EA Announces New “Play 4 Free” Battlefield Game
This summer, Electronic Arts will introduce Battlefield Heroes, the latest installment in its popular Battlefield series and the company’s first free game, reports the New York Times . New EA CEO John Riccitiello promised to revitalize EA’s approach to game development, and Battlefield Heroes–to be offered as a free download–represents a bid for both the online gaming community and the casual gaming market, two of the largest growth sectors in the gaming industry. Electronic Arts has definitely done their research in the wildly successful Asian online gaming arena–in 2006, they debuted an experimental free online FIFA soccer game in South Korea which now boasts five million users and generates $1 million monthly in microtransactions. And if Asian gaming trends are any indication, you can expect more Western companies to take a cue from EA and start exploring platforms beyond the traditional $60 console-driven game.