EA Introduces Plans for Free Games

By Nick Mokey January 20, 2008

EA Introduces Plans for Free Games

Electronic Arts used the International Developers Conference in Munich on Monday to unveil not just a new game, but a new business model. Battlefield Heroes will follow in the footsteps of previous Battlefield games save for one enormous difference: it will be completely free to download and play.

The game will be the first in EA’s new Play 4 Free business model, which the company says will generate income through advertising and microtransactions. In the past, microtransactions have generally been used to unlock bits and pieces of content through small purchases, for instance, buying a new car in a racing game. Since EA is claiming Heroes will feature “robust character customization,” there should likely be many opportunities for microtransactions to take place.

EA’s strategy with the new games seems to be getting as many gamers on board as possible with the “zero-barriers-to-entry” model. “Online gaming garners a massive audience,” said Gerhard Florin, EVP Publishing Americas-Europe at EA, in a statement. “People want to play games in new ways, with easier access that is quick to the fun. With Battlefield Heroes, EA brings its first major franchise to North America and Europe with a new distribution model and pricing structure adapted to the evolving way that people play.”

As far as gameplay goes, the most notable difference for Heroes as compared to previous Battlefield games will be the introduction of cartoon-style characters. The game was developed by DICE in Stockholm, which also claims that the free model will allow it to continually add content to the game. Battlefield Heroes will be available this summer as a download.

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Gaming

Play these 3DS and Wii U games before Nintendo shutters their online features

Captain Falcon in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.

In April 2024, Nintendo will discontinue online services across its Wii U and 3DS consoles. While the eShops for both systems were shut down in March 2023, this will remove the online functionality of many apps and games, making gaming on either of these platforms an almost entirely offline experience. As a result, many games on those systems will lose important features and never be quite the same to play afterward. So, you'll need to get some gaming time in by next April if you want to refresh and preserve the memories of playing online on these two underdog Nintendo platforms.
While the aforementioned eShop closures make it impossible to buy new games digitally, plenty of games that you likely already own physical copies of or already had downloaded have online features that won't work properly come April 2024. As such, we recommend you play the following games online before the discontinuation of those services next year.
Kid Icarus Uprising

Kid Icarus Uprising is mostly remembered for its entertaining story, charismatic characters, and odd controls, but it also features a surprisingly fun multiplayer experience in Together Mode. In multiplayer, up to six players can use powerful weapons and abilities from the main adventure in one of two modes. Free-for-all lets players loose on a map, tasking them with racking up the most kills within a set time limit. Light vs. Dark is more complex, as two teams of three face off until enough players are defeated that one respawns as an angel; when that powered-up angel is killed, the match is over.
While far from balanced, Kid Icarus Uprising's Together Mode is one of the most entertaining competitive multiplayer experiences exclusive to 3DS. It can be played locally, using bots to fill in empty spots, so thankfully it won't stop working entirely. Still, it's not easy in 2023 to come across multiple people near you who have copies of Kid Icarus Uprising and want to play. As such, check out this cult classic 3DS game's hidden gem of a mode before praying that the rumors of a remaster eventually become true.
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Gaming

A Black Panther game is in the works at one of EA’s newest studios

Black Panther in his Fortnite trailer

EA and Marvel Games confirmed that a single-player Black Panther video game is in the works at Cliffhanger Games, one of its newest game development studios.

EA and Kevin Stephens, former VP and Studio Head of Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor dev Monolith Productions, formed Cliffhanger Games in May 2021. It was established alongside other new studios like Ridgeline Games, Ripple Effect, and skate. developer Full Circle. Rumors of this game's existence emerged about a year ago, and an EA-published Black Panther game only became more plausible when we learned that an Iron Man game is in active development at Star Wars Squadrons and Dead Space remake studio EA Motive. Now, we know this Black Panther game is real and learned a bit more about what to expect from it.

Gaming

This July is a more exciting month for video games than you think

The player stands with Oatchi and some Red Pikmin in Pikmin 4.

July has a not-so-great reputation in the video game industry. It’s not often a time developers choose to release games as it’s nestled between spring’s release and reveal season and the holiday shopping rush. At a glance, July 2023 might seem like it fits that underwhelming description, with Pikmin 4 being the one big release following the delay of Immortals of Aveum. That said, those who look a bit deeper will find a month poised to be home to a ton of promising games of all shapes in sizes.
The Nintendo Switch is poised to have a strong month with two exclusives, some indies highlight the creativity of smaller teams, well-known franchises are making unexpected returns, and more. While you might not think you need to worry about new game releases until Armored Core VI: Flames of Rubicon launches this August, there are a lot of neat games to check out this July.
The big guns
Unlike some past July months, there are a few AAA releases that players should be keeping an eye out for this month. For fans of multiplayer games, Capcom will release its PvPvE dinosaur game Exoprimal on June 14, and from the beta we played last year, this is shaping up to be an exhilarating multiplayer game where you take on hordes of rampaging dinos in colorful, powerful mech suits. There’s also Disney Illusion Island, an enjoyable Metroidvania platformer starring Mickey Mouse that releases for Nintendo Switch on July 28.

On July 25, Remnant II will also follow up 2019’s sleeper hit Remnant: From the Ashes. I briefly played Remnant II at Summer Game Fest Play Days. While it wasn’t revolutionary, it looks like Gunfire Games will once again deliver on the novel idea of a procedurally generated Soulslike shooter.
The big ticket game for the month is Pikmin 4, the long-awaited fourth entry in Nintendo’s cute and sometimes horrifying alien real-time strategy series that comes out on July 21. Digital Trends’ Giovanni Colantonio called it a “pleasant return to the series that’s been streamlined in some welcome ways” in a preview, and you can already whet your appetite for this game by playing its free demo on Switch.
It’s not only the AAA game series making a grand return in July, though. Jagged Alliance 3, a turn-based military strategy game, will continue a series that hasn’t seen a new numbered entry since 1999 on July. Meanwhile, Dotemu is releasing a remake of Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes, a classic 2009 puzzle RPG for the Nintendo Switch, on July 20. Then there’s Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons, which revives the classic beat ‘em up series as a co-op roguelite. Night School Studio and Netflix will also release Oxenfree II: Lost Signals, a sequel to the critically acclaimed 2016 narrative-adventure horror game.
If you play many games, you’re bound to have a history with at least one of the series returning in some fashion this month. Those on the lookout for new, innovative experiences also have two indie games to keep an eye on.
Innovative indies
While games that bring back and revitalize the old are always welcome, so are ambitious games that try to push indies forward. One indie title that releases later this month has already done that during demos at shows like GDC and Summer Game Fest Play Days. That game is Viewfinder from Sad Owl Studios and Thunderful, which launches for PC and PS5 on July 18 and looks like one of the most creative first-person puzzle games since Portal.