‘Battlefield 1’ expansion packs bring the French and Russians to the front line

By Gabe Gurwin August 24, 2016

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Battlefield 1 is still a few months away, and much of Electronic Arts’ focus the past few weeks has been on its other upcoming multiplayer shooter, Titanfall 2. But the World War I-era game is shaping up to be a massive return to form for a series that has lost its way. The content you get when you pick up a copy of Battlefield 1 on release day won’t be all the game has to offer — the game is receiving a Premium Pass that comes loaded with enough extras to keep you playing for a long time.

As detailed on EA’s Origin platform, the Battlefield 1 Premium Pass will get players 16 extra maps spread over four different expansion packs, each with a different theme. The first of these, They Shall Not Pass, focuses on the French army. It will arrive in March, quite a long time after the game’s October release, and Premium members will get access to it two weeks before everyone else.

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A second expansion — though it’s not quite clear if it’s the second expansion — will feature the Russian Empire’s army. Both the French and Russians are completely omitted from the main game’s multiplayer maps, which led to a change petition that currently has more than 38,000 supporters.

In addition to the maps, the pass also includes 20 new weapons and 14 extra “Battlepacks,” which contain special weapon skins and new vehicles. The Battlepacks will be offered on a monthly basis, with the first arriving just after the game launches.

The Battlefield series has offered some of the best post-release content of any competitive shooter on the market, but the decision to relegate two important countries in World War I to paid DLC is a little odd. We’re hoping the game’s campaign manages to highlight the importance of every country’s contributions during the war.

Battlefield 1 will be released for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC on October 21.

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