Battlefield 3 retailer-exclusive items explained
Doubtless hoping to stem a flow of fan outrage oozing over the Internet, DICE has explained a little more about the BF3 'Physical Warfare Pack' multiplayer items only available by pre-ordering from select retailers.
Battlefield 3 developer DICE has revealed that selected retailers around the world will be offering a special pre-order edition with exclusive in-game multiplayer items unavailable elsewhere. Naturally, Battlefield fans are none too pleased with this.
While the 'Battlefield 3 Limited Edition: Physical Warfare Pack' was in fact announced back in May, then confirmed only for the UK, the fan backlash campaign really kicked off over the weekend on That Internet. You know, the usual--heaps of forum posts; calls for media attention; loud boycott vows very few will actually honour. Come Monday morning, EA has released a little FAQ to address the issue.
Pre-ordering BF3 from select retailers will get you the Physical Warfare Pack, which offers the Type 88 light machine gun, which was an unlockable in the Battlefield: Bad Company series, Battlefield 3's only sniper rifle flash suppressor, for the SKS, and flechette ammo for the DAO-12 semi-automatic shotgun. You'll also get an instant multiplayer unlock of the DAO-12 itself, and the non-exclusive 'Back to Karkland' vintage map pack, which is a pre-order bonus everywhere and will also be sold separately.
Only the UK retailers offering the Physical Warfare Edition have been revealed so far, Game and Gamestation, but DICE notes, "Exact details for other countries and retailers will be announced at a later date."
"The three exclusive items in the Physical Warfare Pack were specifically chosen not to be overpowered or imbalance or break the game in any way," DICE insists. "Owning these items will give you a more varied arsenal, but it will not give you a significant advantage on the battlefield."
In 2008, publisher EA planned to offer exclusive weapons for Battlefield: Bad Company. Five guns for multiplayer would have only been available by buying the Gold Edition or through microtransactions. However, after fan outrage, EA dropped the plans and decided they'd be available to all players for free, though Gold Edition players would have them unlocked instantly.
"When we saw this big uprise about people that really felt it was dissatisfying that some people bought the Gold Edition, those five weapons you couldn't get or that you had to buy if you had the ordinary version of the game, that we just decided that all weapons will be free in the game, and that's how it is now," producer Karl-Magnus Troedsson said back then. Clearly, fans are hoping for a similar resolution this time around.
DICE says it offers bonuses, "Because we believe in rewarding our core fanbase with special offers--such as giving them the Back to Karkand expansion pack at no extra charge." What goes unsaid is that retailer-exclusive content is used to encourage retailers to promote the game more. That's just business, of course, but attempting to dodge the issue may only serve to irritate fans further.
Battlefield 3 is headed to PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on October 23
-
Shacknews
replyAlice O'Connor posted a new article, Battlefield 3 retailer-exclusive items explained.
Doubtless hoping to stem a flow of fan outrage oozing over the Internet, DICE has explained a little more about the BF3 'Physical Warfare Pack' multiplayer items only available by pre-ordering from select retailers.-
-
I hope the Physical Warfare Pack is at least available on Origin Steam.
-
With the launch of Origin, I'm thinking Steam isn't going to be an option this time around. I hope not, but that's what I'm thinking.
-
-
The worst part is there's no way to even punish them for this. I want to play the game. I am almost certainly going to purchase it, but I am entirely unwilling to get it on anything save Steam.
Steam is just so much fucking better than everything else.-
-
Punish them for pulling shit that they will not do elsewhere.
You don't see them with holding copies from GameStop because they sell used games (they're significantly worse than the 30% Steam takes).
They don't refuse to sale/allow preorders at Best Buy, or Amazon (which undercuts their MSRP, devaluing their games), or Gamestop, or small stores. Or any retail stores.
They only pull this for online and only for Steam.
That's bullshit, and they deserve punishment for it. There's just nothing practical I can do, beyond complain to their PR as I did for Need for Speed and DA2.-
-
They're stores where you buy games.
Additionally, that still doesn't provide any consumer value for offering it to D2D and not steam. (Or hell, Amazon Digital Store).
It's only Steam they're doing this to. Yes, that is fully 100% anti-consumer bullshit.-
-
I don't see what Portal 2 has to do with Battlefield 3? But that Valve restricts digital purchasing to their own store, that's just as lame.
Except that it didn't include exclusive DLC.-
Slightly less lame for that reason.
-
-
You could still get Portal 2 off Amazon, or Bestbuy, or any retail store. Thus, exactly the same as BF3.
The difference is, BF3 also has multiplayer-impacting un-obtainable DLC. Thus, still more lame.
Yes?
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
They need to do what they always do....give re-skinned weapons for the retailer´s exclusivity programs, they even can mess a little bit with the weapons characteristics (like they did with the SPECACT MG3 SA), but if they give complete different weapons to the microtransaction crowd, specially if those weapons where quite popular regular unlocks in their other games, they really are screwing their fanbase.
-
-
A uniform with a big, bright yellow rectangle on the back that says "I BOUGHT MY COPY AT BEST BUY" in bold black letters.
-
-
-
-
[deleted]
-
yes, they need to explain why people are being segmented and forced into sales channels. release the SKUs on steam, let people preorder whatever they want, voila.
instead we have this ring-around-the-rosey bullshit with all sorts of half baked preorder garbage, similar to DA2 as I recall. with MP games this will be magnified a LOT.-
Money! And if that doesn't make sense, just keep giving them money until you understand.
-
-
-
I hate this reasoning: "Owning these items will give you a more varied arsenal, but it will not give you a significant advantage on the battlefield."
Advantage, no matter how big or small is still an advantage. You can have weapons that are slightly different, but it's these differences that make me prefer one weapon over the other. It's similar to the unlock system in COD. I don't use certain weapons past a certain level because at that level, a certain gun unlocks and I average a little more kills with it. I'm still effective with the previous weapon, but if I'm slightly more effective with a certain weapon, then why wouldn't I pick that weapon every time? -
-
in BFBC2 i can never use the M1 garand because i don't have a veteran record
-
-
[deleted]
-
-
-
-
-
it appears it's an expansion pack now??
Q: Is the Back to Karkand expansion pack exclusive to pre-orders?
A: No. You can also buy it separately if you do not pre-order Battlefield 3. Back to Karkand will be available the exact same date after the launch of Battlefield 3 no matter if you pre-ordered or buy it separately.
from their FAQ link
this is a total clusterfuck. exclusive weapons are fine because they are simple and clear. give us money up front, you get a shotgun or something. simple. however, this is getting really bad scope creep and too many people are fucking with the simplicity of the pre-order.-
From what I've read, karkand is more along the lines of Vietnam for BC2 - has BF2 weapons and maps.
-
-
[deleted]
-
-
YES, every pre-order gets Back to Karkand. It says so in the article above, and in the FAQ.
-
I hope they let Steam users preorder it.
-
-
I think BC2 was just slightly delayed. It was after that that EA started fucking around.
Need for Speed: HP was not available on steam until 3 weeks after release.
DA:2 they held it back so that you missed all the free DLC stuff (released for preorder only after the DLC deal expired)
Mirror's Edge: Cannot use DLC with the Steam version (EA dl version works okay)
There are a few other more minor ones.-
-
-
They stopped that, at least. You can download it for as long as you want now.
Progress, I guess.
-
-
-
-
Yah it went up maybe 2-3 weeks before release on Steam and if I remember correctly it let you preload a day in advance of release?
-
-
-
-
I'm just saying what D2D's Support team told me. Here is the verbatim info I got:
"Hi *deject*,
Thank you for contacting Direct2Drive Support.
Unfortunately, the Limited Edition of Battlefiled 3 is an exclusive to the EA Store, the publishers of the game. Other offers for the Limited Edition are for Physical CD versions only.
Regards,
Kat Ullrich
Senior Support Specialist
Digital Distribution"
It's totally possible this isn't true, but I would think their own support people would know what they are offering.
-
-
I'll state it again, Direct2Drive's support people told me specifically that they do not offer the Back to Karkand pack, and it's not mentioned anywhere on their BF3 pre-order page. They could be misinformed, but if you want to get that pack, I would look elsewhere, or just be ready to pay for it on launch day if they don't have it like they said.
-
-
-
Probably a Buy this DLC now screen :P
-
-
[deleted]
-
[deleted]
-
I agree it looks fun. However, what isn't fun is being on a squad and someone gets all pissy because you don't have "the right loadout" just like what you see on TF2 now. "What, you don't have the kritzkrieg?! Ugh, why are you even playing medic?"
That shit isn't fun. That shit sucks the fun out of all the fun around it like a big non fun black hole. -
[deleted]
-
According to some people that just means you're entitled, how dare you have an opinion, you're an asshole, go kill yourself, PC GAMER derp.
-
[deleted]
-
-
-
[deleted]
-
-
Yeah, there's no chance I'm boycotting this.
-
-
[deleted]
-
-
-
[deleted]
-
I remember when preordering gave you actual good offers like the game's soundtrack, artbook, some trinket, cool stuff. It's now down to locking ingame stuff and trying to sell it to you as a BONUS... GTFO EA.
Like this: Bonus Offer - Sound Disc and Art Book
http://www.amazon.com/Catherine-Playstation-3/dp/B004P7VGF2 -
Yeah their meager attempt at justification doesn't sway me at all. Their FAQ doesn't tell us anything new. They're basically just saying "Its okay because we say its okay. Now give us your money."
-
If you want to make me preorder, do it on amazon. They give you so much credit and stuff, you pretty much get half the cost back in amazon bucks usually.
-
"retailer-exclusive content is used to encourage retailers to promote the game more."
Solution: eliminate retailers.-
Without commenting on this preorder stuff from my personal POV, retailers remain the main place for games to sell and getting deals with said retailers ensures more visibility and in the end more sales for anyone selling them there.
Digital will probably end up being the future on a much grander scale than it is now but as it stands, brick and mortar stores still rule.-
[deleted]
-
-
-
I don't care. As long as the preorder bonus isn't a Warhammer 40K space marine bolter or a lightsabre in place of their knife, a minor stat advantage isn't going to save them. It's even less of an issue if you can eventually earn these items in game or they get unlocked for everyone via some patch 6 months after release.
-
#1: You cannot unlock or earn the 3 items that are 'exclusive'
#2: One of them is a one-of-a-kind accessory for a weapon (a sniper silencer) that will have a huge impact on gameplay, especially for normal mode.
#3: One of them is a minor item (rounds that weakly penetrate)
The sniper one has me pissed. They've admitted on twitter and the QA that it is the only silenced sniper in the game. It cannot be unlocked and it will not be offered later.
-
-
