EA releases Battlefield 1942 for free on Origin

One of the biggest games of last year has been Battlefield 3. In celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the Battlefield series and Battlefield 3: Premium acquiring over two million members worldwide, Electronic Arts has decided to release the classic Battlefield 1942 - the first game in the series - for free on its Origin service, according to Eurogamer. EA has also noted that Battlefield 3 has been the company’s fastest selling game in history with having sold 17 million copies since its release last year.

“When we launched Battlefield 1942 ten years ago, we had lofty ambitions to create a first-person shooter that would push the boundaries of innovation, creativity and design. We evolved the FPS gameplay formula by introducing the world to all-out warfare via land, air and sea,” said vice president and general manager of DICE, Karl Magnus Troedsson. “We wanted to thank our fans who have supported us throughout the years by restoring Battlefield 1942 for a digital re-release and give everyone a chance to play the game that started it all.”

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Battlefield 1942 can be downloaded for free on EA’s Origin service

The next major release by EA in the Battlefield franchise is the Aftermath DLC for Battlefield 3. DICE had recently released a trailer for Aftermath that showed the use of the new weapon that will be making its debut in the DLC – the crossbow.

The crossbow is described by DICE as a weapon made with salvage parts – the weapon of a survivor. The weapon is shown to be incredibly versatile, with uses ranging from regular killing, to taking out vehicles like helicopters with well-aimed shots and explosive bolts. Most of the versatility of the weapon comes from the fact that it can have any scope attached to it, as well as the different kinds of bolts you get to use for it.

The different bolts for the weapon include the regular bolt, which is good for close to medium range, a bolt that sweeps a small area and spots enemies for you, as well as an explosive bolt that can take out enemy infantry and vehicles with a bang.

DICE had recently revealed details about a new game mode that will be making its way into the Aftermath DLC. DICE producer Craig Mcleod gave an introduction to Aftermath’s new mode. “Scavenger really is born out of the Aftermath theme. We wanted the players to feel like, ‘I’ve just been trapped in this earthquake and I’m not going to have all of my equipment, I’m not going to have everything I used to have.’ So you are literally rising up with a pistol, a grenade and a specialisation.”

Mcleod stresses on the importance of exploration of the map and finding new equipment to help you survive. Weapons are going to be tiered in this DLC, with the lowest tier being occupied by sub-machine guns. These will be easy to find near safehouses. “But as you go up through the levels to level three, then you’re really going to have to risk your life to get them.”

EA has recently released a trailer for Battlefield 3: Aftermath. The trailer mentions several new features coming along with Aftermath, including a new Game Mode, new weapon - weapons including a crossbow, urban warfare, new vehicles, new assignments to unlock more weapons, post-earthquake environments, new achievements, and four new maps. Set amongst the shattered districts, streets and surrounding villages of a post-earthquake Tehran, Battlefield 3: Aftermath depicts a continuing struggle for supremacy and survival amongst the devastation.

Battlefield 3: Aftermath is set to release on November 27 for Battlefield 3: Premium subscribers on the PlayStation 3, December 4 for PC and Xbox 360, and December 18 publicly.