EA DICE's free multiplayer effort Battlefield Heroes (PC) will initially launch with two maps when it arrives this summer, senior producer Ben Cousins has revealed.

Launched from Battlefield-Heroes.com, the title will be supported by website advertising and micro-transaction revenue.

"We're launching with an infantry-focused map, and a vehicle-focused map," he explained to Gamasutra. Earlier this year, Cousins described the sole gameplay mode of the class-based shooter as a mixture of Capture the Flag and Team Deathmatch.

Despite the low number of initial maps, Cousins noted that DICE will be continually developing and expanding on the game based on player feedback.

"It's down to the community to define what type of game this is," he continued. "If they want to play the infantry-focused map then we will continue to make infantry-focused maps. And, similarly, if they think of this as a vehicle-based game, then we'll make the maps which reinforce that feel."

For more on Battlefield Heroes, check out our recent preview.

EA DICE's first-person shooter Battlefield: Bad Company and its destructible environments will arrive on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in June, publisher Electronic Arts has revealed.

An Xbox Live beta will begin on March 25, allowing select users early access to the game's multiplayer component and two of its maps. Retailer GameStop will distribute beta keys to the first 5,000 people that pre-order the title.

"We're really excited about this beta since it gives us a chance to let a wider audience play our new multiplayer game [mode], Gold Rush," said senior producer Karl-Magnus. "The feedback coming back from something like this is crucial for us as developers and will help us with the final changes and polish in the game."

For more on Battlefield: Bad Company and its Gold Rush multiplayer mode, scope out our recent impressions and check out the multiplayer tutorial movie below.

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EA DICE has released three new screenshots of Battlefield: Bad Company, highlighting a previously unseen desert combat environment. Featuring both an extensive single- and multi-player component, Battlefield: Bad Company arrives on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 later this year. For more details, check out our recent batch of hands-on impressions.

Despite being a free-to-play ad-supported web title, EA DICE's upcoming cartoony shooter Battlefield Heroes (PC) will not feature any type of in-game advertising or product placement, senior producer Ben Cousins revealed during a presentation attended by Shacknews.

Rather, the advertising revenue will come from the title's official web site, which players must visit to launch the game. A bright yellow "Play Now!" button will be prominently featured on the page, along with news posts, details on purchasable items, and, of course, banner ads.

Similar ads are affixed to game's loading screens and registration page, guaranteeing a number of ad views whenever players launch the game. Cousins also touched on project's low system requirements, which mandate that players have a 1GHz processor and an integrated graphics chip in their system.

However, the producer remained mostly silent about the title's oft-mentioned micro-transactions, refusing to specify whether purchasable items will be restricted to fashion accessories or if they will include game-altering weapons and abilities.

Sporting a number of casual-oriented tweaks and modifications, Battlefield Heroes is slated to arrive this summer. For more information, check out today's bonanza of details.

There are so many strange things in EA DICE's first Battlefield Heroes trailer.

World War II drama mocked with a record scratch? Yahtzee-like ramblings with a Pirate Bay name-drop? And you can ride on the wing of a plane while upside down? Seriously?

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At least the core game is looking interesting. Launching later this year, Battlefield Heroes will be a free-to-play PC download, fully supported by out-of-game, web-based advertisements. A cartoon take on the 1942 formula, the title is aimed squarely at the casual crowd, featuring a simple third-person perspective and basic teamplay modes.

EA DICE has also released a batch of screenshots, showing off the Royal and Axis National armies.

For more information on the game, check out our preview.

Shacknews editor Chris Faylor got a long look at EA DICE's upcoming free-to-play, ad-supported title Battlefield Heroes at this year's GDC. Take a look at his full report.

Battlefield Heroes will sport three character classes: the standard Soldier, the fast-moving Commando, and the heavily-armed Gunner. Instead of picking their faction at the beginning of each round, players will be forced to swear their allegiance to the National Army--a politically correct Axis team--or the Royal Army when registering their account. The conflict between the two has something to do with a dispute over the Olympics. Yes, really. Read more..

Arriving on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 later this year is Battlefield: Bad Company, the first entry in the long-running first-person series to focus on environment destruction. The good news is that the ability to knock down walls is a ton of fun and really mixes up the Battlefield dynamic. The bad news? I'm not so skilled at the Battlefield dynamic.

An explosion rocked the house and the wall behind me collapsed, crumbling like a pile of LEGOs. The attackers stormed in through the makeshift doorway, and another rocket quickly cut through the space between them, ending my piece of the engagement.

In my defeat, I slumped back into the couch. Adding insult to failure, the abrupt motion of the attached controller cable was enough to flick a whiskey sour off the tabletop, pouring its contents into my messenger bag.
Read more...

Following yesterday's trickle of Battlefield Heroes news, fansite Planet Battlefield is now reporting a deluge of details said to be lifted from the latest issue of Games For Windows magazine.

Due to arrive this summer, EA DICE's Battlefield Heroes will be a free multiplayer-only PC title supported by in-game advertising and micro-transactions.

According to the site, Heroes will give players more health, less-damaging weapons, and shorter respawn times over past Battlefield titles. Apparently the action will occur from a third-person perspective, with the site writing that a first-person view can be eventually obtained "if really wanted," though it is currently unclear if that means the perspective is an earned option, a purchasable feature, or may be added in a patch.

A point system will allow players to buy in-game items and abilities, with the earned sum based on the performance of a player's chosen faction. Abilities... Read more

Some of the first details of the recently announced Battlefield Heroes have made their way out via the game's handy dandy developer blog. Senior producer Ben Cousins shared some slides and info in the first update of note. We picked through the ramblings of Mr. Cousins for these new details:

• Based on BF2142 Engine
• Low system requirements
• More RPG elements
• Crazy unrealistic feel similar to BF1942
• Quicker learning curve
• Remain true to core BF elements

Announced just a couple of weeks ago, Battlefield Heroes is going to be a free PC-only online game supported by in-game advertising and microtransactions. The details of those microtransactions have not been fully detailed but one would assume that means you can buy in-game items with really small amounts of money.

In this week's ShackCast, we discussed the imminent changes to Team Fortress 2, the announcement of Battlefield Heroes, recent information regarding GarageGames' Tribes-esque Fallen Empire: Legions information, Grand Theft Auto 4's final ship date, and the monstrous system requirements for Assassin's Creed on PC.

We have impressions of Rez HD and N+ on Xbox Live Arcade as well as Advance Wars: Days of Ruin on Nintendo DS, and a few more thoughts on Burnout Paradise. There is reader mail as always--plus, Nick has been playing "fancy joystick." You'll just have to listen!

Don't forget to send in your questions and comments about video games, the Shack, or the ShackCast to shackcast@shacknews.com!

Play or download the podcast now, or browse the episodes through iTunes, RSS, or Digg. (Digg experts: if you have any idea why our podcast isn't updating properly through Digg, please contact us! You're our only remaining hope!) ... Read more

The German PC Games website has several Battlefield Heroes video interviews, asking the DICE folks about their free to play shooter. Though the intro to the video is in German, the actual Q&A is in English. Thanks Blues News.

Electronic Arts today announced that this summer will see the release of Battlefield Heroes, a free to play PC multiplayer shooter featuring a Team Fortress 2-like art style.

According to EA, the game will be easy to pick up and play, and among other things will feature character customization, matchmaking based on skill level, and a "deep online meta-game."

"We put a different twist on this Battlefield game going with the cartoon-style graphics and gameplay," said EA DICE senior producer Ben Cousins. "There's something here for all types of players--be it our core Battlefield fans or casual gamers. With the new online model, we will continually add new content to keep the game fresh and keep players engaged, while integrating player feedback in real time. As a game developer, it is such a cool new way to make games."

That new content won't be free, as Electronic Arts notes that the game will generate revenue through advertising and micro-transactions.

No screenshots were released, though the game is featured in the new issue of Games for Windows Magazine.

EA has released a new Battlefield: Bad Company (PS3, X360) movie, focusing on the destruction you can unleash in the game. As producer Jamie Keen says, "blowing things up is just fun."

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George Gordon Haggard Jr says hello to his family in this Battlefield: Bad Company (PS3, X360) trailer

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EA sends along a new Battlefield: Bad Company movie, offering four minutes of interview and in-game footage focusing on the Frostbite game engine. Bad Company is set for a March release on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

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After several months of beta testing, the Battlefield 2142 1.40 patch has been released. Weighing in at 368mb, the patch offers bug fixes, the new Highway Tampa map, an autosave for kit customization and more. ... Read more

A report on Digital Battle is claiming to bring the first details of the next game in Electronic Arts' and developer DICE's Battlefield series.

According to the article--which cites an anonymous investor briefing that was sent in by a tipster--Battlefield 3 will apparently be returning to the modern setting of Battlefield 2, following the series' brief foray into the future in Battlefield 2142. One example of a map is titled "Baghdad Burning," with the only two playable factions consisting of NATO and the Middle Eastern Coalition.

The extensive feature list notes the game will ship with only 8 maps, supporting up to 80 players total in online play. Online stat tracking and awards will be taken further with a new "Soldier" feature, which will allow for avatars that can be designed as in a massively multiplayer game, and outfitted with unlockable armor and other accessories. Game mechanics appear to be similar to past games, including ticket-based capture points, five playable classes (Sniper, Assault, Engineer, Medic, Support), 48 vehicles, and 34 weapons.

Though only Windows Vista and OS X are listed as supported operating systems, it is hard to imagine Windows XP users will be left out of the dust. The game will supposedly use the "Frostbite DX" engine, apparently a version of the same engine used in the upcoming Battlefield: Bad Company. In-game replay and recording features, popular in recent games such as Halo 3 and EA Black Box's skate., are also bullet-pointed.

The report concludes with a teaser trailer and announcement set for January 2008, along with a tentative public beta scheduled for next summer. Given the questionable nature of this rumor--the low number of maps in particular stands out as an oddity--keep your eyes peeled for either a confirmation or denial from EA in the future.

Are you ready for another Battlefield game? DICE and EA hope so. They're bringing Battlefield: Bad Company to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 next year.

Featuring a single player campaign with destructible environments and sandbox gameplay, players will take a squad of "renegade soldiers" on a "personal quest for gold and revenge." There's multiplayer, too. Check it all out below, in screenshot and trailer format.

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Game Informer has posted a new preview of Battlefield: Bad Company, the new console action game. The article describes the Games Convention demonstration of the title.

GameSpot has the latest Battlefield: Bad Company preview, offering their hands-on impressions of the console shooter.