| Battlefield | |
|---|---|
Battlefield series logo |
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| Genres | First-person shooter Third-person shooter |
| Developers | EA Digital Illusions CE |
| Publishers | Electronic Arts |
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 |
| First release | Battlefield 1942 September 10, 2002 |
| Latest release | Battlefield 3 October 25, 2011[1] |
| 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 the Swedish company EA Digital Illusions CE, and published by Electronic Arts. The games feature a greater focus on large maps, teamwork and vehicle warfare than traditional first-person shooters. The PC games in the series are mainly focused on online multiplayer. The Battlefield series has sold 17 million units as of 2008.[2] The series has a recognizable 6-beat sting which is often used in promotional material for the games.[3][4]
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Battlefield 1942 was released on September 10, 2002, using the Refractor gaming engine, and introduced the "Conquest" gameplay mode, in which players fought for "capture points" throughout the map. 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 Refractor engine with various gameplay improvements, such as firing personal weapons while seated in vehicles.
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). Despite it requiring numerous software patches due to the large number of bugs and glitches in the game upon its release, it was a commercial success, selling over 2,250,000 copies worldwide, as of July 2006.[5] It also received widespread critical acclaim, with an aggregate review score of 91%.[6] One expansion pack, Special Forces, and two booster packs, Armored Fury and Euro Force, 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 release timeline | |
|---|---|
| 1998 | Codename Eagle |
| 2002 | Battlefield 1942 |
| 2003 | Battlefield 1942: The Road to Rome |
| 2003 | Battlefield 1942: Secret Weapons of WWII |
| 2004 | Battlefield Vietnam |
| 2005 | Battlefield 2 |
| 2005 | Battlefield 2: Special Forces |
| 2005 | Battlefield 2: Modern Combat |
| 2006 | Battlefield 2: Euro Forces |
| 2006 | Battlefield 2: Armored Fury |
| 2006 | Battlefield 2142 |
| 2007 | Battlefield 2142: Northern Strike |
| 2008 | Battlefield: Bad Company |
| 2009 | Battlefield Heroes |
| 2009 | Battlefield 1943 |
| 2010 | Battlefield: Bad Company 2 |
| 2010 | Battlefield: Bad Company 2: Vietnam |
| 2010 | Battlefield Online |
| 2011 | Battlefield Play4Free |
| 2011 | Battlefield 3 |
| 2011 | Battlefield 3: Back to Karkand |
Battlefield 2142 was released in 2006, taking place during a global ice age in the 22nd century. While much of it is graphically 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.[7] While generally praised by critics, it received lower review scores than its predecessors, with an average GameRankings score of 80%.[8] The Northern Strike booster pack was later released, including new maps, vehicles, and a new game mode.
Battlefield: Bad Company, released in 2008, followed the infamous "B" Company's AWOL escapades and their search for mercenary gold. This new, modern day Battlefield game had modern day weapons, as well as a variety of vehicles for land, air and sea. It had a remarkably realistic destruction system that allowed the player to break, destroy, or create new environments, based on a new next generation gaming engine named Frostbite.
In 2009, EA released two download-only games, Battlefield Heroes, a free-to-play Refractor 2 engine game, supported by advertising and micropayments and Battlefield 1943, a Frostbite engine game, released in July 2009, for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and was scheduled for release in Q1 2010, for PCs, but was cancelled.[9]
In 2010, a direct sequel to Battlefield: Bad Company, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, was released, involving "B" Company's search for an EMP weapon (called a scalar weapon ingame). It had a larger, and arguably better multiplayer than its predecessor "Bad Company", with updated graphics and new realistic effects (e.g. bullet-drop). It also featured a "VIP" system of content distribution where player with VIP codes gain free access to new maps released periodically. DICE also released an expansion for Bad Company 2, Battlefield: Bad Company 2: Vietnam.
Battlefield 3 was announced in 2009,[10][11] and in 2010 it was confirmed that gamers who pre-ordered Medal of Honor (2010) Limited Edition or who pre-ordered from origin(in the U.S. only) would receive a beta of Battlefield 3 48 hours before the open beta was released. On February 4, 2011, the first teaser trailer for the game was revealed, with a preliminary release in the Fall of 2011.[12] Among the features that remain in the game are Jets and the ability to go prone. The game still allows 64 (on the PC) players as in all previous Battlefield titles, though the consoles allow for 24 player matches. The Battlefield 3 Beta was released on September 29th, 2011.[13] Battlefield 3 was released on October 25th, 2011 and has received almost unanimous high review scores.
On November 5, 2010, EASY Studios announced a follow-up to its free-to-play Battlefield Heroes, Battlefield Play4Free. EASY develops the free-to-play variants of Battlefield. Its latest offering gives players the same free-to-play pricing structure of Heroes, while still offering a more serious, core Battlefield experience (as opposed to Heroes' lighthearted, cartoon-styled environment).[14] Battlefield Play4Free went into open beta on April 4, 2011.[15]
Battlefield series games usually focus on large, online multiplayer battles, with emphasis on piloting a number of vehicles as well as team-based infantry combat. Playing in squads has also become a major element of games in the series.
Since Battlefield 2, all games in the series centrally record online statistics for each player allowing the players to receive rank promotions and weapon unlocks based on their statistics as well as awards such as medals, ribbons and pins.
A class system has been present within all the Battlefield games. Each class features a different type of primary weapon along with different equipment, differentiating roles on the battlefield.
The ability to melee other players with a knife has always been present in Battlefield games. Also since Battlefield 2142, the series has included an award of dog tags for each player killed using a knife.[16]
| Year | Engine | Game | PC | Mac | Xbox | PS2 | X360 | PS3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Refractor 1 | Battlefield 1942 | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| 2003 | Refractor 1 | Battlefield 1942: The Road to Rome | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| 2003 | Refractor 1 | Battlefield 1942: Secret Weapons of WWII | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| 2004 | Refractor 1 | Battlefield Vietnam | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| 2005 | Refractor 2 | Battlefield 2 | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| 2005 | Refractor 2 | Battlefield 2: Special Forces | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| 2005 | RenderWare | Battlefield 2: Modern Combat | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| 2006 | Refractor 2 | Battlefield 2: Euro Force | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| 2006 | Refractor 2 | Battlefield 2: Armored Fury | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| 2006 | Refractor 2 | Battlefield 2142 | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| 2007 | Refractor 2 | Battlefield 2142: Northern Strike | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| 2008 | Frostbite 1.0 | Battlefield: Bad Company | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| 2009 | Refractor 2 | Battlefield Heroes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| 2009 | Frostbite 1.5 | Battlefield 1943 | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| 2010 | Frostbite 1.5 | Battlefield: Bad Company 2 | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| 2010 | Frostbite 1.5 | Battlefield: Bad Company 2: Vietnam | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| 2010 | Refractor 2 | Battlefield Online | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| 2011 | Refractor 2 | Battlefield Play4Free | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| 2011 | Frostbite 2 | Battlefield 3 | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| 2011 | Frostbite 2 | Battlefield 3: Back to Karkand | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
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