Battlefield 4's Open Beta Opens October 1

[Steven Bogos]

Battlefield 4's Open Beta Opens October 1

Players will be able to upgrade from PS3/Xbox 360 versions of the game to PS4/Xbox One versions for as little as $10.

Those of you itching to get your hands on Battlefield 4 won't have to wait too much longer, as EA has announced that the game's open beta will kick off on October 1. While not explicitly mentioned, it can be assumed that the exclusive beta, which is only for players who pre-ordered Battlefield 4 or purchased Battlefield 3: Premium, should be available at the same time.

In the open beta, players will be limited to Conquest mode on the Siege of Shanghai map, while exclusive beta participants will have access to more of the game. Previously, DICE specifically stated that the open beta would follow the exclusive beta [https://help.ea.com/article/battlefield-4-exclusive-beta-access-information], and gave an "early October" release date for both betas. October 1 is about as early October as you can get, so unless the exclusive beta drops before the end of September, they'll probably just both come out at the same time.

Furthermore, DICE also announced a scheme that would let early adopters on current-gen systems (PS3, Xbox 360) upgrade to their respective next-gen versions (PS4, Xbox One) of the game for as little as $10. Inside marked copies of Battlefield 4 for PlayStation 3 there will be a voucher with a unique code printed on it. This code will allow you the one-time opportunity until March 28, 2014 to purchase a digital version of Battlefield 4 for the PS4 via the PlayStation Store for only $9.99.

For the Xbox 360 version, you'll have to rely on the list of participating retailers [http://blogs.battlefield.com/2013/09/upgrade-to-nextgen/?utm_campaign=bf-social-us-socom-tw-tw-upgrade-to-nextgen-091313&utm_source=tw&utm_medium=social&sourceid=bf-social-us-socom-tw-tw-upgrade-to-nextgen-091313] which are offering the $10 upgrade deal upon trading in your current-gen title.

DICE previously revealed a system [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/126867-Battlefield-4-Lets-You-Carry-Over-Stats-To-Next-Gen] that would allow users to carry over their multiplayer stats when upgrading to a next-gen version of the game.

Source: Battlefield Blog [http://www.ea.com/news/playing-the-best-of-this-generation]

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[ron1n]

Seemed yet another scumbag play charging $10 for the upgrade to a game you already own.

But then realised there is a $10 difference in the pricing for old/new gen copies so guess that is fair.

Although the used-by date for the code is a dick move.

 

[GodzillaGuy92]

Huh. That's... more generous than I was expecting. Are you feeling all right, EA? I mean, I appreciate you having not done anything to piss me off in awhile, but your behavior's starting to get unsettling.

 

[Longstreet]

I remember reading somewhere that the exclusive beta (for Pre-purchased BF4 or Premium BF3) should start a few days(-to a week) before October 1st.

I'll see if i can find a source to that.

EDIT: nope, both say early October. I need more coffee, maybe that will jump start my memory into actually working.

 

[james.sponge]

I'm assuming PC beta will also start on the 1st of Oct.?

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

I still have to decide if I'm preordering the game by then. There's a lot of irks in Battlefield 3 that I hope they've fixed, some of them being the poor implementation of anti-cheat mechanisms, Battlelog bugs, and DICE or EA actually doing something about these issues, or at least acknowledging they know the issue instead of ignoring it.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Seemed yet another scumbag play charging $10 for the upgrade to a game you already own.

But then realised there is a $10 difference in the pricing for old/new gen copies so guess that is fair.

Although the used-by date for the code is a dick move.

Agreed that the use by date is mean, $10 for the next gen version though is a screaming deal and extremely unlike EA.

Bare in mind that up to this point every game released across two generations has taken the attitude that to play on both you have to buy it on both, no compromises. $10 and we'll extend your purchase to two versions is unique, I really am sincerely surprised that EA would do such a thing.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

This is actually a sweet deal. And it's very strange that EA is doing this. I doubt Rockstar will offer you the same deal when they inevitably port GTA V to next-gen consoles.

 

[DarkhoIlow]

Good deal, but I don't think my PC will run this game at a steady frame rate so I think I will pass until I get an upgrade.

I'm more interested in Titanfall either way.

 

[vallorn]

EA... I... What is this it hurts my brain!

Is this... EA being good? Well... They started out the last gen with being good too... Dead Space, Mirrors Edge... Is new IP time coming up EA?

Still I'm looking forward to seeing if BF4 will run on this large wheezing lump of a PC.

 

[Jackel86]

While that's a great deal on the upgrade (good on EA for that), it's unfortunate that it is brand loyal upgrading. What about the (I'm guessing) tens of thousands of us who have 360s but are switching to PS4 because MS is an ass? I guess I'll just wait to pick up my PS4 and buy it for that. Oh well. Great idea, though.