NOV. 5, 2010 • Since launching its Free-to-Play Battlefield Heroes, Electronic Arts has amassed more than 6 million registered users, and has decided there’s room for a second F2P title in the franchise. One of the criticisms of Battlefield Heroes was the simplified graphics were too close to cartoons. In response, the new game, currently titled Battlefield Play4Free, will make use of the graphics and maps from Battlefield 2, as well as the classes and weapons from the popular Battlefield: Bad Company 2. Battlefield Play4Free is set for launch next spring.
Impact: Electronic Arts has struggled to try and expand its business beyond high-end retail games. Obviously the F2P model, as done is Asia, is compelling from both a profitability perspective and as a way to get around the piracy issue that most PC publishers have struggled with. For a traditional console retail game, 6 million users would be a blockbuster hit. However, for a F2P game, 6 million users is a very modest number as the vast majority of these users (probably over 95%) don’t spend any money. The problem is EA is competing with Korean developers that can afford to spend a significant amount on development because they have their domestic market to sell to. Nevertheless, it looks like EA has decided to take the lessons learned in Battlefield Heroes and try and bring its F2P product to a more competitive level.
