Burnout Paradise to keep expanding

By Robert Purchese Published 27 October, 2008

Four more updates for spring '09.

Criterion plans to deliver four more chunky Burnout Paradise updates throughout spring 2009. Vroom.

The first of these, Pack 4, will be unveiled on 31st October, according to the official developer blog.

Then, on 7th November, we will learn about Pack 5, before Pack 6 is unveiled a week later on 14th November.

The last of the lot, Pack 7, will be talked about on 21st November.

Presumably one of those will be the Eastwood update, which adds a new island to Paradise City for drivers to explore. We're also expecting biplanes to arrive at some point.

Criterion's ongoing support for Burnout Paradise, which launched in January 2008, has been really rather impressive. The biggest changes have come in free Cagney and Burnout Bikes packs, the former adding new online modes, and the latter adding motorbikes and a day/night cycle. Trophy support was introduced recently as well.

Head over to our Burnout Paradise gamepage for our original review, plus ongoing analysis of the added content.

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.

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

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Comments (32) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • jonsaan #1 3 years ago

    Will they charge for these?

  • Rodster #2 3 years ago

    ^^^

    No, they'll be free as well. :-D

  • photoboy #3 3 years ago

    Will any (or have any) of these updates included the ability to restart your race from the pause menu instead of having to drive all the way back to the start point? I didn't bother buying the game because of that omission, but if they've added it in one of their updates it'll jump the game to the top of my list.

  • Rizo #4 3 years ago

    they have not charged for any so far!

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #5 3 years ago

    This is frankly, quite incredible. It's a great, fun, good looking game and I really hope that people start to buy this retrospectively so that Criterion and other developers think this kind of thing is a good idea.

  • brainbird #6 3 years ago

    A restart option makes the difference between "top of the list" and "no buy"? You people are funny.

  • potatoes #7 3 years ago

    well, i bought it recently after seeing how well supported it is.

    also, being able to buy directly from PSN and not have to find a disc each time is massive psychological hurdle for me to bother having a quick go every now and then.

    kudos to everyone involved...

  • jambolio #8 3 years ago

    Woop, I moved house shortly after this came out and my disc vanished into the jumble, found it again the other day and have been playing it since.

  • Phily50 #9 3 years ago

    It is one of the best racing games availible IMO.

    Plus I have to agree with brainbird.

  • andijames #10 3 years ago

    Wish they would patch it so you had an option of installing to hard disk so you didn't need the disc in the drive. Mind you not sure if it would be possible but since it's available as a downloadable game now then it should be!

  • DFawkes #11 3 years ago

    My favourite racing game, with free stuff on a regular basis, from EA? Wouldn't have thought it a couple of years ago. This is excellent indeed.

  • Rodster #12 3 years ago

    EA is experimenting with post sales delivery content as a way to combat games being traded in very early after it's release. They claim they make no money if the game is traded in shortly after it's been released. I hope the idea works for them.
    Edited by 1 at 27/10/08 @ 09:50

  • Widge #13 3 years ago

    Nah, no way of securing the game to install fully from disc. You could just hire, copy, return then.

  • septimus #14 3 years ago

    Definitely one of the best game investments. It was good as it was, it's nice that they are trying to keep it a new experience.

  • Doctor_What #15 3 years ago

    The team must be so sick of that environment by now! The poor buggers.

  • asphaltcowboy #16 3 years ago

    Woooooooooooo! :D

  • Whatsfor #17 3 years ago

    Im pretty sure its the in game billboards thats paying for the free updates, kudos to Criterion and EA for the great way to make a game pay for its self!

  • agparrot #18 3 years ago

    The community aspect of playing this game online really makes it a little different to anything else I've played this year, and possibly different to anything else I've played.

    It isn't all competitive, you see? The challenges make it an interesting teamwork diversion from many other games, which focus on individual merit to a far greater degree.

    Am considering whether, although it was a January release, this game might still rank as my game of the year.

    restartlol

  • photoboy #19 3 years ago

    "A restart option makes the difference between "top of the list" and "no buy"? You people are funny. "

    What's the point in playing a game that makes you drive for 5 minutes just to get back to the start of the race when you don't win? It's annoying and pointless.

  • Marshall2008 #20 3 years ago

    Don't know how they will top the bike pack but looking forward to more free content.

  • Steroyd #21 3 years ago

    It doesn't take 5 minutes go back to start of challenge and it's not as annoying as it is in your head.

  • RedSparrows #22 3 years ago

    "A restart option makes the difference between "top of the list" and "no buy"? You people are funny. "

    What's the point in playing a game that makes you drive for 5 minutes just to get back to the start of the race when you don't win? It's annoying and pointless.

    --

    Because, for the most part, you go and do something else.

    Or, you're missing out on a game thats good parts far outweigh the bad. Yes, it gets annoying when you get to the last bit and want ALL events done, but by that point I had 50 joyful hours played. I didn't think it was too bad a trade.

  • skillian #23 3 years ago

    I hate to unnecessarily bring DRM into the thread, but it's funny how both SecureROM with its limited installs and free updated content for months after release are both different methodologies of EA experimenting with limiting second-hand sales and trade-ins.

    Guess which one I think they should go with?

  • Thunderbolt #24 3 years ago

    There are always smug bastards on these boards who love to shoot down anyone who mentions restarts (who in reality wouldn't mind having them).

    So my response is, yes restarts matter. Yes, its a deal breaker. I dont want to do something else, I just want to replay that race. The option to turn them on/off as a preference is not a big deal.

    I really wanted to like this game but traded after a week for this reason.

    Burnout 3 Takedown is still the epitome of the series. IMO

  • paulf #25 3 years ago

    cant believe people are still moaning about the lack of restart - i played it for over 30 hours and it really didnt matter one bit, really at the price you can get it for now and all the free downloadable content it's more of a must buy now than ever, if you havent played it yet then i'd say give it a go and see

  • jack_klugman #26 3 years ago

    A restart option makes the difference between "top of the list" and "no buy"? You people are funny.

    It so harmed my enjoyment of the demo that, despite having bought every iteration since Burnout 2, I didn't feel any compulsion to buy Paradise.

  • ozallez #27 3 years ago

    bizarre... you're missing out mate, your loss

  • Ariondax #28 3 years ago

    "The team must be so sick of that environment by now! The poor buggers."

    Ha, what team?
    EA laid off a load of people at Criterion last November just after Paradise was finished.
    The majority of the rest of the team has since walked due to not being happy at EA.

    Sadly Criterion is now just a name to trade on and 'Burnout' a franchise to milk.

  • RedSparrows #29 3 years ago

    If milking is free content updates, I'm fine.

    As for the restarts, I apologise if I appeared 'smug', but it's really a non issue for what is a wonderful game. It's a shame that it ruined it for some, but I feel the quality far outweighs this minor factor.

  • Thunderbolt #30 3 years ago

    RedSparrows,

    Hi there, not sure if you will read this but just for the record the 'smug' comment was not aimed at you. Sorry if it seemed that way

    :)

  • TuftyMcTavish #31 3 years ago

    Lack of restarts is a non-issue. It gets you to explore the wonderfully designed city environment and do stuff as you find it. 100h logged and it's not bothered me at all. Your loss for those that struggle to adapt I'm afraid.

  • Ariondax #32 3 years ago

    "If milking is free content updates, I'm fine."

    If you enjoy the game then that's great, I've no problem with it.
    I just find that for me it has lost that 'Burnout' feel and I prefer Burnout 2 & 3.

    As for 'free updates', well the day night cycle and weather were all being worked on for the original release so is it 'free' or should it have been in the original game?
    The promised extra play area is great but since the map was drastically reduced in development are they just adding stuff back in? If the extra areas island ends up being an airport then it was also planned for the original release.
    I do wonder if they've just held stuff back in order to let it be given out later as DLC.

    The only really 'new stuff' is the motorbikes, but then since EAUK were working on an updated 'Road Rash' and that got canned the bike idea possibly came from there - after all why waste work already done?
    Edited by 1 at 28/10/08 @ 23:41