Battlefield 4 multiplayer beta opens October 1

It’s been known for over a year that a multiplayer beta of Battlefield 4 would debut before the game’s public launch. The game is slated for release on October 29 and now thanks to a recent post from EA’s Peter Moore, we know the multiplayer beta will debut on October 1.

What’s more, the beta will be available for the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Next generation console hopefuls are out of luck for obvious reasons: the game is launching on other platforms before the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 are scheduled to hit stores. EA, however, envisions players buying the game for current generation consoles to learn the maps and whatnot before transitioning to next generation systems once they become available.

Based on information mined from the game’s official FAQ, beta participants will be able to battle it out using Conquest mode on the Siege of Shanghai map.

Those interested in gaining beta access can do so through a few different methods. One way requires users to pre-order Battlefield 4 Digital Deluxe Edition on Origin. Also, Battlefield 3 Premium members will gain access and finally, registered owners of Medal of Honor Warfighter Limited Edition or Digital Deluxe Edition are being allowed in.

Battlefield 4 Digital Deluxe Edition currently sells for $69.99 on Origin. In addition to beta access, the pre-order also includes the China Rising DLC and three gold battlepacks (a bundle of extra items, weapons and the like).

Australia bans Syndicate reboot, EA calls it 'arcane censorship'

EA's Syndicate reboot is poised for release in the coming months, but Australians with a lust for digital carnage will have to get their fix elsewhere. The nation's Classification Board has banned the game by refusing to issue an approved rating. Australia's current video game classification system currently peaks at "MA15+," which is roughly equivalent to the ESRB's "Teen" rating and includes content unsuitable for minors under 15.

After a decade on its agenda, the country has finally approved (PDF) an "R18+" classification, permitting more violence, sexual activity, profanity, drug use, and nudity. Unfortunately for EA and Starbreeze, the new guidelines won't be implemented until sometime in 2012 -- a timeframe that conflicts with the launch date of Syndicate. In the meantime, the first-person shooter has been deemed "unsuitable for a minor to see or play."

Set in a dystopian 2069, the game borrows many themes from Deus Ex: Human Revolution, including biomechanical augmentations that provide superhuman abilities. Players control Kilo, a prototype agent of EuroCorp, one of many ruthless "syndicates" who are vying for control of market dominance. As part of that ongoing struggle, players are tasked with many dirty deeds -- namely, slaying countless foes and extracting chip implants from their brains.

"In order to complete the missions, a player has to engage in intense combat with swarms of enemy combatants who are clad in light armor. A variety of weapons [are] available and these often cause decapitation, dismemberment and gibbing during frenetic gunfights," the Australian board explained (PDF). "Combatants take locational damage and can be explicitly dismembered, decapitated, or bisected by the force of gunfire."

The report cites realistic depictions of "copious bloodspray and injuries" as well as the ability to desecrate corpses. "For example, it is possible for a player to decapitate a corpse with a headshot before individually blowing off each of its limbs. Depending on the weapon used, it is also possible to bisect a corpse, with realistic ragdoll effects," the board said, noting that players can also target unarmed civilians throughout the game.

Australia reached a similar conclusion when it reviewed Left 4 Dead 2 in 2009. Fallout 3, Manhunt, Mortal Kombat and many others have also faced opposition, but they are often approved after making changes. It seems EA has no such plans, however, telling Joystiq that it simply won't offer the game in Australia, despite enthusiasm from fans. That could change if the R18+ rating is approved, but EA isn't holding its breath.

"We were encouraged by the government's recent agreement to adopt an 18+ age rating for games. However, delays continue to force an arcane censorship on games -- cuts that would never be imposed on books or movies," the publisher said. "We urge policy makers to take swift action to implement an updated policy that reflects today's market and gives its millions of adult consumers the right to make their own content choices."

EA 4-5 year game console cycle "gone forever"

Electronic Arts conducted their Q1 2012 earnings call yesterday, although it wasn’t the financial figures that garnered the most attention during the briefing. EA CEO John Riccitiello gave a brief overview of the industry as a whole and proclaimed that the gaming and console marketplaces have been changed forever.

Riccitiello pointed out that digital content has revolutionized the gaming industry. The top paid applications in the Andorid Marketplace and Apple’s App Store are all games. The fastest-growing revenue streams aren’t just the games themselves anymore but the digital content associated with them.

These are all statements that we would agree with, but it's his comments about console gaming and emerging markets that is a bit puzzling.

"Gone forever is the 4- to 5-year console cadence that gave developers ample time to invest and retool for the next big wave," Riccitiello said. "Consider that just 18 months ago, there was no iPad, Google was just experimenting with Android and most big games were limited to a single revenue opportunity at launch. Consider that each of the major consoles now has a controller that encourages users to get off the couch and get into the action."

Depending upon your interpretation, some would argue that Riccitiello might have missed the mark with the above statement. Devices like smartphones and the iPad are creating new markets, not replacing existing consoles.

And if anything, it would seem that digital content would extend the life of a console and help titles hold their relevance longer. A good example of this is the Call of Duty series which releases a multiplayer map pack every few months at roughly $15 a pop. The same can be said for motion devices like the Xbox Kinect, an add-on to the 360 which will extend the life of the console, not shorten it. Without new digital content or innovative accessories, gamers might have demanded something new long ago.