Project Ten Dollar confirmed for BC2

By Tom Bramwell Published 18 February, 2010

DLC initiative similar to Mass Effect 2.

DICE has confirmed that the Battlefield: Bad Company 2 in-game store and launch DLC is part of a loyalty initiative similar to Mass Effect 2's Cerberus Network.

"We want people to insert the code they get when they buy the game to get access to [DLC]. It's connected to your personal account, more or less, and what we want to do is give you something extra, added value, for that," producer Patrick Bach told MTV.

"In the future you will get more content, for free, if you have this VIP code."

Although he didn't expressly say so, DICE's plan is part of EA's global Project Ten Dollar strategy, which will see more of the publisher's games shipping with redeemable codes that entitle players to bonus content.

The idea is that people who buy the game second-hand will have to fork out $10 on Xbox Live, PSN or EA Downloader to get the same benefits - thereby encouraging them to buy a brand new copy rather than a slightly cheaper trade-in version.

DICE has previously promised a "long post-launch campaign" for Bad Company 2, but neither it nor BioWare with Mass Effect 2 have clarified how much content code-bearers will receive before additional premium DLC asks them to put their hand back in their wallet.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is due out for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 on 5th March.

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About Tom Bramwell

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

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

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Comments (27) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Anthony_UK #1 2 years ago

    The thing is how does anyone outside the people checking websites like eurogamer every day even know about this?

    I honestly didn't know what the Cerberus code was for at first with Mass Effect 2, assuming it was just something pointless distracting me from the main game.

  • reality_cheque #2 2 years ago

    It's mentioned in the manual - if they don't read the manual on the way home from the shops that's their problem ;-)

  • DugBriderider #3 2 years ago

    If they had the balls they would put all the single player content on the disc and have the multiplayer as free DLC. Only a few titles would could get away with this but judging by the demo Battlefield is good enough to pull it off. Never the less I hope they reward people well for buying the game new, drip feed free content and you will always have a loyal community.

  • tachometer #4 2 years ago

    This is all very well if you have Xbox live or PSN, but what if you're not connected? Are they saying you might as well buy second hand?

  • Shikasama #5 2 years ago

    Yeah I'm sure EA will give us plenty of free, worthwhile content before they slap us with premium. That's just how they roll.

  • metalangel #6 2 years ago

    @reality cheque: what did the cops say when you hit that bus full of nuns because you were reading the Dragon Age manual while driving? I am sure this will breed "loyalty" to EA who in return will switch off the servers when it suits them, effectively rendering the game worthless.

  • Geordiemp #7 2 years ago

    Maybe in a years time we will see then end of Game, Gamestation and the like in the UK and get all our games from ASDA, TESCO and Shopto
    Edited by Geordiemp at 18/02/10 @ 09:31

  • Dezm0nd #8 2 years ago

    Exclusive pre-order bonus with Battlefield Bad Company 5 get ten quids worth of bananas or baguettes if you pre-order with Morrisons!

  • drxym #9 2 years ago

    EA games are so mercenary with their DLC, that I wonder why anyone buys their games any more. You only have to look at the second hand rack to see how rapidly they lose their value.

  • cianchristopher #10 2 years ago

    I'd imagine that the type of people who buy second-hand games rarely buy DLC to go with them...

    So, unless the coupon inside gives DLC that makes the game playable with it, but unplayable without it - then it'll be a long time before they see those "ten dollars"...

  • bodypopper #11 2 years ago

    Presumbly budget re-releases of the game will come with codes. Otherwise you're being penalised for being a cheapskate but you still bought the game 'new'.

  • the_mtfr #12 2 years ago

    "It's connected to your personal account, more or less"

    Well fuck, is it connected more, or less???

  • chrisola #13 2 years ago

    It's connect as long as you never turn the game or your internet off, ever.

  • Moribundman #14 2 years ago

    THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN POSSIBLY COMPLAIN ABOUT HERE*. WHY DON'T YOU PEOPLE JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!

    (*other than tachometer's point ;-)

    For fuck's sake. This is post-gold DLC which is produced as an ongoing thing after the game is released. It is FREE to people who could be arsed to buy the game new, it allows the devs to take into account the initial press reaction to the game and potentially develop game changing content (as Bioware are doing with the Hammerhead due soon).

    People who say "why's it not on the disc to begin with" are completely missing the point that to develop this FREE additional content, devs are continuing to work past the release of the game and adding to that.

    Those of you who want to moan that they aren't buying a game which has day one or shortly thereafter DLC because its full price, please form a line behind the people whinging that they'll "buy the GOTY edition in 6 months". If you don't give a shit about getting the game day one, knock yourselves the fuck out and buy the all-inclusive compilation waaaay down the line (IF they end up releasing one).

    You people are SERIOUSLY worse than pissing fanboys with your utterly pointless and retarded wittering for witterings sake.
    Edited by Moribundman at 18/02/10 @ 12:27

  • yegon #15 2 years ago

    >>>Project 10 Dollar makes me nostalgic for the 'Nam... long time!
    Back then it was Sucky Sucky 5 Dolla

    Inflation :(
    ---

    Nah, back then for the extra special it was "10 dollar make you holler!".

  • Moribundman #16 2 years ago

    @tachometer - this is the only sensible thing that can really be said *against* these initiatives, and it's a fair point.

    You *can* enter the codes via EA's website and then if you can get your PS3 or Xbox to a connection even briefly you can download the DLC, but true if you're one of the minority without an online link you're buggered.

    I know with ME2 I have two mates with Xboxes who weren't connected and they sure as hell are now.

  • Skinme #17 2 years ago

    Anthony_UK does have a point, even if he did think Cerberus was a pointless distraction.

    Mr Average Gamer doesn't read sites like this one. So when they go and buy a 2nd hand copy of ME2 or BC2, they'll get home to find that they're missing out on something they could've got for free if they had bought the game brand new. What are the chances that Game, or any other shop that sells trade-ins, will tell customers that the 2nd hand game doesn't include the "free" content they could've got with a new copy?

    Maybe EA should advertise the fact on the box. Like a badge saying "$10/£10/€10 of free content when bought new" or something.

  • Gastrian #18 2 years ago

    Post deleted at 17:56:43 13-04-2012

  • Moribundman #19 2 years ago

    @skinme Then they go on live and download it for 1200 MSP or a tenner or whatever. This is being sold as additional content free to first hand purchasers, not a mandatory section of the game deliberately omitted to "catch out" second hand purchasers.

    Buy it second hand for a tenner, if you love the game and want the extra stuff, buy that as paid for DLC.

    I bought Dead Space second hand and ended up buying a bunch of DLC which had originally been free to early adopters. Goes with the territory of buying second hand.

    As an analogy I don't buy a game a month after release then moan I didn't get preorder content...

  • TitusCrow #20 2 years ago

    One of the great names for a plan - projeck ten dolla! The only one better I have heard is the legendary project bootstrap! keep these coming I say.

  • Moribundman #21 2 years ago

    Too expensive. I'll wait 6 months for GOTY project tree fiddy.

  • reality_cheque #22 2 years ago

    @metalangel: They wondered why I was driving a bus without even a full driving license let alone a commerical passenger license. Then I pointed out it was a Stagecoach bus therefore anything I'd got up to paled in comparison to their normal drivers and I got let off with a slapped wrist ;-)

  • Geordiemp #23 2 years ago

    So me and my son have an xbox each and each have our own live account.

    If we get a code, can we use it on each xbox, or do we have to pay get the DLC for second xbox....?

    MMM, if thats so, not only does it discourage second hand as you have to pay for DLC, you may have to pay for DLC if different family members use it ?

    If so, that sucks.
    Edited by Geordiemp at 18/02/10 @ 19:10

  • Ashcroft #24 2 years ago

    It's a good way to encourage people to buy the game new, but no one is going to bother buying the DLC if they buy the game used, not when it's so highly priced, not to mention, shit. ME2 wouldn't have been any different without Zaeed. One mission (2 if you count the one where you wander around. Woo, wandering) and a character with no depth or progression? I doubt GAME will be quaking in their boots just yet, especially when there's no way for the vast majority of store shoppers to even know about the DLC.

  • hahayou #25 2 years ago

    Doesn't speak highly of their own opinion of BC2 - you don't usually trade in a game with high quality, long lasting multiplayer. They obviously aren't expecting this to have 5 year+ legs like BF2.

    If this system really takes off it'll be bad for the rental market too, which can't be good for the industry as a whole (kids rent, and if you get them young you've got them forever). I wonder if Blockbuster will get lots of codes?

  • reality_cheque #26 2 years ago

    @Georgieemp - different family members is ok, different xbox is not. Exactly the same as any other DLC.

  • BobsUncle #27 2 years ago

    @tachometer

    If you're not online why would you want multiplayer maps anyway?

    @Moribundman
    "For fuck's sake. This is post-gold DLC which is produced as an ongoing thing after the game is released."

    Except they said the content is already on the disc, meaning it's already been paid for.

    They're holding it back just to pull this stunt.