The Future of Battlefield

Interview with DICE's Ben Cousins regarding what DICE is doing

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=25875

I see the franchise as having two tracks - one being the traditional PC market, and the other being the console market. It has the potential to become one of the big console francises as well as a big PC title.

Then the scary part

I think the future of Battlefield is in how the content is distributed and delivered. We've always been on the cutting edge of online and the most downloaded EA links are Battlefield related. We've got a really tech savvy, online aware audience.

So I think it's an obvious thing to start thinking about content being delivered in bite-sized chunks. We can start thinking about new business models and new ideas with Battlefield.

Episodic content, then?

I think that the term episodic is perhaps overused. Delivering content in small units rather than one USD 60, several gig disc that you install is the way forward.

Episodic for me suggests that every month you download a significant amount of content, but I think it's much more interesting to look at the Asian business model where you're microtransacting or personalising your experience with small downloads of content. That's a much more interesting and relevant way of looking at the future of Battlefield.

But will that model work in Europe?

It depends on how you sell this stuff. You're running a business, it's like a shopfront. You have to sell the right things at the right prices and make sure that you target that.

What's interesting about the Korean action games is that you're very rarely buying a gun which will make it easier to kill someone; it's often timesaving. If I don't have time to level up my character to be as cool as my friends I can just buy an item that gives me that level up and save time.

So I think people are absolutely right ot feel uncomfortable with the idea of buying an item which gives you an advantage or being killed by a bought item, or feeling that you have to buy an item to get the full experience. It's about making sure that what you sell is compelling and interesting enough.

The subscription model is pervasive in the West because there hasn't been anything significant which has taken that micro-transaction idea on, and had it as a central model, I think that all it would take is for one big brand to to do that.

Part 1 of that interview is here:
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=25681


I don't like the idea of subscriptions or micro-transactions at all. Episodic content as they called it is more interesting although I'd certainly like to know more about what might be proposed.

We have enough issues with map packs and mods right now. If they started portioning out maps on a per-charge basis, we'd have to keep notes on who has what.. Alternately, games could get a bit odd, as they'll start adding weird stuff that doesn't really do much for the game, like a custom paint job for your vehicle, custom gfx for your helmet, etc.

Funny how they reworded what their already doing, selling maps essentially. I think they really want to merge WoW with BF2. Some genius is coming up with 'missions' and they are drooling at the prospects of monthly subscriptions.

I might even be able to see some of this as neccessary, but damn, its the worse bloated assed program I've ever purchased. I just don't see being able to stomach another version anytime soon.

I meant to post this when I read it.

The bottom line is they want to figure out how to milk BF for every single penny they can. As far as I am concerned, we are at the end of a good thing. When they start charging so I can save time doing something that is supposed to be fun in the first place, then they have totally lost sight of why people play games.

This was my single biggest problem with WOW. I really loved the game, but it felt too much like work. When it feels like work, it's not a game.

For the record, I don't like the direction this is going at all.

The microtransaction style could be workable but I bet they will screw it up. I played a game called Gunz a few times and it was fun for a while. This game had a system where everyone started with some basic equipment. Kills = Experience Points = money to buy stuff and "levelling". You could only access certain weapons above certain levels. You could also purchase those weapons outright using microtransactions with real money instead of via experience points. Once I got to level 10 I started getting my ass handed to me by everyone and I figured out that many had purchased better weapons that I didn't have the points to get. It was much less fun at that point.

If the microtransactions let you get a different but relatively equal weapon, then that is fine with me. If it means that you suddenly have a faster reload or a much more accurate shot, then it becomes an arms race and all the teens with Mom's money in their pocket will have all the hottest weapons on day one and the rest of us will just be pissed.

Some people are willing to pay a monthly subscription for a game and I might be under the correct circumstances. I haven't seen a game yet with those correct circumstances however.