EA calls off paid weapons in Bad Company

by Xav de Matos { Apr 9th 2008 at 8:25PM }

A few weeks ago Electronic Arts released news that the exclusive weapons found in the special edition (the Gold Edition as it's called) of Battlefield: Bad Company would be made available on the Xbox Live Marketplace for a fee. After sending the internet into an expected uproar over the decision that resulted in angry comments from X3F readers, an internet boycott campaign and an analysis of the situation on our own X3F TV, it seems EA has changed their mind.

Earlier today in an interview with IGN, Senior Producer at DICE Karl-Magnus Troedsson spoke the words throngs of FPS fanboys have been waiting to hear. "No, there's no charge for any of the guns in the game. All of the guns in the game can be achieved without purchasing them."

But the story doesn't end there. Jump in to find out what you'll need to do to claim your weapons from EA when Battlefield: Bad Company hits this summer.

While the weapons will be made available, as the French would say gratuit, the weapons won't simply be available unlocked. "We want to give some exclusivity to those who buy the Gold Edition," Troedsson said, "[Gold Edition purchasers] will get the five Gold Edition weapons from Day One when they put the disc in. People that don't buy the Gold Edition can get the five additional weapons by getting to the final rank in the game."

Also, in order to gain the extra weapons in either version gamers will have to participate in a marketing program that was not detailed in full. Troedsson mentions there are five programs and it may be as simple as signing up for a newsletter, but at this moment we have no confirmation on what these programs will entail from Bad Company players.

Ad for the leveling situation, getting to level 25 in the game seems like a lot of work for a few weapons we detailed as, "not too powerful" in our comparison video on X3F TV but we're not complaining. But this marketing program makes us wonder what we'll be getting ourselves into. But, EA heard what the community had to say and responded. So, with this in mind is anyone who was once against the title thinking about picking it up now?

[Thanks, Marklar]

Tags: bad-company, battlefield, battlefield-bad-comp..., dice, ea

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

DjDATZ @ Apr 9th 2008 8:38PM

Bravo to Sarcastic Gamer for bringing this controversy to everyone's eyes and essentially making EA back down from their bullshit.

Thank you to EA for getting rid of the bullshit purchasing of weapons. Thank you for fixing your mistake and realizing that you went wrong.

Gamers 1 : EA 0

Brian Fantana @ Apr 9th 2008 8:47PM

"You have to do the marketing programs that we're going to announce further ahead" before you can get the guns.

So they still arent free. Even if you pay $10 for the gold, you have to do the marketing program.

Still BS in my opinion.

BananaBoat @ Apr 9th 2008 11:39PM

They've replaced paying money for an advantage, with letting them sell your private info for an advantage. This isn't a win for us, and it probably isn't even a draw. I'm not buying this game.

peeweejd @ Apr 10th 2008 7:58AM

: Thank you to EA for getting rid of the bullshit
: purchasing of weapons. Thank you for fixing your
: mistake and realizing that you went wrong.

now we just have to figure out how to cancel the trial maxim subscription, the order for the "deluxe" ginsu knife set, jelly of the month club and the 3 online dating services that you have "participate" in.

DjDATZ @ Apr 10th 2008 8:08AM

Just to make it clear, I still have NO intention of even CONSIDERING this game for a purchase. After hearing from the Fancast that it can take up to 25 seconds of pumping lead into someone to kill them, and all this other bullshit, there's no way in hell that I'll even remotely think of playing this game...

I didn't get into the Beta, and now, I'm glad I didn't waste my time with it.

Richard Mitchell @ Apr 10th 2008 9:59AM

Well, 25 seconds might have been a *slight* exaggeration. Still not my cup of tea though (or Xav's or Dustin's for that matter).

DjDATZ @ Apr 10th 2008 10:32AM

The Fancast said 25 seconds. This is now a hard and stone fact if it was said on the Fancast. In Battlefield: Bad Company multiplayer it takes at least 25 seconds of shooting at someone to kill them.

LOL Rich.

JAKEJAX @ Apr 9th 2008 8:45PM

Paying for DLC makes sense to me. Someone puts a lot of hard into making extra content, but nickle and diming us for perks is just not right. I think that they made the right descision.

Rob @ Apr 10th 2008 7:33AM

The content is already on the disk, you are just paying to access it.

andre @ Apr 9th 2008 8:49PM

Now ill buy it. Thats what i'm talking about. The community getting stuff done.

Digital Limit @ Apr 9th 2008 8:55PM

Hah, that's awesome. I'm glad consumers *do* have a say in things like this.

B Tizo @ Apr 9th 2008 8:58PM

I still will not pick this up. I might add it to my GameFly Q, but that's about it. There are far more important games (to me, at least) that will get my money. Games like GTA4, Halo 3, CoD4, Gears 2, and Ninja Gaiden II, just to name a few, not to mention DLC for Rock Band, Mass Effect, and GTA4.

Lavat @ Apr 9th 2008 9:03PM

I do not think it is that hard to work on a few extra guns compared to maps as in Call of Duty...Still...This News Letter will just lead to something else and then to something else. EA is EA.... Being who they are, will mean that you will get alot of advertisements in the mail or email. If you remember the in game advertisements of BF 2142 then expect something similar.

jmf @ Apr 9th 2008 9:00PM

Great loophole EA....get rid of paid weapons, only to force some marketing program on the user. Pure genius. Does EA really need players participating in marketing campaigns?, aren't they like the richest game company ever? This is just more bullshit.

Jayslacks @ Apr 9th 2008 9:02PM

We win!

sku110ne @ Apr 9th 2008 9:09PM

Now to get the gold weapons you have to attain the final rank in the game??

how many of you former BF2 players ever attain the rank of general?

I played for years and never did

FatalisticDread @ Apr 9th 2008 9:42PM

Yup...never got there. Got so tired of the glitchers and chopper-whores spawn-killing, I ditched the game over a year ago. Can't remember my final rank, but it was getting up there...but it took FOREVER!

ZEBRA NINER @ Apr 9th 2008 9:16PM

Hahaha! Expected. What was probably planned was to get this in the news and have everyone talking about it. Mission accomplished, EA.

I knew EA would do the right thing, like always! EA is great! I

AnOffday @ Apr 9th 2008 10:56PM

I know you're not that dumb. Come on now. Do you honestly believe what you're saying? EA always does the right thing? HA!

ZEBRA NINER @ Apr 10th 2008 10:02AM

ahhh... I was joking. You guys take everything so seriously.

I really love EA though. They are the best evar! ;)

dirt junkie @ Apr 9th 2008 9:21PM

Still NOT going to buy it!

It is just like EA to try the knda crap in the first place, they can go bugger themselves for all I care!

RudyHuxtable @ Apr 9th 2008 9:32PM

See, now that's intelligent. Now I will consider buying it. But I still think that one dude in the screenshot looks like a spaceball.

todd @ Apr 9th 2008 9:37PM

We win? Maybe, now they will collect your info to resell to someone else... ha

RudyHuxtable @ Apr 9th 2008 9:43PM

Doh, didn't read the whole article. Yea, you're right. Still not buying it.

wickedpheonix @ Apr 9th 2008 9:44PM

*now* its bullshit.

I can understand having to pay for additional content. But giving personal info (even if faked) to EA so it can be spammed? NO WAY. I am seriously contemplating not buying this game now, before this I was sure I was going to buy the gold edition.

I call for EA to get rid of the unlockables, just sell the game without the unlockables and never sell the unlockables on XBLM or elsewhere. Game has not yet gone gold AFAIK, so there should be no problem not putting the unlockables on the disc.

MrMuggs @ Apr 9th 2008 9:55PM

Now all they need to do is change the chat system so you can talk to more than 3 players on your 12 player team and I'll buy it. How ridiculous is it that it's a 12 player TEAM game but you can only take to 3 other players in your squad and the squads can't talk to each other?

xenocidic @ Apr 9th 2008 11:46PM

+1

For the longest while I just thought voice chat was disabled in the beta, because I never heard anyone talking. Then I saw someone shuffle their mic a bit and then they explained to me you can only talk to your squad. what the crap is that? not enough people talk in Battlefield games to begin with and now you're only giving us a pool of 3 players to hope one of them talks?

legendtaker117 @ Apr 9th 2008 9:57PM

Its cool and all that we won, but EA just cant stop their greedy ways. Even if its spamming us for guns that SHOULD be in the game regardless. The little respect that I gained for them from the Mass Effect thing, and the respect that was still there but dwindle from the guns, has now vanished. I will still not by their game.

PAGETWO STM @ Apr 9th 2008 10:15PM

if i do get this game you can forget those gold guns your still paying for one way or another they'll spam your email ea also likes to sell your information to other companies they did it to people for the other battlefield and burnout revenge so i dont know aboot this is like the websites that tell you you can receive a free laptop with all completed paid programs as far as im concerned
EA CAN GO SCREW !!!!!!!!!!!!!

SharpBlade @ Apr 9th 2008 10:19PM

Ugh on the whole have to participate in one of various marketing schemes.

What the hell happened to paying $60 for game and you get THE GAME. The reason games are $60 this gen was excused away by saying "well games cost more to develope" fine and I accept that. But I did not realize in addition it would turn into a fleecing of gamers. Yes I do appreciate games being expanded upon and I will pay for that but for a few extra weapons, vehicles or a character skin you can stick it!

Don't like it, then don't buy. I don't like it and I'm not buying it.

Sky Shark X2 @ Apr 9th 2008 10:32PM

Its cool they are charging for it now but....why can't they just make it FREE DLC? Also as for the marketing program thing....wonder how long till the next petition signed up, I might actually check this game out now. I was going to say screw it because of the pholosphy of how they were screwing the regular edition buyers.

RedSonRising @ Apr 9th 2008 10:34PM

im still not buying this game, probably wont even rent it.. i dont trust or support companies that 'attempt' to abuse their customers..

instead of using DLC to extend the life of a game, many companies are using it as an excuse to reach into our pockets instead of adding new features and gameplay..

DLC can be the best thing to happen to gamers since achievements.. instead it looks like its gonna be another way for companies to loot and plunder the gaming community..

hackman @ Apr 9th 2008 10:43PM

FUCK YA!

ZeroCorpse @ Apr 9th 2008 10:45PM

Still not good enough.

The core of the problem seems to be this trend in the industry to sell "deluxe" editions of their games, which amount to little more than the same game with some feature turned on, or a "making of" disc, or a "collectible" gumball machine toy or strategy guide included. It's a way to milk even more money out of the game. As if $60 for a game wasn't enough already!

EA can shove their "Gold" edition. Same with everyone else pushing a "deluxe" version of their game. This trend needs to end. It's one of the things that essentially killed comics in the 90s (printing the same book with several different covers) and it's only going to make gaming less accessible to everyone.

I'd still recommend everyone NOT buy this game when it hits the market. Don't kowtow to EA. They've become bloated and corrupt. Damn, how I miss the EA of the early 1980s.

Jer @ Apr 10th 2008 12:08AM

Can we do this with Toshiba?

DarkTravesty @ Apr 10th 2008 12:20AM

i was going to pick this up till i played the beta the controls blow and are horribly mapped.

C YOU 1N HELL @ Apr 10th 2008 1:03AM

EA im shocked u listened to us sarcasticgamer.com fans maybe I won't call u the DEVIL anymore wish u would stop the email spaming 4 guns too but that's better than charging us money.
Way to go EA maybe ur growing a heart

Halonut1 @ Apr 10th 2008 1:39AM

EA still needs to die in a fire.

SadisticHam @ Apr 10th 2008 2:02AM

Not buying it. EA still win they've just changed how they go about it to fool a couple hundred more people into it.

Richard Pollard @ Apr 10th 2008 2:53AM

Congrats!

Can we start a boycott for the price of Rock Band in Europe?

http://digg.com/gaming_news/Europe_Screwed_Over_On_Rock_Band_Pricing

x Cheevos x @ Apr 10th 2008 3:17AM

Why couldn't we all just not buy the DLC? Isn't that more effective (and ultimately more damaging to EA) than complaining on the internet and boycotting when we all know that we were still going to buy the game anyway? I know it's not fair that someone might have a paid advantage but in the end aren't they just going to figure out some way to charge us the extra money to make up for the weapons. I think that is far more dangerous than unbalancing a game.

BowserUSC @ Apr 10th 2008 7:28AM

Better but not perfect. I still won't buy the game but will possibly rent it. If they intend to make me give them my personal information, I'll just fake it all.

manifest @ Apr 10th 2008 7:35AM

not buying into this marketing BS

this game is a no buy for me.

Neeko @ Apr 10th 2008 9:13AM

The good guys win.

Caleb @ Apr 10th 2008 9:22AM

Still not buying it... I'll stick with COD4... GOLDEN CROSS!

Josh @ Apr 10th 2008 11:57AM

people who buy a special edition should get stupid stuff like themes and gamer pics... not weapons to be used in multiplayer action, which aren't immediately available to other players

ea still sucks

Barron @ Apr 10th 2008 12:53PM

hahaha its amazing how the public can completely change a game.

mlowry0620 @ Apr 10th 2008 1:58PM

For all of you using the gamefly service you might consider Gamerang.....com it is very similar but for those of us in the midwest where it can take up to a week and a half to get a game back this service is out of Oklahoma shipping wise and cost is almost identical but you get the games in 4 days. I am a gamer who wants to play more than I can rent thru a video store yet wants to keep some games longer and they also have the purchase option. Just wanted to pass this along as I am x-gamefly and am now extremely satisfied......