Battlefield (series)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Battlefield
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| Genre(s) | First-person shooter Third-person shooter |
| Developer(s) | EA Digital Illusions CE |
| Publisher(s) | Electronic Arts |
| Platform(s) | Xbox, Xbox 360, Windows-based PCs, Mac OS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 |
| Official website | http://www.battlefield.com |
The Battlefield franchise is a series of computer and console games that started with the Windows/Mac game Battlefield 1942, the series is developed by EA Digital Illusions CE, and published by Electronic Arts. The games feature a greater focus on large maps and vehicle warfare than traditional first person shooters. The PC games in the series are mainly focused on online multiplayer. The Battlefield series had sold 4.4 million units as of October 2004.[1] The series has a recognizable 6-beat sting which is often used in promotional material for the games.
[edit] Games
Codename Eagle, released in November, 1999, was the predecessor to the Battlefield series, using the Refractor graphics engine that formed the basis of Battlefield 1942. Battlefield 1942 was released on September 10, 2002, and introduced the "Conquest" gameplay mode, in which players fought for "capture points" throughout the map. The game marked a turning point in first-person shooters towards teamwork objectives rather than deathmatch play. Two expansion packs were released, The Road to Rome and Secret Weapons of WWII. Battlefield Vietnam, released in 2004, moved the setting to the Vietnam War, and was built on a modified Battlefield 1942 engine with various gameplay improvements.
The 2005 game Battlefield 2 takes place in the modern day, during a fictional war between the United States, China, and the fictional Middle Eastern Coalition (MEC). While requiring numerous software patches due to the large amount of bugs and glitches in the final version of the game, it was a commercial success, selling over 2,250,000 copies worldwide, as of July 2006.[2] It also received widespread critical acclaim, with an aggregate review score of 91%.[3] One expansion pack, Special Forces, and two booster packs were also released. A version of the game called Battlefield 2: Modern Combat was released for consoles, with an improved single player mode but more limited online play.
Battlefield 2142 was released in 2006, taking place during a global ice age in the 22nd century. While much of its gameplay is similar to Battlefield 2, it introduced a variety of equippable items to unlock and battles between two giant "Titan" airships. Its use of in-game advertising was controversial among players.[4] While generally praised by critics, it recieved lower review scores than its predecessors, with an average GameRankings score of 80%.[5] The Northern Strike booster pack was later released, including new maps, vehicles, and a new game mode.
In 2008, EA released Battlefield: Bad Company, which follows the infamous "B" Company's AWOL escapades and their search for mercenary gold. A sequel, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, is in development and is scheduled for a 2010 release in the US.
In 2009, EA released Battlefield Heroes, a free-to-play download-only game supported by advertising and micropayments. Battlefield 1943, also download-only, was released in July 2009 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, while scheduled for release in September 2009 for Microsoft Windows. Battlefield 3 has been confirmed to be in development.[6]
[edit] References
- ^ Fahey, Rob (10-11-2004). "DICE results reveal Battlefield sales figures, next-gen plans". Gamesindustry.biz. http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/dice-results-reveal-battlefield-sales-figures-next-gen-plans. Retrieved on 2009-06-20.
- ^ "cc-39119edff67d&page=0 Digital Illusions Interim report January-June 2006". http://global.dice.se/finance/reports/?article=916754ba-fd14-40e9-b3 cc-39119edff67d&page=0. Retrieved on 2006-08-11.[dead link]
- ^ "Metacritic: Battlefield 2". http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/battlefield2. Retrieved on 2006-05-20.
- ^ Klepek, Patrick (2006-10-19). "Gamers Wary of Battlefield 2142's 'Spyware'". 1UP.com. http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3154522. Retrieved on 2006-10-20.
- ^ "Game Rankings Rating". Game Rankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/932358.asp. Retrieved on 2007-08-04.
- ^ Reilly, Jim (June 10, 2009). "EA Confirms Battlefield 3 Development". IGN. http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/993/993660p1.html. Retrieved on 2009-06-20.
[edit] External links
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