A few weeks ago Electronic Arts released news that the exclusive weapons found in the special edition (the Gold Edition as it's called) of Battlefield: Bad Company would be made available on the Xbox Live Marketplace for a fee. After sending the internet into an expected uproar over the decision that resulted in angry comments from X3F readers, an internet boycott campaign and an analysis of the situation on our own X3F TV, it seems EA has changed their mind.
Earlier today in an interview with IGN, Senior Producer at DICE Karl-Magnus Troedsson spoke the words throngs of FPS fanboys have been waiting to hear. "No, there's no charge for any of the guns in the game. All of the guns in the game can be achieved without purchasing them."
But the story doesn't end there. Jump in to find out what you'll need to do to claim your weapons from EA when Battlefield: Bad Company hits this summer.
While the weapons will be made available, as the French would say gratuit, the weapons won't simply be available unlocked. "We want to give some exclusivity to those who buy the Gold Edition," Troedsson said, "[Gold Edition purchasers] will get the five Gold Edition weapons from Day One when they put the disc in. People that don't buy the Gold Edition can get the five additional weapons by getting to the final rank in the game."
Also, in order to gain the extra weapons in either version gamers will have to participate in a marketing program that was not detailed in full. Troedsson mentions there are five programs and it may be as simple as signing up for a newsletter, but at this moment we have no confirmation on what these programs will entail from Bad Company players.
Ad for the leveling situation, getting to level 25 in the game seems like a lot of work for a few weapons we detailed as, "not too powerful" in our comparison video on X3F TV but we're not complaining. But this marketing program makes us wonder what we'll be getting ourselves into. But, EA heard what the community had to say and responded. So, with this in mind is anyone who was once against the title thinking about picking it up now?
[Thanks, Marklar]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
4-09-2008 @ 8:38PM
DjDATZ said...
Bravo to Sarcastic Gamer for bringing this controversy to everyone's eyes and essentially making EA back down from their bullshit.
Thank you to EA for getting rid of the bullshit purchasing of weapons. Thank you for fixing your mistake and realizing that you went wrong.
Gamers 1 : EA 0
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4-09-2008 @ 8:47PM
Brian Fantana said...
"You have to do the marketing programs that we're going to announce further ahead" before you can get the guns.
So they still arent free. Even if you pay $10 for the gold, you have to do the marketing program.
Still BS in my opinion.
4-09-2008 @ 11:39PM
BananaBoat said...
They've replaced paying money for an advantage, with letting them sell your private info for an advantage. This isn't a win for us, and it probably isn't even a draw. I'm not buying this game.
4-10-2008 @ 7:58AM
peeweejd said...
: Thank you to EA for getting rid of the bullshit
: purchasing of weapons. Thank you for fixing your
: mistake and realizing that you went wrong.
now we just have to figure out how to cancel the trial maxim subscription, the order for the "deluxe" ginsu knife set, jelly of the month club and the 3 online dating services that you have "participate" in.
4-10-2008 @ 8:08AM
DjDATZ said...
Just to make it clear, I still have NO intention of even CONSIDERING this game for a purchase. After hearing from the Fancast that it can take up to 25 seconds of pumping lead into someone to kill them, and all this other bullshit, there's no way in hell that I'll even remotely think of playing this game...
I didn't get into the Beta, and now, I'm glad I didn't waste my time with it.
4-10-2008 @ 9:59AM
Richard Mitchell said...
Well, 25 seconds might have been a *slight* exaggeration. Still not my cup of tea though (or Xav's or Dustin's for that matter).
4-10-2008 @ 10:32AM
DjDATZ said...
The Fancast said 25 seconds. This is now a hard and stone fact if it was said on the Fancast. In Battlefield: Bad Company multiplayer it takes at least 25 seconds of shooting at someone to kill them.
LOL Rich.
4-09-2008 @ 8:45PM
JAKEJAX said...
Paying for DLC makes sense to me. Someone puts a lot of hard into making extra content, but nickle and diming us for perks is just not right. I think that they made the right descision.
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4-10-2008 @ 7:33AM
Rob said...
The content is already on the disk, you are just paying to access it.
4-09-2008 @ 8:49PM
andre said...
Now ill buy it. Thats what i'm talking about. The community getting stuff done.
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4-09-2008 @ 8:55PM
Digital Limit said...
Hah, that's awesome. I'm glad consumers *do* have a say in things like this.
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4-09-2008 @ 8:58PM
B Tizo said...
I still will not pick this up. I might add it to my GameFly Q, but that's about it. There are far more important games (to me, at least) that will get my money. Games like GTA4, Halo 3, CoD4, Gears 2, and Ninja Gaiden II, just to name a few, not to mention DLC for Rock Band, Mass Effect, and GTA4.
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4-09-2008 @ 9:00PM
jmf said...
Great loophole EA....get rid of paid weapons, only to force some marketing program on the user. Pure genius. Does EA really need players participating in marketing campaigns?, aren't they like the richest game company ever? This is just more bullshit.
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4-09-2008 @ 9:02PM
Jayslacks said...
We win!
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4-09-2008 @ 9:03PM
Lavat said...
I do not think it is that hard to work on a few extra guns compared to maps as in Call of Duty...Still...This News Letter will just lead to something else and then to something else. EA is EA.... Being who they are, will mean that you will get alot of advertisements in the mail or email. If you remember the in game advertisements of BF 2142 then expect something similar.
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4-09-2008 @ 9:09PM
sku110ne said...
Now to get the gold weapons you have to attain the final rank in the game??
how many of you former BF2 players ever attain the rank of general?
I played for years and never did
Reply
4-09-2008 @ 9:42PM
FatalisticDread said...
Yup...never got there. Got so tired of the glitchers and chopper-whores spawn-killing, I ditched the game over a year ago. Can't remember my final rank, but it was getting up there...but it took FOREVER!
4-09-2008 @ 9:16PM
ZEBRA NINER said...
Hahaha! Expected. What was probably planned was to get this in the news and have everyone talking about it. Mission accomplished, EA.
I knew EA would do the right thing, like always! EA is great! I
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4-09-2008 @ 10:56PM
AnOffday said...
I know you're not that dumb. Come on now. Do you honestly believe what you're saying? EA always does the right thing? HA!
4-10-2008 @ 10:02AM
ZEBRA NINER said...
ahhh... I was joking. You guys take everything so seriously.
I really love EA though. They are the best evar! ;)