch the rocket take off every time I heard the sirens start to blare.

Everyone will have a chance to go hands-on with Battlefield 2042 soon, and it's what you would expect: it's more Battlefield, with a vaguely-ahead-of-modern-times twist. Being able to call in recon vehicles to help get to points faster is nice, and so ??is blasting the in-game radio as you speed through an underground tunnel, only to head-on ram an enemy jeep doing the same.

My time with Battlefield 2042 was filled ????with these little moments of chaotic player interaction, and they were a blast, every single time. And now I'm just looking forward to getting even more time to find out what else there is to see in the open beta.

The open beta for Battlefield 2042 will run from Oct. 6 through 9. The game itself will launch for PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox ???One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on Nov. 19, 2021.

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Previous gen owners won't have to sweat the upgrade

If you're picking up a digital PS4 or Xbox One version of Battlefield 2042, you won't have to worry as much about an upgrade down the line now. Electronic Arts and DICE announced today that all next-gen digital versions of Battlefield 2042 will include cross-gen access.

That means if you pick up a digital copy of Battlefield 2042 on PS5 or Xbox Series X|S, you'll still get access to the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game. Previously, the Cross-Gen Bundle was only part of the Gold and Ultimate Edition versions of Battlefield 2042. In an EA blog post today, Battlefield's community manager explained the change.

"We realize that for many, next-gen hardware is still hard to come by," reads the post. "We want as many Battlefield fans as possible to start the journey with us on day one, and we want to give those players the peace of mind that their progress carries over if they get a new system this holi?day? season, or beyond."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynHfYkuhDK8

This does mean that you'll need to pick up the next-gen versions of Battlefield 2042 to access the Cross-Gen Bundle, though. EA says there are "presently no plans for any alternative upgrade paths" for the PS4 and Xbox One versions of Battlefield 2042. You?'ll also have to buy digital, as the physical version will not include access to the Cross-Gen Bundle.

Also, the upgrade only works within console families. This is usually how it goes with these upgrades, but PS4 owners won't be able to go to Xbox Series X, and vice versa with Xbox One to PS5. Basically, no console hopping. But while there's a limitation, it's nice to see that those who haven't managed to get a PS5 or Xbox Series X yet won't have to pay too much of a premium to play Battlefield 2042 when it's out. And Battlefield 2042 will support cross-progression, so your profile will ca?rry across to any platform, so long as it's linked to your EA Account.

Battlefield 2042 will host an open beta on Oct. 6 through 9, and will? launch later this year on Nov. 19 for PS4, Xbox One, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC?.

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Block and report players from inside the game

Developer DICE has already discussed ways in which Battlefield 2042 is building up the gameplay of its upcoming FPS. But today, the studio posted a blog addressing the social aspects of its game, and how it will be addressing community and conduct, including cheaters, within Battlefield 2042.

In a post about DICE's commitment to "Positive Play," the studio details how its addressing player interactions in Battlefield 2042. This ranges from some guidelines for how to treat other folks in??-game, to improved tools for pinging people who a??re detracting from the experience.

First off is the Community Charter, which outlines its expectations for players in Battlefield 2042. These include some "Golde??n Rule" topics, and not sharing inappropriate content.

What's likely to appeal to Battlefield players are improved tools for muting, blocking, and reporting players from within the game. DICE says that reporting a player is faster than previous Battlefield games. It should be easier now to report som?eone and return to the fight, as well as options for muting some or all players, in ?text and voice chat.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdA6V5PIEFw

Even the Battlefield Portal, DICE's custom game feature for Battlefield 2042, will let players use admin tools to apply persistent bans to players across the Community Experiences they'?ve created.

DICE also says it will be investing in developing internal capabilities and technologies to augment third-party anti-cheat solutions, so there will be "multiple layers of defense" against cheater??s. And for consoles, mouse? and keyboard support won't be enabled at launch, though they will still investigate options for the future.

It's good to have a commitment to tackling cheaters from the get-go, as well as some streamlined options for reporting or avoiding players in matches. Hopefully those tools make the launch of Battlefield 2042 on Nov. 19 smooth. The open beta, meanwhile, is set to go live next week.

The post Battlefield 2042 will have a streamlined r?eporting process appeared first on Destructoid.

(To the tune of the Battlefield theme): Duh-dum dum duh-dum

The date for Battlefield 2042 may be moved back, but the open beta is right around the corner. Electronic Arts and DICE confirmed today that the Battlefield 2042 open beta will kick off on Oct. 6 for early access, and g??eneral ??access on Oct. 8.

The Battlefield 2042 open beta will be available both on PC (via Origin, EA app, Steam, and Epic) and consoles, both current and next-gen. It's important to note that while you will not need PlayStation Plus for the open beta on PlayStation consoles, Xbox players will need to be an Xbox Live Gold subscriber.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdA6V5PIEFw

The open beta will spotlight one map and one mod??e: Conquest on Orbital. Pr?ogress also won't be able to carry over to the main game, but players are allowed to capture and share content from it.

Early access, for either EA Play members or those who have pre-ordered Battlefield 2042, opens on Oct. 6, while access for everyone will open on Oct. 8. The open beta itself will run thro??ugh Oct. 9.

Though the launch of Battlefield 2042 was slightly delayed, pushing it back to Nov. 19, our early impression of the game has been that it's a step in the right direction. The number of players on ne??xt-gen consoles and PC is scaled up to 128-player maps, while PS4 and Xbox One will be playing with 64-player servers.

And though the impressive-looking Battlefield Portal won't be in the Open Beta, that seems like it will be a big draw for fans of older Battlefield entries to toy around with at launch. Even if it's just a little bit of Conquest, though, I'm intrigued to see what a next-gen Battlefield looks like in action when t??he open beta goes live.

Battlefield 2042 will launch for PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4,?? and PlayStation 5 on Nov. 19, 2021.

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No word on when the open beta will start, but we'll get an update 'later this month'

After a lot of (now-confirmed) speculation about Battlefield 2042 missing its original October 22 release date, DICE has announced that the game needs another month, and it'll launch on November 19, 2021. In terms ??of big-game delays, that's much at all.

Get your Battlefield x Endwalker fan art ready.

//twitter.com/Battlefield/status/143823240711990??8870

In this afternoon's statement on Twitter, DICE general manager Oskar Gabrielson said:

"Building the next generation of Battlefield during a global pandemic has created unforeseen challenges for our development teams. Given the scale and scope of the game, we had hoped our teams would be back in our studios together as we move towards launch. With the ongoing conditions not allowing that to happen safely, and with all the hard work the teams are doing from home, we feel it is important to take the extra time to deliver on the vision of Battlefield 2042 for our players."

Promising more details to come "later this month" regarding the Battlefield 2042 open beta timing, which I'm looking forward to, Gabrielson added t??hat the teams �DICE, Criterion, Ripple Effect Studios, and EA Gothenburg �"believe in?? the game we're making, and we thank you for your patience as we put some finishing touches into the experience."

There's been rumblings about a possible September rollout for the open beta. As noted by our boy Jeff Grubb (who fueled the "delay" fire this morning), that speculative date was never confirme??d, but he has "heard that the September 22 beta may also get delayed."

I'm enough of a Battlefield fan that I am really, truly hoping for the best with 2042 �it needs a win. A big one. Most of what I've seen of the game so far speaks to me, and hopefully this ??extra month on the clock can go a long way toward coming ??out in tip-top shape. It'd be a shame to see it slip at launch and have the post-launch schedule spiral.

High level, we've got the main multiplayer core, the customizable Battlefield Portal suite, and whatever Hazard Zone ends up being. There's a lot on the line.

The post Bat?tlefield 2042 delayed to November 19, open beta info coming this month appeared first on Destructoid.

Apex, Battlefield, and more?

This year's EA Play Live showcase is set to get underway in just a short? while here, with news and updates about Electronic Arts' upcoming slate of games.

The show kicks off at 10 a.m. PT, on both EA's YouTube and Twitch channels. You can also w?atch the ?action in the embed below:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIeQnMKFNIY

The publisher set its showcase in July this year, creating some distance between EA Play Live and last month's E3 2021 festivities. EA has had some distance between itself and that show for a while, but this year, it especially feels like there's been a good gap betwee??n the big June showcases and today's show.

EA and its studios have already been letting us know what won't be at the show today. Namely, there won't be any news on Mass Effect or Dragon Age from BioWare, no new Star Wars game, and nothing new to say about Skate.

So what's set to show up? Battlefield 2042 for one, as it's one of EA's big titles set to launch this fall. And with the newly named Ripple Effect Studios providing support on the project, it'll be interesting to see what the new Battlefield still has waiting in the wings to show off. Respawn Entertainment has also confirmed that it'll show off the new update coming to Apex Legends today as well. And though EA's already been spotlighting some s??ports content prior to today, it's hard to think we won't see some more? sporting activities on-screen today.

As for the surprises? Well, rumor has it that EA is looking to resurrect an established IP as part of its event today. Recent reports pointed to Dead Space, and hey, I'm always down for some Dead Space.

We'll see what Electronic Arts, and its various studios, have in ??store for EA Play Live as the showcase gets ?underway today.

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Expanding the Battlefield

The next Battlefield game is aiming to stage some pretty big battles. Thankfully, those battles won't be cordoned off depending on your platform as Battlefield 2042 will get cross-play, at lea??st within console generations.

In an Electronic Arts blog today, the Battlefield 2042 team confirmed that it's building in and testing cross-play functionality. Right now, Battlefield 2042 cross-play is expected to work between PS4 and Xbox One, or? between PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5. (PC and co??nsole users can also opt-out from playing together.)

EA doesn't provide a reason for the generational split, though it's most likely due to newer-gen consoles and PC having the larger 128-player battles, while last-gen is limited to 64. The team will be testing cross-play out in the upcoming Technical Playtest, wh??ich will let a small group of players play on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5 play together.

There's also discussion of Battlefield 2042's cross-progression, which will carry over between Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. Basically, your kit goes with you, wherever you go. That w??ill also include purchases within your copy of the game, according to EA's blog.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=WomAGoEh-Ss

Also confirmed in the blog today is that while Battlefield 2042 will have its bots, you'll still need to be online to play solo against the A.I. A technical?? pla??ytest will be hosted later this summer to help test this cross-play functionality, though EA says it is not intended to be the full experience that will be seen in the Open Beta or at launch.

This is some good news overall though, and certainly makes Battlefield 2042 a bit more appealing for playing with various groups of friends. Next-gen consoles have still been hard to get a h?old of, and so games with cross-play have offered us ways to still play together, even if PS5s aren't in stock.

And I've really appreciated the games that do take cross-progression into account, though I'm still waiting for some to catch up to the trend. Having this built in right from the beginning means I'm not worrying as much about unlocking everything on every version, or which platform I want to buy my cosmetics on. I can just care about when the next ATV will spawn, so I can drive it off a building into a helicopter, just?? like in the trailer.

Battlefield 2042 will launch on Oct. 22, 2021 f??????????????????????????or PS4, Xbox One, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

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Make some robot friends

The next Battlefield will boast some pretty big battles, and that means corralling a lot of players together. But i?n the situations where that's not exactly possible, it looks like EA has some other measures it can employ, like bots.

Electronic Arts recently confirmed to The Verge that Battlefield 2042's "All-Out Warfare" modes, which can fit 128 players in a mat?ch on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, will use bots to keep those servers filled. Human players will take priority, but it will make use of up to 64 "AI soldiers" to fill up a game, i??ncluding Conquest and Breakthrough modes.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=WomAGoEh-Ss

It's already been confirmed that you can play bot matches in the upcoming Battlefield, so using bots to fill multiplayer matches isn't too big of a surprise. And honestly, I think this is a good call. Time zones and peak hours can have an effect on how many players are available, and Battlefield games can rise and fall in popularity.

I'd rather have some fun in a server with 63 humans and 64 bots than run?? around a map trying to find oth??er players. EA says it will have more info soon about how the bots work, so we can look forward to that.

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Si vis pacem, para bellum

Electronic Arts announced that it has boosted the server strength and player capacity of eight-year-old military shooter Battlefield 4, after flocks of players flooded the multiplayer servers in the wake of Battlefield 2042's recent reveal.

In a post on the official Battlefield blog, an EA spokesperson said that the publisher had been "blown away" by the sudden resurgence of interest in the 2013 sequel, and is currently taking steps to increase the Battlefield 4 servers' player capacity, boost server stability, and reduc??????????????????????????e waiting times in efforts to get battalions of nostalgic nukers back into the war zone as quickly as possible.

Officially revealed by EA earlier this month, Battlefield 2042 will see studio DICE once again work its magic on presenting the series' trademark large-scale multiplayer warfare, waged by land, sea, and air. Set in an alternate, (but suspiciously resonant), near-future, Battlefield 2042 will feature weapons of war from both today and tomorrow, and will boast incredible weather effects, 128-player maps, and a slew of new locations and modes. Interestingly, DICE has noted it currently has no interest in poking that darlin??g of the modern shooter franchise: Battle Roy??ale.

These resurgent responses to sequel announcements are incredibly common in the gaming industry. From my own time spent in the knee-wrecking world of retail, I can testify to the rapid-selling of titles that had previously sat dormant on the shelves for months, just at the mere mention of a potential sequel. Announcements such as these often get?? old fans wan?ting to scratch the proverbial itch once again, while simultaneously becoming re-acclimatized to the terrain, tactics, and muscle memory of long-forgotten loves.

Battlefield 2042 is in development for PlayStation, Xbox??, and PC platforms for an October ??2021 release.

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Know when to hold 'em, know when to roll 'em

Dice are fairly commonplace in tabletop roleplaying, but Citizen Sleeper is finding some virtual applications for them. The futuristic narrative RPG sees?? you trying to survive in an interstellar capitalist society, and dice are how you do it.

Revealed during yesterday's PC Gaming Show for E3 2021, Citizen Sleeper is the latest game from In Other Waters developer Jump Over The Age. It also features character?? art from Guillaume Singelin, and wow, do?es the art pop in this trailer.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMtpCfLyKeE

As a sleeper—a digitized human in an artificial body, owned by a corporation that wants it (you) back—you have to manage life aboard Erlin's Eye, a ruined space station with people just trying to get by in interstellar life. It's chaotic and restless, ?but there are many ways to spend your time; hit the bar, work the yards, or just get to know people, making it by one cycle at a time.

Every cycle you roll dice, and then get to assign their value to various actions on the station. Each decision determine?s your way forward, and affects those around you as well. Clocks track your progress and influence, while "drives" let you pick and choose the stories that matter most to you, shaping your skills in the process.

It sounds really rad, like a mix of Dicey Dungeons and tabletop concepts with the social management of games like The Yawhg. Citizen Sleeper is currently slotted for a 2022 launch, and its Steam page is open for wishlisting here.

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Darude's "Sandstorm" intensifies

After revealing the next entry in the Battlefield series last week, Electronic Arts and DICE showcased some gameplay from its 128-player battles. It looks like there's more to? watch out for than just some enemy sig?hts.

During today's E3 Xbox & Bethesda showcase, DICE showed pre-alpha gameplay of Battlefield 2042's massive multiplayer combat. Alongside some neat touches like ?tinkering with gun attachments on the fly and wingsuits, there's also some giant freakin' weather tornad?oes to really spice things up.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=WomAGoEh-Ss

Yeah, getting sucked up into one of those se??ems not great. I'll sta?y inside.

If you're eager for more, it's probably worth keeping an eye out for EA's upcoming event in July. Battlefield 2042 is scheduled for launch on Oct. 22, 2021 fo??r PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Se?ries X|S, and PC.

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First impressions of the multiplayer-only game

Ahead of E3 2021 this morning, DICE lifted the lid on Battlefield 2042, a not-too-futuristic successor to 2018's World War II game, Battlefield V, with 128-player support.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASzOzrB-a9E&t=0s

After recently attending a hands-off reveal event, I've gotta say, I like what I'm seeing and hearing �conceptually, this ??could be a "return to form" for fans who enjoyed the recent WWI and WWII bouts but ultimately missed the flow and feel of more modern combat.

The series has been jumping all over the place with these names and settings, but at first glance, Battlefield 2042 immediately calls to mind Battlefield 4 �a smart move.

If I had to sum up the direction of this year's game (which is due out October 22 across PC and current/last-gen consoles), it would be large-scale sandbox shenanigans in a near-future setting. In the presentation I attended last week, the developers said they're focusing on what they do best �multiplayer �and they're leaning into weather elements like a tornado, flashy stage hazards like a (failed) rocket launch, and room for 128-player matches across some of the "largest maps" yet for the Battlefield series.

With visions of Battlefield 2142 walkers potentially in your head, I feel like I should clear the air: I didn't see Elysium exoskeletons o?r anything. I did spot one of those robot dogs sprinting with a gun mounte??d on its back, to say nothing of wingsuits and hovercraft.

According to DICE general manager Oskar Gabrielson, 2042's story elements will surface through the game world over time. In other words, there is "not a traditional single-player" mode like we've seen in recent Battlefield games. In terms of world-building food-for-thought while we're out there squading up with our guys and gals, the central conflict in Battlefield 2042 has to do with food, water, energy, and refugee crises brought about by climate change. As nations fall apart, the United States and Russia have begun using specialists �the so-called "Non-Patriated" �who fu??nctionally serve as classes.

So far, DICE has shown four of the ten named specialists lined up for launch, and yes, that's as good of a time as any to mention that Battlefield 2042 will have a free and paid battle pass. (Expect new locations and maps to be accessible in the free tier, as well as a seasonal cadence for major updates that?? "push th??e narrative of the world forward.")

Not coincidentally, the specialists are familiar stand-ins for ??the Recon, Assault, Support, and Engineer roles. Every specialist can use any gun and there's also flexibility with grenades and secondary gadgets, but their primary gadget will be locked in, and they'll have differing traits. Some examples: a Recon Drone that can hover in place to tag soldiers or be manually piloted, a Sentry Gun, a Grappling Hook, and a healing Syrette P?istol.

Each specialists' trait goes hand in hand with their main ??gadget in ways you'd expect. For instance, Maria Falck, who fits the general support role, can revive teammates at full healt??h. Pyotr Guskovsky, an engineer, can bolster his sentry so that it spots targets faster. Beyond those class choices, everyone can alter their weapon mid-combat �a new "Plus System" lets you easily switch your scope, barrel, ammo, and under-barrel attachment without needing to pull up a menu. Considering how large the maps are going to be and how different sections will call for different playstyles in the same match, that's ideal.

No surprise here, but we don't have a full picture of every facet of the game just yet. Marketing rollouts �you know the dril??l. Today's just the pre-E3 introduction.

The focus so far has squarely been on All-Out Warfare, which houses returning modes like Conquest and Breakthrough. There's also the mysterious Hazard Zone, a "high-stakes, squad-based" experience that supposedly feels distinct from All-Out Warfare and "is not a battle royale." The third pillar of 2042, as it were, is yet to be named �but it's a "new game-type for the franchise" developed by DICE LA as a "love letter to Battlefield fans."

I like what little I've ??seen of All-Out Warfare, though. In terms of maps, it'll have seven at launch. A few that stood out were a South Korean cityscape with canals and ziplines (Kaleidoscope), a close-quarters Indian shoreline with stranded ships (Discarded), and an agricultural tech center in Egypt that's half desert solar park, half greenery (Renewal).

What about the PS4 and Xbox One versions? Battlefield 2042 is coming to those platforms as well, but not without trade-offs. I can't speak?? to the visuals or performance at all, but DICE was clear that last-gen consoles will be limited to 64 players, and the sprawling maps will be tailored to accommodate these smaller skirmishes; we were tol??d the gameplay and dynamic events like player-snatching tornadoes will still be featured.

I'm also curious to see the AI in action. This time, we'll be able to play against AI soldiers in modes like Conquest and Breakthrough, whether that's totally alone or with your squad. DICE suggested that it has wanted to incorporate this before as a way to ease players into Battlefield PvP, and now they're doing it with 2042. I hope they pull it off.

The next major reveal will happen at EA Play Live in July �expect to see the DICE LA-developed slice of the game �and Battlefield 2042 will get an open beta this year.

There's no telling how everything will pan out, especially after the way Battlefield V fell short of post-launch expectations, but I'm feeling more confident. If absolutely nothing else, the bread-and-butter Conquest mode should have the sort of big-picture chaos I want from Battlefield, albeit on a grander scale, and I'm ready to return to contemporary combat that feels more in line with Battlefield 3 and 4. This seems to be on the right track.

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Play the Battlefield jingle

Electronic Arts has set the date for the reveal of the next Battlefield game. The new entry will be unveiled on June 9, just ?ahead of E3 2021.

According to the Battlefield account's post, the reveal will air at 7 a.m. PDT on June 9. It will air on the Battlefield YouTube channel.

EA and the Battlefield team have been teasing some news to come regarding Battlefield for some time, both in terms of its next major entry in the series and a forthcoming mobile title. The reveal also comes just ahead of E3 2021, which? is taking place virtually from June 15 through 17.

Despite the timing, Electronic Arts itself is planning to host its own EA Play Live event in July. With events on either side of E3, it certainly seems like the publisher might have a great deal to talk about this year; and between Battlefield, a growing Respawn Entertainment, and two big proje?cts at BioWare, it will ?hopefully have some stuff to show this summer.

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