BFBC2 4-player co-op "coming soon"

By Robert Purchese Published 12 May, 2010

Won't be free, won't be on PC.

DICE has announced a new, four-player co-op pursuit for Battlefield: Bad Company called Onslaught mode.

This is "coming soon" to PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Marketplace. The content will be paid for, according to a post by DICE associate producer "Bazajaytee" on the EA forums. He didn't say how much, simply answering "nope" when asked if the content would be free.

Onslaught mode will not be available on PC. "We aren't ruling out Onslaught on PC, but at this time we are researching how to bring it to PC without affecting players who don't have Onslaught or their own server to run it on," said Bazajaytee. "We haven't given up on a PC version of Onslaught as I say, just we have a lot things to work out first."

Onslaught mode is for up to four players. To begin with, there will be four maps to play: Valparaiso, Atacama Desert, Isla Innocentes and Nelson Bay. They've been redesigned with new lighting, time of day, more vehicles and other touches.

Each map has a different focus. Atacama pushes vehicular combat to the fore while Nelson Bay concentrates on infantry. Onslaught will have leaderboards for squads to compete on.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (46) Latest comment 2 years ago

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  • TheRealBadabing #1 2 years ago

    Judging by the low value of current VIP pass content, this needs to be free if EA want us to take the whole Project 10 Dollar idea seriously.

  • LiveForever #2 2 years ago

    The chances of this being free are maybe 1%, this is EA.
    Would like to be proven wrong.

  • Zidargh #3 2 years ago

    So what exactly does the game mode consist of? Is it like Horde or something?

  • ignatiusjreilly #4 2 years ago

    Kind of strange that this mode isn't coming to the PC, but it sounds like multiplayer against bots so I'm not too bothered. Wonder why they put this only on consoles though? Maybe it'll be split screen or something?

  • Bibbo #5 2 years ago

    Fucking fantastic. Really looking forward to this. No PC love though? You'll know they will be kicking off, big time.

  • LeemanRuss #6 2 years ago

    [keeps fingers crossed for a Horde Mode]!!!

  • TruWari3r #7 2 years ago

    New maps for conquest pretty please!!

    Still curious what this mode means, squad deathmatch against bots? Objective based so more like a singleplayer experience?

  • mungolikebeans #8 2 years ago

    This sounds amazing.

    Can we get something similar for 1943.....?

    Just keep coming back to that game.

  • Gnar #9 2 years ago

    It won't be free on consoles, and they're trying to bring this mode to the pc.

    http://forums.electronicarts.co.uk/battl... here you have more info about this.

  • amiganorm #10 2 years ago

    Sounds good! Free would be nice but I'm sure prople will part with some MS points to get this also.

  • ignatiusjreilly #11 2 years ago

    Good of DICE to answer, and their reasoning makes sense. Not many will want to switch their servers from 28 player-slots to 4 in the middle of the rotation, and they can't just release it as a P2P mode as they don't want to release server code for security reasons.

    Would be nice if they could dedicate a few servers to this game mode, although if it is just 4 players against bots like it sounds, I'm not sure there would be enough buyers of that DLC pack to justify it.

  • flaming-carrot #12 2 years ago

    This has been confirmed as paid for DLC on the EA forums - http://forums.electronicarts.co.uk/battl... - post #22

    Posted by Stammy
    "Bazajaytee, is Onslaught free on consoles?"
    Bazajaytee (DICE)
    "Nope"
    Edited by flaming-carrot at 12/05/10 @ 11:56

  • Sunshyme #13 2 years ago

    Just in from EA: June 2nd on Xbox LIVE (800 MSP) and June 16th on PSN (6,99 pounds / 8,99 euro)
    (thanks to Dutch website http://www.gamersnet.nl/nieuws/201005/ea...
    Edited by Sunshyme at 12/05/10 @ 12:33

  • ignatiusjreilly #14 2 years ago

    Ugh, another Xbox timed-exclusive. Man do I hate that new trend.

  • sneetch #15 2 years ago

    @ignatiusjreilly
    Good of DICE to answer, and their reasoning makes sense. Not many will want to switch their servers from 28 player-slots to 4 in the middle of the rotation, and they can't just release it as a P2P mode as they don't want to release server code for security reasons.

    Would be nice if they could dedicate a few servers to this game mode, although if it is just 4 players against bots like it sounds, I'm not sure there would be enough buyers of that DLC pack to justify it.

    While I'm not sure that nebulous "security reasons" are a good enough reason not to release the server code, I think that is the logical solution, with the reduced number of players Onslaught mode servers would require less computing power so a few machines dedicated to it could run a more instances of Onslaught servers than say Rush or Conquest servers.

    I will be a bit annoyed if they don't realise/agree with that and instead just don't bring it out on PC as I think this co-op mode will be quite popular (it would be with me, anyway). A bit annoyed, but not exactly raging. :)

  • metalangel #16 2 years ago

    Of course we have to pay, making this might have taken actual effort, unlike just moving a few spawn and capture points around and calling it a "map pack".

  • CaptainQuint #17 2 years ago

    I'd rather just have a map pack. Heck, I wouldn't even mind paying for it - the repetition of the original maps is really kicking in now, so much so that I haven't played for ages. Halo Reach has my attention of late.

  • JahB #18 2 years ago

    how about fixing all the bugs before pushing extra content?

  • Shikasama #19 2 years ago

    Considering the game modes with four player team limits are fucking dire anyway I think I can give this a miss

  • sfp_noodle #20 2 years ago

    Hmm I'm on the fence with this. We haven't exactly been treated to some amazing stuff with the VIP pass and now that they've announced they're going to charge for additional content I am beginning to question their whole $10 scheme.

  • TruWari3r #21 2 years ago

    So Rush in 4player co-op for 800 points? Pass.

    Oh well, I still love me some conquest and I'll probably be playing RDR next week for quite some time so I can wait on the VIP map packs that you can see in the menu store with an unknown release date.

  • PlugMonkey #22 2 years ago

    @sfp_noodle: I don't disagree with it on principle, but thus far they haven't actually included anything that I would pay $10 if I picked a game up 2nd hand, so what exactly is it going to achieve?

    Maybe it'll mean I can get it cheaper 2nd hand than I would have otherwise, but that doesn't help EA's cause much.

  • Joco84 #23 2 years ago

    I'm having too much fun with the main online game to care about add-ons just yet! :D

  • swissorc #24 2 years ago

    The first of many reasons to wait the forth coming "Game of the Year" edition. You know it will happen.

  • Bealsy #25 2 years ago

    1200msp? rofl

  • monkeywithnoeyes #26 2 years ago

    hmmm the first dlc for this game that will actually require a download is going to cost money? who would of guessed.

    The project 10dollar scheme has been a complete joke for this game. And it's actually insulting the amount of advertising they've spent marketing "dlc" as an example of their "caring" and "supporting" their poducts should you buy new... when the reality was that they locked us out of content that they'd already charged us £50rrp for...there was nothing FREE about it, and i'm pretty sure a downloads required for it to be labelled "dlc".

    Mass Effect 2 has faired better.. and hinted at extra developement time and effert in bringing the VIP dlc to us. BBC2 though has been a complete joke. An excellent game, but DICE and EA need to realise what a "map pack" actually means - generally new maps.

  • KilgoreTroutXL #27 2 years ago

    To me, rush in 4-player co-op sounds like a pretty good time, especially if it lets you gear up your classes to take them into normal rush mode.

  • azix2 #28 2 years ago

    EA is their own worst enemy with this game. From online issues to bugs to less than impressive "VIP' content. There is no way it will surpass cod with these problems. Now instead of a perfectly implemented game they are going after more content on maps that already exist even. This is not worth paying for. I'm over BFBC2 on the PC now given all the bullsht it has wrong and I know they lost a lot of players during launch till now with their problems. EA online is rubbish yet they want to charge u to use it also. so much fail.

    I havent seen much complaint about the servers being EA sanctioned but the problems ppl have and the downtimes are all due to this. No-one can play while EA does their maintenance or while their servers fail because everything is connected to them. Cod4 and cod2 MP were all independent. One server system could not bring down the whole online experience because they all worked alone. EA's approach is ass

    Why this isn't coming to PC? They don't want to give control to PC gamers and are looknig for a way to convince us to pay. I'd honestly rather they let modders handle this game.

    edit: On my servers comment. You wouldnt end up with dumbass situations like this from the bfbc2 twitter

    "EA servers are restarting to allow BFBC2 PC servers to restart normally. You may be dropped from game or unable to login during the restart."

    "Restart has completed and servers are coming back up and allowing connections once again. Sorry for the inconvenience."

    EA restarts their servers so often its not funny. Maintenance, restart, bugs etc etc. They have no idea what effect this has on their user base
    Edited by azix2 at 12/05/10 @ 15:28

  • metalangel #29 2 years ago

    I would pay 800 points for a map pack of maps from old Battlefield games... Give us Karkand, El Alamein, 73 Easting (was that the name?) and maybe one more and we'd be in business. As it stands, Atacama is the most old school Battlefield map in the game, except it's linear to the point of being a joke and is almost unplayable due to spawn rapers.

  • Byzanite #30 2 years ago

    Squad rush/conquest for noobs? Mission based rush/conquest coop on existing maps? - I dont get this addition at all, gimme more maps/more guns for online thats all...

  • Skurmedel #31 2 years ago

    Project Ten Dollar sounds like it's related to hookers in Full Metal Jacket. Maybe we are the hookers.

  • viper_h #32 2 years ago

    Considering I can't get the damn game proper to work on my PC at all, this announcement really doesn't bother or surprise me.

    The PC port is a shoddy, terrible piece of programming. I wasted £25 on a game that will never work!

  • bratmandu #33 2 years ago

    Yea I love BFBC2 to the max, but if I can't get Onslaught mode for free with my VIP code then EA can suck it. SUCK IT!
    Edited by bratmandu at 12/05/10 @ 16:53

  • Zaiz #34 2 years ago

    "This mode will not be on PC because the thought of us tinkering with our own server code is terrifying, as we honestly have no clue what any of it does."

    That's my explanation for everything they've done on the PC. Also, lulz DiCE is going to become a half-baked FPS developer at this rate. Instead of releasing tactically interesting games with sprawling maps, we are going to get demolition festivals on small, poorly balanced maps.

  • richardiox #35 2 years ago

    New MP maps please. And by new I dont mean 'remixed' previous maps put out for different gametypes.

    In fact, bearing in mind DICE have publically stated they dont want to charge for MP map packs as it splits their community I really wouldnt be surprised if we dont ever see any truly new maps....maybe a standalone £20 'expansion pack' in the summer so they dont split the community

  • GitSomE_UK #36 2 years ago

    I'm gay for BFBC2 I'll pay it!

    /rabid fan boi mode off

  • SleepyDeathFred #37 2 years ago

    Come on, the game features a full single-player mode and a massive MP mode, with an additional 3 or 4 map packs for VIPs apparently. If the 4 player co-op mode comes off the disc, then yes it should be free. Otherwise it's a fair amount of extra gameplay and if I can find other people who want it I'll happily buy it.

  • Emmit_Assassin #38 2 years ago

    They want us to pay for a new mode? I paid for the VIP code and got fuck all so far. So much for making it worth buying new. EA are back to their old ways by the sounds of it.
    Fucking wankers. You're not getting another penny outa me you bastards. Pre-owned EA games from now on.
    You just lost another customer.

  • monkeywithnoeyes #39 2 years ago

    yes, whatever peoples stance on EA's "project $10 dollar" scheme the value of it has to be $10. We've simply not been offered that with BBC2. Theres been no extra value over the £50rrp from the "dlc" they've offered so far because it was simply locked content we already paid for.

    The only way this schemes going to work is if actual values offered to it. It's hardly a reward scheme if the only reward we get for purchasing new and not preowned is content on the disc thats locked untill it suits EA to allow us access to what we already own. If that continues with other titles then it's just gonna piss people off..and they'll simply wait a month after release and get the games in the sales.

  • Dylbot #40 2 years ago

    Not sure if this is my bag because if you're playing Rush right, you're basically playing 4-player co-op anyway (with wider team support, natch). 4-player campaign co-op would be an absolute riot, though.

  • Emmit_Assassin #41 2 years ago

    @monkeywithnoeyes
    I agree. I aslo do agree with project $10 when we're given the content that's worth the extra we pay for new games. But we are consumers who are very aware, and so are good bargain hunters. I used to only ever buy second hand, I only ever bought Driver 3 at full price based on glowing previews, and learnt a good lesson with that. I've recently bought several games new on the promise of free content, and only ME2 has given me my money's worth. Untill I see others getting their money's worth out of these games, I'm not buying new anymore. It's just not worth it.

  • willows #42 2 years ago

    I tend to buy my games new simply as it means I get to play them on/soon after release so have never had much of an opinion of project $10...a bit of something extra for doing something I would've been doing anyway.

    To date that something extra has been a token item rather than anything substantial and I can't see that changing...

    That is until EA lock out used games from playing online multiplayer.

  • Syrette #43 2 years ago

    @monkeywithnoeyes

    +1

    Very well put.

  • ctankep #44 2 years ago

    Hey DICE, if you're reading -> more RUSH maps or at least make variations of them to keep things fresh! Its definitely the best multi-player mode on consoles with their 12 vs. 12 player limit as CONQUEST ends up being non-stop circulation and shooting people in the back as they run to the next flag. I'd be happier paying for more RUSH maps but it seems like it takes 3-4 months to get even the default maps in this mode ..


    -- Chuan
    Edited by ctankep at 18/05/10 @ 11:00

  • msears #45 2 years ago

    2 questions is this onine and is this split screen. please anserw

  • msears #46 2 years ago

    is this online and is this split screen