Battlefield 3 Premium service confirmed

Battlefield 3's "Premium" service is a real thing, EA has finally confirmed.

46

Battlefield 3's "Premium" service is a real thing, EA has finally confirmed. The publisher promises additional information on June 4th, which coincides with their E3 press conference. June 4th is also the rumored release date for "Premium," which suggests the company plans on announcing and releasing the add-on at the same time.

The $50 "Premium" bundle should include access to all five expansion packs for Battlefield 3, including Back to Karkand, Close Quarters, and End Game. "Combined, the Battlefield 3 expansion packs include 20 maps, 20 new weapons, 10+ new vehicles, 4 new game modes, 30+ assignments, and 20+ dog tags," a leaked fact sheet revealed.

In addition, "Premium" users will get two weeks early access to add-on content, mirroring the release schedule of Call of Duty Elite. Additionally, "Premium" members also get "server queue priority"--a dicey proposition, given the criticisms surrounding the lack of official servers.

While many will likely balk at its price, Battlefield Premium does represent a savings over buying all the DLC separately. (Four expansion packs would cost $60, versus $50 for Premium.) Call of Duty Elite also offered similar savings, and it garnered two million paid subscribers.

Andrew Yoon was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    May 31, 2012 12:30 PM

    Andrew Yoon posted a new article, Battlefield 3 Premium service confirmed.

    Battlefield 3's "Premium" service is a real thing, EA has finally confirmed.

    • reply
      May 31, 2012 12:50 PM

      So glad I didn't invest any time in this game.

      • reply
        May 31, 2012 1:16 PM

        It was fun for some time, to be honest. The BF2 maps were fun, but now they just got to the milking stage.

        It's too bad, because the combat is cool, the sound design is amazing and the engine, quite impressive on PC.

        • reply
          May 31, 2012 2:06 PM

          Yeah, I like the game idea a lot. But I can't shake the feeling that EA doesn't care about the player base and is happy breaking and fragmenting and milking them for the sake of money.

          • reply
            May 31, 2012 4:26 PM

            Sure. I'm just saying that I got my $50 out of it and the way to show that I don't support that crap is just not paying for the service.

            • reply
              May 31, 2012 7:14 PM

              I got my $50 out of it. I wish the new content could be released that wouldn't hurt the player-base, but sadly it seems that is not a priority these days.

        • reply
          May 31, 2012 6:00 PM

          Yep. Most technical aspects of the game are awesome. (Modulo DICE's typical in-game UI issues with squads, VoIP, etc.) But most sales/marketing elements of the game have been terrible.

    • reply
      May 31, 2012 12:52 PM

      [deleted]

      • reply
        May 31, 2012 12:58 PM

        and CoD's Elite wasnt ?

        • reply
          May 31, 2012 1:50 PM

          He's referring to EA / DICE's stance on "mapathy" back when MW2 was out and they were releasing "free maps" (retooled existing maps for the most part). The only paid DLC that DICE had at the time was the Vietnam (which was fun for about two weeks and then they weren't supported for shit). It was the one, rare moment when EA wasn't looking like complete dicks. Ever since they pushed out Origin, it's been a 180.

    • reply
      May 31, 2012 12:57 PM

      but... since we already own BtoK..... the 2 other packs would be 40 right ?

      • reply
        June 4, 2012 2:19 AM

        I'm curious as well as to how they'll handle the players that already have some of the existing content to be included in this "Premium" bundle. It could be that what is listed in this article is speculation and the things that have already been released are not included at all.

    • reply
      May 31, 2012 1:04 PM

      yeah, bye dice. we had some good times, but these friends of yours.... well. nice knowing you.

      • reply
        May 31, 2012 1:12 PM

        wow its not that bad.. you pay only once and save 10-25 dollars on DLC. its not the end of the world.

        • reply
          May 31, 2012 1:30 PM

          no, its not the end. but crap like being able to take queue slots away is shadier than i like to deal with. don't care to support that.

          • reply
            May 31, 2012 1:30 PM

            *being able to take queue slots away from other players

          • reply
            May 31, 2012 3:59 PM

            I didn't read the article, taking away queue slots? Holy fuck those guys are pricks.

            • reply
              May 31, 2012 5:25 PM

              not taking away, i mispoke there. if you buy bf3 premium, you'll get bumped up ahead of of non-premium users in server queues.

              • reply
                May 31, 2012 7:15 PM

                FUCK THAT. Money should not buy skill or preference in an online, anonymous, and equal game.

          • reply
            June 4, 2012 2:22 AM

            Dude, I can't even find official EA/DICE servers anymore. Plus, I never queue up anyway. If there's not enough slots for me and my team, I pick a different server.

    • reply
      May 31, 2012 1:15 PM

      Eh, sounds like a reasonable deal to me.

    • reply
      May 31, 2012 1:16 PM

      So between this Premium queue crap, Blizzard's WoW-ification of all its IPs (all 3 of them), and Valve's asinine changes to good games (TF2 and DOTA2)...I think at least part of the game industry is trying to kill my interests in gaming.

      Luckily, there's still CD Projekt and kickstarters abound for a new renaissance of CRPG and adventure games.

      • reply
        May 31, 2012 4:02 PM

        My interest has dropped significantly. The only way I can put it, is games are turning into products more and more.

        The reality is, they always were products but the illusion was there and I could pay and get lost in another world, now that veil has been pulled back to see the money grab more and more and it feels dirty.

        Honestly, I think I'd just prefer to pay more, 65, 70, 75 whatever. I just don't want to subscribe to this whole DLC crap, the pre-order bonus shit, the DRM bullshit - it's all a mess. It all feels off to me and it's sullying gaming for me. Not that I'm bitter, more a bit sad. I get to enjoy TV and movies more lately.

        • reply
          May 31, 2012 4:04 PM

          I'm not quite as cynical as you two are on it, but this is part of the reason I've started buying more and more indie games over the past three years - Generally you know exactly what you're getting, and that there won't be any hidden tripwires.

          • reply
            May 31, 2012 8:49 PM

            I'm not even trying to be cynical, I feel like the industry is just pushing me in that way in regards to games.

      • reply
        May 31, 2012 11:40 PM

        Jesus what's wrong with what Valve does? TF2 is free god damnit, and there's nothing you can buy that gives anyone an unfair advantage.

        • reply
          June 1, 2012 2:29 AM

          They dumbed down a lot of the mechanics. Its still a fun game, just not as varied.

          Also crits can die in a fire.

    • reply
      May 31, 2012 1:32 PM

      Signing up for this ASAP. Come at me bros.

    • reply
      May 31, 2012 2:03 PM

      I'm gonna have my server auto-kick premiums.

      • reply
        June 4, 2012 2:24 AM

        I just want to be able to do slight changes to the Hardcore settings damnit....

    • reply
      May 31, 2012 2:13 PM

      Why are people so down on this? It's optional, and it gets you the upcoming expansions for cheaper than it would cost to buy them individually. Seems like win-win to me.

      It's really not much different, in my mind, than offering a discounted price for pre-ordering a game. Don't like it? Don't buy it, and buy the expansion packs later!

      • reply
        May 31, 2012 2:43 PM

        Server queue priority looks like a big slap in the face to non-buying customers.

        • reply
          May 31, 2012 2:59 PM

          That's a really weird feature. Do people really sit there in long server queues that often? Every time I want to play I just search for a server with open slots. I guess if my friends are playing in a full server I'll sit in the queue but I've never seen a queue longer than 3 people, and if one dude got to cut in line in front of me it would barely increase the wait.

          I mean I still think it's weird but I don't think it's going to be a problem for non-premiums

          • reply
            May 31, 2012 3:03 PM

            When it's the only server under 100 ping that doesn't have 1000 ticket w/instant respawns then yes I will sit there. Though yeah I agree, the premium stuff doesn't bother me at all.

      • reply
        May 31, 2012 5:24 PM

        It sucks because it creates multiple tiers of users in a game where everyone plays together, BF3 is an MP game.

        • reply
          May 31, 2012 5:36 PM

          How does it create multiple tiers any more so than expansions packs do?

          • reply
            May 31, 2012 5:57 PM

            From what I read above there are unlocks that are also only available through the paid service, and there's that queueing thing. So that's true. Also, expansion packs that you have to buy suck too I did not say they don't suck.

            There are many things that are widely accepted by gaming consumers now, like paid and release day DLC, that doesn't mean they're good.

            • reply
              May 31, 2012 6:02 PM

              Oh, I did not see that there are Premium only unlocks. I don't like that. (although I will buy this so I guess it doesn't matter a lot to me)

              • reply
                May 31, 2012 7:29 PM

                The only premium exclusives are a knife, some dog tags, and camos for guns. Nothing game-breaking.

    • reply
      May 31, 2012 2:43 PM

      It was looking like a fair enough deal right up to the 'server queue priority' part. So those who don't have it get fucked by those who do. Good times.

    • reply
      May 31, 2012 2:52 PM

      It isn't a bad deal considering all the DLC is included and its not a monthly/yearly fee like CoD Elite.

    • reply
      May 31, 2012 3:36 PM

      I would rather pay $60 then spend $50 and tell EA that I like their service.

      Anyways I already have Karkland and I wouldn't play Close Quarters even if it was free, so really I'm saving $30 (assuming End Game isn't another Close Quarters like DLC).

    • reply
      May 31, 2012 3:36 PM

      Lack of official servers has killed any time I was giving this game previously. They added like..1 or 2. Fuck you EA/DICE

      • reply
        May 31, 2012 5:19 PM

        [deleted]

        • reply
          May 31, 2012 5:37 PM

          Probably because it's nearly impossible to play the game "as designed" in its current state. Seems like every server is 1000 tickets which throws off the balance of the maps and makes the matches take way too long, and half of the servers are instant vehicle respawn which REALLY fucks up the balance of the game.

          Even turning on the filter to not use modified rules fails to filter out those servers :(

    • reply
      May 31, 2012 3:44 PM

      i guess i can expect a monthly subscription with Battlefield 4

      • reply
        May 31, 2012 3:52 PM

        This is EA. Weekly or daily subscriptions sound a little more accurate.

    • reply
      May 31, 2012 6:37 PM

      What if I buy it but then don't like the other DLC packs? What if they do nothing about hacks? I think I would prefer to purchase the maps as they come and I can decide at that point if it's something I want to play. This is too much like a fucking Kickstarter for EA DLC....

      • reply
        May 31, 2012 6:52 PM

        Not so much like a Kickstarter as it is taking direct notes form Activision's Call of Duty Elite premium service. They have 2 million paying subscribers and EA thought Battlefield could do with the same.

    • reply
      May 31, 2012 6:52 PM

      Besides the priority on server slots (which I'm assuming will only be on EA servers), I don't see what all the fuss is about. It's a pretty good deal if you are planning on getting all the expansions anyways.

      • reply
        May 31, 2012 7:17 PM

        Rich people get in ahead at your favorite restaurant even though you've been a customer for longer? Maybe they even get a menu you can't access? How does that make you feel as a customer?

        • reply
          June 4, 2012 2:42 AM

          Menu? So we're adding imaginary bonuses now?

          And how often do you really sit in a queue, let alone find more than 1 or 2 "official" servers?

          And yes, some restaurants actually have VIP seating. If you want that privilege then pony up (getting other content at a discounted price in the process). If you don't.... well, then don't.

          Personally, this just sounds like people who have to find something, anything to bitch about.

    • reply
      May 31, 2012 7:25 PM

      Does it include unlocks?

    • reply
      May 31, 2012 7:38 PM

      [deleted]

    • reply
      May 31, 2012 8:04 PM

      Sounds a lot like Crysis Maximum. I'll prepare my Steam Wallet.

    • reply
      May 31, 2012 9:14 PM

      Additionally, "Premium" members also get "server queue priority"


      Second Class Gamer.

    • reply
      May 31, 2012 10:59 PM

      Battlefield 3 sucks so hard. DICE have fallen from the ranks of quality developers and are now just IW wannabes.

      • reply
        May 31, 2012 11:48 PM

        [deleted]

        • reply
          June 1, 2012 4:39 AM

          Battlefield 3 sucks. The Battlefield series used to be of high quality, then it dumbed down several notches, became a simplistic shadow of its former self in an attempt to steal some of CoD's audience and profit. DICE happily sold the series out with Battlefield 3, which is probably the worst game in the franchise to date.

          • reply
            June 1, 2012 5:37 AM

            Nope.avi

            • reply
              June 1, 2012 7:19 AM

              You obviously just started the series with Bf3, or one of the console Battlefields. Bf3 is a nose-dive for the series.

              • reply
                June 4, 2012 2:49 AM

                I didn't just start with BF3 or only play the previous console games, and I think you're completely off base. The only major issue with BF3 is on the console side with only having a maximum player count of 24.

                Sorry that you feel so butthurt.

          • reply
            June 1, 2012 5:44 AM

            [deleted]

            • reply
              June 1, 2012 7:19 AM

              2142 and Bf2 are the best of the bunch. Bf2 is my personal favourite.

    • reply
      June 1, 2012 12:16 AM

      [deleted]

    • reply
      June 1, 2012 4:43 AM

      Fragmented player base, stupid 1000 ticket instaspawn servers, horrible unlock system, and paid queue priority. I'm obviously not the target audience because I don't want these things.

      I miss the days of BF1942. A complete game, a level playing field because everyone can access the same weapons, large, worthwhile expansion packs.

Hello, Meet Lola