EA ditches weapon DLC on Bad Company

[link=Guess they couldnt handle the negative feedback]http://www.gamespot.com/news/6189011.aspx?part=rss&tag=gs_news&subj=6189011[/link]

At the end of March, EA invited a select number of gamers to participate in an online multiplayer beta for the Xbox 360 version of Battlefield: Bad Company. Shortly after the Xbox Live server opened, gamers discovered that while many weapons would be available out of the box, 10 firearms appeared to be available only as downloadable content or through the purchase of the collector' s edition of the game.

A firestorm of controversy followed, with fan site Sarcastic Gamer organizing Battlefield fans into a boycott of sorts due to the downloadable content for the title. EA moved quickly to diffuse some of the complaints, saying that five of the 10 locked weapons will actually be given away as part of a promotional campaign, and as such were incorrectly flagged. However, the publisher also noted that the remaining five would indeed be premium content, available only in the Gold Edition of the game or as downloadable extras purchasable over Xbox Live.

EA' s clarification on the issue acted as a gentle breeze on the conflagration, working only to further fan gamers' rage over the issue. Taking heed of the outcry, EA today confirmed for GameSpot that it has scrapped plans to charge extra for the weapons included in the Gold Edition of the game. Instead, those who purchase the Gold Edition will receive the weapons out of the box, while all others will gain access to the weapons by ranking up their online personas to the maximum level.

Karl-Magnus Troedsson, senior producer on Battlefield: Bad Company, laid out the situation for GameSpot in an interview earlier today.

" It all started when the beta came out," said Troedsson. " The beta is a beta. We had some problems with explanation of the weapons that are available or you can see on the unlocking page. We had some weapons that we were planning to release through various marketing programs, but they were actually flagged there like you were supposed to buy these weapons through Xbox Live Marketplace, and that was a misunderstanding between marketing and us the developers. We clarified that in the last statement that went out, but lately there' s been a lot going on about the Gold Edition weapons."

" I should pretty much start at the end, we listen a lot to what people say out there. I think that' s important to show, because we don' t have time to comment on everything, because there' s so much noise out there, but DICE is built upon the multiplayer community, and we do listen to what people say out there. When we saw this big uprise about people that really felt it was dissatisfying that some people bought the Gold Edition, those five weapons you couldn' t get or that you had to buy if you had the ordinary version of the game, that we just decided that all weapons will be free in the game, and that' s how it is now."

" These Gold Edition weapons, we won' t give away, you have to do something as a gamer. The Gold Edition guys and girls that actually buy that game will have some time where the weapons are exclusive, because if you don' t buy the Gold Edition, you have to earn them. That means you have to rank up all the way to the top rank, which is rank 25, and then you have a massive unlock of five new weapons which are the same that are in the Gold Edition."

When asked whether DICE has any future plans to release weapons as downloadable content, Troedsson commented, " It isn' t something we' ve announced at this point. DICE wants to support the product out there. We won' t say that we won' t do it, but it' s not something that we' re planning right now. It all depends on the feedback we get and how much people like the game." An EA representative picked up on Magnus' comment, saying, " There' s other content we' re looking at after the game releases."

As much as try to deny it, they tried to use DLC as a profiteering scam. They got called on it and lost their nerve. Hopefully the public negativity from this will have dissuaded other publishers from trying to rip us off (although not holding my breath on this one).

As much as try to deny it, they tried to use DLC as a profiteering scam. They got called on it and lost their nerve.

It almost seems to me that EA never really intended to us the DLC at all, but rather wanted to test the waters to see how the gaming public would react. Now that they have seen how ridiculous an idea this was, I don' t think that any dev will try it again.

Most wanted games:

Mass Effect
Assasins Creed
Crysis
Little Big Planet
Drakes Fortune
UTIII
Kane and Lynch
Heavy Rain
Alan Wake

You still have to sign up for some marketing thing to get the downloads apparently.

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.

-Xbox360Fanboy

Seems like more EA bullshit. I really don' t think I' m going to buy this game unless EA just f*cking releases the game as a whole game. All these tactics to make people give a little bit extra is a fucking joke.

XBL Gamertag: Rampage99

" Basically, pollute the air all you want, your just speeding up the inevitable. Our future generations are f*cked as it is and there' s really nothing we can do about it. Have a nice day "

It should be made law to release all of a games content within the package and anything made after release only to be charged for. Personally I wouldn' t even sign up for any newsletters let alone pay for ' held-back' content.

Its good they' ve changed their minds though.

So now instead of paying some money to get weapons i have to deal with spam mails and god forbid marketing phone calls ??? I will say it again , FUCK YOU EA !!!!

You still have to sign up for some marketing thing to get the downloads apparently.

Are you f.ucking serious???!!!!!

EA can can kiss my maple syrup lovin Canadian Ass!!!!!

Most wanted games:

Mass Effect
Assasins Creed
Crysis
Little Big Planet
Drakes Fortune
UTIII
Kane and Lynch
Heavy Rain
Alan Wake

ORIGINAL: Rampage99

You still have to sign up for some marketing thing to get the downloads apparently.

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.

-Xbox360Fanboy

Seems like more EA bullshit. I really don' t think I' m going to buy this game unless EA just f*cking releases the game as a whole game. All these tactics to make people give a little bit extra is a ***ing joke.

I think this was before the " Reach top level" thing was announced. They did say you had to participate in promotional things in order to get them but this was before they talked about the top level thing.

Why are we here, you ask? Nobody knows, so shut up.

I' m not going to comment on thissun, until I can actually sit down and read through the fine print. Last time I did it, I got all riled up, and then made a right ass of myself when I did get around to reading said fine print.

This means they found a less obvious method to fuck us up the ass faster and harder than with downloadable content. Probably with adware...