DICE doesn't want to charge for maps

By Tom Bramwell Published 1 April, 2010

"This attitude was crucial," says producer.

While EA and DICE have previously referred to an "extensive paid digital content plan" for Battlefield: Bad Company 2, the developer has said it wants to avoid charging for maps.

"We don't ever want to charge for our maps and insisted to EA that this attitude was crucial when it came to keeping our community happy and playing together," DICE senior producer Patrick Bach told Xbox World 360 (thanks CVG).

EA's Eric Brown has previously said that fans can expect "multiple opportunities to spend five, 10 or 15 dollars on additional content in the next six months or so".

Like Mass Effect 2, EA rolled out Bad Company 2 with a redeemable code that entitles users to free access to a certain amount of downloadable content - the first examples of which, the Arica Harbor and Laguna Presa maps, were due out on 30th March.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (41) Latest comment 2 years ago

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

  • andromeda #1 2 years ago

    Morning all!

  • Apostle #2 2 years ago

    Good tactic, as the booster packs on BF2 split up the community. Only until recently anyway, since they made them all free to the community.

  • metalangel #3 2 years ago

    These ARE NOT new maps! It's content already on the disc being unlocked by your Project Ten Dorrah code! Arica Harbour was already in as a Rush map, all they've done is make the second stage of the map (the town) into a Conquest map. A really crappy one, I might add. Come on DICE, port El Alamein already!

  • Fubdub #4 2 years ago

    This is 100% the right way to do this, not only because obviously I like getting stuff for free, but more importantly, it prevents fracturing your playerbase.

    The only example on top of my head is the MS2: pacific rift DLC, which contains some really cool maps. But I have never managed to actually playing them in multiplayer, effectively meaning I've wasted the money I spend (and meaning I will probably never again buy a mappack).

    Of course, other benefits include loyal fans, who will buy product from company X because they now the product will be supported in the future (Valve's very loyal fanbase is a good example of this.)

    That being said, I kinda wish these companies would bring out level editors for their games and allow them to be played.

  • sjmlondon #5 2 years ago

    It would make a pleasant change if there was more free content / DLC for this brilliant multiplayer game.

    If / when we get new maps, lets hope we don't get the COD trick on 3 new maps and two rehashed from BFBC1 for 1200 MP.



  • stuarty_2003 #6 2 years ago

    @fubdub....Forge is what your after, and forge for BFBC2 would be tremendous.

  • CaptainQuint #7 2 years ago

    It'll be good if they can make it happen for brand new maps; but on the Xbox 360 I thought Microsoft have a big say when it comes to dlc pricing? I seem to remember Bungie and Epic saying that they'd prefer not to charge for new maps content, but in the end Microsoft pulled rank on it, making users pay.

  • SleepyDeathFred #8 2 years ago

    Just because these new two were already on the disc doesn't mean that there won't be more (I sincerely hope...)

    Also the Arica Harbour Conquest map is pretty damn good, though frantic as fuck, I kinda see it as the missing link between BF and MW2 - the nuance and building destruction of BF and the pace of MW2.

    Edit: Also Fubdub's idea of a level editor is presumably completely possible - the maps all seem to use the same prefabs, probably the same ones as BC1!
    Edited by 1 at 01/04/10 @ 09:03

  • TruWari3r #9 2 years ago

    Anyone remember Strike at Karkand? Now that's a map I'd love to come to bfbc2.

    But yes, there haven't been any real new maps so far and since I only play conquest I really could need a few more.

  • Doctor_What #10 2 years ago

    Good luck to them: Valve had huge arguments with Microsoft about releasing free content for TF2 and L4D on the 360. MS said that it devalued the market to give stuff away for free. This was a while ago though, so they may have changed their view by now.

  • SleepyDeathFred #11 2 years ago

    Hope this isn't an April Fool's joke announcement...

  • TruWari3r #12 2 years ago

    @ doctor what

    yes Valve could not sell their dlc through xbox's marketplace for free

    EA however does it through their own server, in bfbc2 it's the store and in me2 it's the cerberus network. You need to have created an ea account and have it linked to your gamertag or else no go. I assume that's the workaround they needed.

    Advantage though for me2 and dragon age, where codes for your pc game worked on yr 360 game (armor)

  • rudedudejude #13 2 years ago

    MS won't be too happy as this will undermine other content on live and before you know it everyone will be wanting to give out free content.

  • afghan_jones #14 2 years ago

    so far the free maps have all been stuff covered by the original dev cycle and budget. Will be interesting to see if they keep this attitude in future.

    Although its entirely possible they already have rush versions of all existing conquest maps built and vice versa meaning they can roll them out later as 'new' free maps.

  • ChaK #15 2 years ago

    I want mashtuur and karkand ^^

    Man that would kicks some butts

  • jebus #16 2 years ago

    @Doctor_What "Good luck to them: Valve had huge arguments with Microsoft about releasing free content for TF2 and L4D on the 360. "

    This is still the case as far as I'm aware

  • SleepyDeathFred #17 2 years ago

    @afghan_jones

    I'd be more than happy with ten conquest maps and ten rush maps. Obviously some actually new maps would be nice, but I can certainly live with only twenty (as long as they're free!)

  • Anthony_UK #18 2 years ago

    They don't want to charge us for maps that's are on the disk? That's good of them!

    Smells like very cynical PR to me. When they actually come to release actual 'new maps' and give them away for free, I'll eat my hat!

  • Skooch #19 2 years ago

    DICE gets on high horse AGAIN! If I hear any more self-congratulatory blabbing from them I will need a bucket.

    Well done! You made a great game, loads of people love it etc. etc. etc. - but please stop being so darned smug. Learn a little modesty and you will go a very long way.

  • bodypopper #20 2 years ago

    What on earth will they be asking people to pay a tenner or so for if not maps?
    Single player levels left out of the game perhaps?
    Co-op levels?

  • TruWari3r #21 2 years ago

    @ body popper

    Not a tenner but in the bfbc2 store under upcoming there's an announced special kit for assault, engineer, medic and recon. Just skins for the player and specific weapons. No price or release date known sofar.

  • retr0gamer #22 2 years ago

    @stuarty_2003: Forge is an awful excuse for a map maker even by console standards. We had better map makers in Farcry 2, Farcry instincts, even Timesplitters 2.

  • metalangel #23 2 years ago

    @SleepyDeathFred: Interesting, never considered it like that. It certainly is frantic, because all the flags are in a line down that one street so you can get on the building next to A and shoot people emerging from C! Not sure I like the change of pace or not, I play Conquest mostly for helicopter and tank battles in Atacama Desert.

  • BiffTanner #24 2 years ago

    L4D and Halo MS could get away with charging for DLC as they were console exclusive, Since BF is also on the PS3 I think its a case of if they release anything for free on the PSN then they will allow it to be free on XBL to keep competitive so I think we should be ok.

  • Murton #25 2 years ago

    I think DICE will win this argument regarding MP maps but the compromise will be that they have to make something that EA can charge for to keep the Ten Dollar Plan moving, such as some single player missions, which would actually be worth paying for. Though EA has shown recently that it likes to charge for ingame items, so they might try to get DICE to add new guns or vehicles to SP.

  • ignatiusjreilly #26 2 years ago

    they have to make something that EA can charge for to keep the Ten Dollar Plan moving

    Huh? Isn't the whole point of the ten dollar plan that the DLC is free to the buyer? (That doesn't preclude them releasing additional paid DLC of course.)

  • frugtkompot #27 2 years ago

    I don't see how they can charge for vehicles.

    Scenario: Upon entering shiny new tank, you'll get an error message saying "Stop! You do not have a driver's license for this tank. Visit our store". I don't see that likely to happen. I think game-items are more likely to be player skins, weapons or other stuff of micro stuff that doesn't change the flow of the game, but will perhaps interest the most devoted.

    I think this is a really good signal by DICE; and there has been numerous instances, where map packs have fragmented the community. It doesn't happen in Call of Duty because the player base is so enormous, but it's been seen in both MotorStorm and KillZone 2, where new maps are played in the few weeks after release while interest is high, but soon forgotten after that, meaning that any late-purchasers will rarely get a chance to play their purchase anyway.

  • ignatiusjreilly #28 2 years ago

    That splitting of the playerbase was also very evident in Battlefield 2, which is why I have a bit of hope that DICE really mean it.

  • Murton #29 2 years ago

    "Huh? Isn't the whole point of the ten dollar plan that the DLC is free to the buyer? (That doesn't preclude them releasing additional paid DLC of course.)"

    But they charge the people who didn't buy new. If all of the maps are going to be free then Ten Dollar wouldn't work for this title. I'm saying that DICE will likely compromise with EA making MP maps free for everyone and then making additional single player content that will go free to people who bought new.

    With regard to adding new weapons or vehicles for single player, they wouldn't appear for those who don't have the DLC. Just the same as the Dragon Plate armour and crystals don't appear in Dragon Age for people that don't have the relevant DLCs in order to use them.
    Edited by 1 at 01/04/10 @ 12:31

  • thisisatempaccount #30 2 years ago

    Port Gulf of Oman plz DICE

    kthx

  • bodypopper #31 2 years ago

    @TruWari3r
    Skins and weapons? I got that stuff for free as a PC gamer thanks to modding communities (I'm all 360/PS3 now) but then I'm not forced to buy it I suppose and it won't impact gameplay that much. No doubt it will appeal to those who actually spend money on kitting out their 360 avatar.
    Edited by 1 at 01/04/10 @ 12:50

  • BobsUncle #32 2 years ago

    Instead of 'Free DLC'I prefer the term :

    'Finished content simply held back from the original release to try and break the 2nd hand market'

  • VibratingDonkey #33 2 years ago

    "Like Mass Effect 2, EA rolled out Bad Company 2 with a redeemable code that entitles users to free access to a certain amount of downloadable content- the first examples of which, the Arica Harbor and Laguna Presa maps..."

    Ugh... No, not really. So far what they've done is give back to you map variations which were already on the disc and should have been available on release but were made inaccessible so that they could do exactly what this Eurogamer article is doing. Also it's of course more cost efficient to do this rather than offer you actual additional content for free. The other reason is of course to stifle used games sales. If you buy it used you're charged $15 to access content already on the disc. Which I guess is somewhat ok for them to do as people who buy used are basically screwing EA right back.

    EA's taking advantage of "software licensing" here. When you buy a game you don't actually own the content on the disc, you're licensed to use what the copyright owner allows you to. So EA can do stuff like this, take content out of the game and release it when they deem it suitable for marketing purposes. Also, the content is tied to one account. I've heard you can't even access it from a different account on the same console. So family members can't access it using their account, friends you borrow it to etc. It's essentially half of multiplayer we're talking about here. 4 out of 8 maps. I guess the small comfort of all this is that they're at least not charging you for it. Which is also within their right.

    It's still some insulting, shifty bullshit. There's absolutely nothing beneficial to users about this. But that's the way they want to make it look, and it's so very sad to see people just gobble it all down.
    --------
    Oh and about DICE's attitude. Judging by the situation described above I wouldn't count on that holding much of a significance any longer. One could hope that the above is the result of a compromise made between DICE and EA, allowing DICE to eventually produce actual free content, but ehhh... Until that hopefully happens I'm calling insulting, shifty bullshit on this whole thing.
    Edited by 3 at 01/04/10 @ 14:49

  • afghan_jones #34 2 years ago

    I find the whole notion of DLC in general and project ten dollar in particular leaves a bit of a sour taste.

  • metalangel #35 2 years ago

    A very sour taste when it's a game that's not even out yet accompanied by 'we have huge plans for lots of DLC'. Or indeed Project Ten Dorrah, which has yet to provide any truly compelling stuff that you just couldn't bear to miss and so would buy new/or pay the overpriced download cost of the DLC.

    It's not helped that the games media keeps saying these are 'new maps' when in fact all they've done is moved a few spawn points and triggers around.

  • Shikasama #36 2 years ago

    I wish Eurogamer would call companies out on stuff like the implementation of Project Ten Dollar.

    We aren't fucking stupid, we know EXACTLY what it is. Apparently EG don't.

  • metallicorphan #37 2 years ago

    battlefield bad company 1 they released a new game mode(Conquest as only Gold Rush was available at first)and 4 new maps,and didn't charge and then later on they released another 4 maps and again didn't charge,lets hope BFBC2 gets the same treatment

  • jambo74 #38 2 years ago

    yeah, as they charged when the game was sold with the project 10 dolla.

    That way everybody buys the DLC AND NOT JUST THOSE THAT CHOOSE TO.

  • monkeywithnoeyes #39 2 years ago

    Great. Now dice just need to actually start releasing free dlc. Simply unlocking what was already on the disc and claiming it's free dlc support when A)it wasn't free - i paid for it when i paid for my game. B) it wasnt even dlc as it required no download, does not make for "free dlc support".

    It's a shame that kids that don't know any better will commend EA on their "free dlc map packs" (note that map pack 2 contained no new maps)..whilst, rightly, slagging off evil activision for over charging, and copy and pasting, their map pack support for MW2. I in no way support Activisions pricing v's value practice.. but lets put EA's own practice with BBC2 in perspective.. they literally shipped the game with locked content on the disc, denieing us what we already paid for, and then promoted it as free dlc..offering it us when it suited THEM..not when it suited us (promoting free dlc in time for MW2's dlc release). Lets also not forget that EA value this locked content, map pack 2 being the equivilant to what Bungie do with Halo 3 often (adding gamemodes to existing maps) without claiming it "free dlc", at £10 - £10 for something already on the damn disc!

  • TheJuriel #40 2 years ago

    It's a very solid idea not to charge for maps, because that would fracture the playerbase into smaller chunks.

    But that does leave me wondering what other DLC they can put out that people would pay 10 dollars for.

  • aphexstwin #41 2 years ago

    sort these spambots out eg

    free stuff=win, if ms has a problem i just wont re-up my subscription, which as far as i can see is money for fuck all, and get it free elsewhere.

    as for the dlc being on disc, im positive a lot of the cars were on tdu's disc, you can drive past empty alfa/merc showrooms, and i was positive the free lexus pack was just a dlc code to upload them from the disc.