Battlefield 3 Limited Edition: Physical Warfare Pack

johnboysligo

http://www.battlefield.com/uk/battlefield3/blog/battlefield-3-limited-edition-physical-warfare-pack-available

BC2 had something similar if I remember right. I dont like this sort of DLC its bad nearly as the MW3 subscription service.
What are your thoughts?

The Freeman

I agree with all the comments on the main thread. its BS.
I'd be inclined to blame EA's marketing, DICE are gonna lose alot of fans for this stunts.

KilOit

Clearly the brainchild of some brainless marketing exec at EA, this has got to be the worst thing they could of done and takes back ground gained by DICE recently. I don't mind dlc weeks after release but announced months before release. DICE have to be fuming at this after only gloating at E3 using the word free a lot.

Br4tPr1nc3

its obvious they thought people wont mind this as much as the mw3 elite crap,
and could maybe sneak it in.

hopefully they come to their senses early enough and get rid of it.

ive decided not to buy mw3 cause of this type of ****,
and im now in two minds for bf3.

johnboysligo

http://forum.ea.com/eaforum/posts/list/6801802.page

94% saying no, hopefully EA will listen and maybe learn

KilOit

Bf players are very loyal and would be willing to pay for decent dlc, but forcing players to buy from a specific vender is a kick in the face, I like my games on steam, I generally don't buy physical copies anymore iif I don't have to.

Kiith

It's total bull****...but i'll still buy it.

OMG Its EoinD

They sold like DLC that unlocked everything before did they not ? Ah well .... people will still buy this game.

Spear

It's a disgusting marketing practice.

Why should someone be discriminated against based on their choice of retailer?

When someone buys a copy of the game, should they not receive a full copy of the game, and not a 97% complete version?

What about all the people who already pre-ordered before this was announced?


Back to Karkand is one thing, since it's separate from the main game, and can be bought standalone happily enough afterwards, but when they did this with MoH, the pre-order weapon (M60?) was kept limited and unavailable.

grizzly

As long as these weapons can eventually be unlocked (I think so as they're called "launch day exclusive weapons") I don't mind. Would be nice to get the four maps at launch, but I don't mind waiting a few months for DLC. I'll still be getting this on Steam as I like not to be tied to a disc.

Blazer

Apparently you can only get the PWP is you buy from Game/Gamestation in the UK....there is no other way of getting it.
This comes from Demize99 who is one of the lead devs for BF3 and is on twitter.


So basically it sucks bigtime...EA are now working on a "solution" such as other versions of this for different countries as they can't pull the pack now after signing exclusive deals with Game etc..

http://saveandquitgaming.com/2011/06/gamers-protesting-battlefield-due-to-dlc/

yimrsg

Will the maps be available to people who don't preorder, i.e. will they be made available to all at a later date?

The single exclusive gun (type 88) and the day 1 access to another which I presume will become unlocked naturally in the game isn't exactly enticing if there is a levy in buying it from a certain retail outlet.

The only concern of mine is whether I'm being denied access to maps by not pre-ordering and even then I'd be reluctant to pay X more if I can get the maps for a price lower than X later down the line.

Spear

yimrsg wrote: »

Will the maps be available to people who don't preorder, i.e. will they be made available to all at a later date?

The single exclusive gun (type 88) and the day 1 access to another which I presume will become unlocked naturally in the game isn't exactly enticing if there is a levy in buying it from a certain retail outlet.

The only concern of mine is whether I'm being denied access to maps by not pre-ordering and even then I'd be reluctant to pay X more if I can get the maps for a price lower than X later down the line.

The physical warfare pack doesn't involve maps, only exclusive or day 1 access to weapons and equipment.

In terms of extra maps there's only the four in Back to Karkand, which is free to all pre-orders, and will be available to buy 1 month after BF3's release.

yimrsg

Spear wrote: »

The physical warfare pack doesn't involve maps, only exclusive or day 1 access to weapons and equipment.

In terms of extra maps there's only the four in Back to Karkand, which is free to all pre-orders, and will be available to buy 1 month after BF3's release.

This is what has me puzzled from the link in the OP

In addition to the launch day exclusive weapons, the Physical Warfare Pack also includes the Battlefield 3 Back to Karkand digital expansion pack. Players can wage all-out war on four of the most celebrated maps from Battlefield 2, including Strike at Karkand, Gulf of Oman and the Sharqi Peninsula, all stunningly re-created using the power of Frostbite™ 2. DICE’s state of the art game engine serves as the power center for Battlefield 3 to deliver superior performance in character animation, visual rendering, audio and physical destruction unlike anything ever seen before.

My concern is whether it'll work out cheaper waiting on the map pack to come out or whether to buy it preorder and pay more than I would if I waited. Will just have to wait and see what the prices are before pre-ordering.

Spear

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2011/06/battlefield-3-preorder-weapon-and-item-bonuses-annoy-fans.ars

Ars Technica have a lightly critical article up on this now

cherryghost

Notch has his say on Twitter. I lolled.

Jim

yimrsg wrote: »

This is what has me puzzled from the link in the OP

My concern is whether it'll work out cheaper waiting on the map pack to come out or whether to buy it preorder and pay more than I would if I waited. Will just have to wait and see what the prices are before pre-ordering.

Surely preorder would be the obvious cheaper option? Does it cost anything extra to preorder? Thought you just put your €5 down and then got it deducted from the price of the game when you pick it up.

yimrsg

Jim wrote: »

Surely preorder would be the obvious cheaper option? Does it cost anything extra to preorder? Thought you just put your €5 down and then got it deducted from the price of the game when you pick it up.

I was wondering if there will be any difference in bricks and mortar shops and online retailers, as I'd imagine that game/gamestop/tesco/harvey norman would defo have all the pre-order stuff included and would be relatively easy to sort out if there was an error, whilst amazon mightn't and I couldn't just pop down to them in case they messed up. I'm just going to wait till closer to release date till there is something more solid to go on.

Jim

Jim wrote: »

Surely preorder would be the obvious cheaper option? Does it cost anything extra to preorder? Thought you just put your €5 down and then got it deducted from the price of the game when you pick it up.

These aren't pre order bonuses, these are limited edition copy bonuses.

He was asking would it be better to pay the E50 for the normal version and buy the DLC or go for the limited edition.

grizzly

EA have posted a FAQ to assure fans;


Q: Is the Physical Warfare Pack available in all regions, or just in the UK?
A: It will be available worldwide at select retailers. It was first announced in the UK. Exact details for other countries and retailers will be announced at a later date.

Q: Will Physical Warfare Pack imbalance the game?
A: 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.

Q: Why do I want the Physical Warfare Pack?
A: Owning these items will give you a more varied arsenal, but it will not give you a significant advantage on the battlefield.

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.

Q: When will the Back to Karkand expansion pack be released?
A: We have not yet announced the Back to Karkand expansion pack release date.

Q: How much does the Back to Karkand Expansion pack cost?
A: We have not yet announced a price. However, it will be included in the Limited Edition at no extra charge.

Q: Do I have to choose between Back to Karkand and the Physical Warfare Pack as my pre-order bonus?
A: No. There is no way you can pre-order Battlefield 3: Limited Edition and not end up with the Back to Karkand expansion pack at no extra charge. On top of this, select retailers all over the world will carry the Physical Warfare Pack. Exact details for other countries and retailers will be announced at a later date.

Q: Why do you offer pre-order bonus items?
A: 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.

Zomg Okay

^ They have to give a good reason for people to pre-order it so I imagine the exclusive items are at least more powerful than everyone elses starter equipment.

To be honest, I'll probably look into getting the Physical Bull**** Pack just because I'm a bit of a completionist but I really hope they bring the exclusives down to early-access.

red dave

I'm just pissed off because I already pre-ordered and would have held off if I had known they would have done this

Zomg Okay

red dave wrote: »

I'm just pissed off because I already pre-ordered and would have held off if I had known they would have done this

You can cancel pre-orders.

java30

Its the same price as the the normal version. I fail to see the problem here. If you want it just buy it. Its the same price!!!

What is the problem?

Spear

java30 wrote: »

Its the same price as the the normal version. I fail to see the problem here. If you want it just buy it. Its the same price!!!

What is the problem?

Since when did every retailer all charge the same price?

The Freeman

java30 wrote: »

Its the same price as the the normal version. I fail to see the problem here. If you want it just buy it. Its the same price!!!

What is the problem?

The Problem is the way the game is being marketed now and that it could be turned in to a cash cow like the COD franchise. This could be the start of EA throwing their weight around, maximizing profits, and it could end up with the gamer being charged for map packs and overall uneven gameplay for us.

johnboysligo

java30 wrote: »

What is the problem?

the problem is the content is locked to certain retailers. It punishes those who purchase it online or don't have access to said brick and mortar stores that carry these preorder bonuses that will make a massive effect on the gameplay.

Im all for pre order bonuses giving away the back to karkand maps actually made me want to pre order a game for the first time in my life :eek:. Just I'm not interested in crap that can and will greatly effect my experience i.e. an automatic "pwn" shotgun with extra powerful shells only avalable to those who pre order or purchase it after release as some form of DLC.

to those who say it wont effect the game



it sure is marketed as a game changer now isnt it?

java30

Spear wrote: »

Since when did every retailer all charge the same price?

Well I see its £29.99 for the Warfare Pack on Game.co.uk and £29.99 for the ordinary pack on Amazon.co.uk.

Is there somewhere cheaper?

java30

The Freeman wrote: »

The Problem is the way the game is being marketed now and that it could be turned in to a cash cow like the COD franchise. This could be the start of EA throwing their weight around, maximizing profits, and it could end up with the gamer being charged for map packs and overall uneven gameplay for us.

Ok fair enough, thanks

Spear

java30 wrote: »

Well I see its £29.99 for the Warfare Pack on Game.co.uk and £29.99 for the ordinary pack on Amazon.co.uk.

Is there somewhere cheaper?

Bee.com, £23.99 as part of their E3 games promo:

http://www.bee.com/e3-games-2011/

Except no PWP as punishment for choosing the wrong retailer.

grizzly

On a somewhat related note. EA has pulled pulled Crysis 2 off Steam to make it exclusive to their Origin download service. I'd say there's a strong chance the same will happen to BF3.

Dcully

Total biscuits take on the DLC issue.

http://youtu.be/db7-m0YuNU8?t=5m30s

johnboysligo

You know I was looking forward to BF3 for the past few months.
I seriously considered preordering to get the back to Karkand pre order bonus maps.
I thought the open beta announced at E3 was an incredibly good move to convince people this game is worth buying.

now im just going to talk with my money, no thanks EA I will spend my 40-50-60€ or how ever much the game would have cost on something else ( not mw3 ) and in future avoid the whole EA brand. :P

mozattack

Who cares, its great to get some more guns. I am happy about it.

If I buy it from here will I get it or is it only shipped to the UK?

http://www.gamestop.ie/39730_PlayStation_3_Battlefield_3_Limited_Edition_Physical_Warfare_Pack.aspx

Spear

From some reports, Scandinavia gets a set of 8 extra SpecTact skins, and Greece gets 5 extra personally customized dogtags. The first may be a re-use of the advertising spiel from BC2, but the Greek one looks valid.

karma_

I can't abide this and I'm surprised at DICE, although not at EA. Sad fact is I know I'll end up buying the game regardless.

KilOit

DICE has little or no say in it pretty much, EA pays the bills

mozattack

mozattack wrote: »

Who cares, its great to get some more guns. I am happy about it.

If I buy it from here will I get it or is it only shipped to the UK?

http://www.gamestop.ie/39730_PlayStation_3_Battlefield_3_Limited_Edition_Physical_Warfare_Pack.aspx

ANYONE KNOW THIS?

KeithAFC

If i buy the limited edition box, does that include the whole thing or do you need to buy two seperate items?

Spear

KeithAFC wrote: »

If i buy the limited edition box, does that include the whole thing or do you need to buy two seperate items?

If you pre-order it anywhere you'll get Back to Karkand. If you pre-order it at the correct retailer you'll get the PWP. It'll be ordered as a single item. indeed, the PWP can't be bought otherwise.

Spear

Dice will apparently make some sort of statement tomorrow:

http://twitter.com/#!/L_Twin/status/81013165768450049

merc.ie

Does it really matter that much if you have a couple more or less generic guns/character skins/dogtags? It's reasonable to assume there will probably be 4+ other LMGs and shotguns to choose from. For example, if you lost access to the type 88 LMG from BC2 would it even matter? Consider the number of alternative LMGs and their overlapping performance..

The map packs are a different story as they'll fragment the servers even more along with the likes of TDM, rush, hardcore and whatever other modes they include. Any copy bought in the first few months will probably include the Back to Karkand DLC though.

If anything the boycott should be over the abundance of BC2 features that seem to have crept into BF3 No 3D spotting/health regen/spawning on everyone please

KeithAFC

Spear wrote: »

If you pre-order it anywhere you'll get Back to Karkand. If you pre-order it at the correct retailer you'll get the PWP. It'll be ordered as a single item. indeed, the PWP can't be bought otherwise.

Will that come with the original game though? If i buy PWP, will i get Karkand?

Spear

KeithAFC wrote: »

Will that come with the original game though? If i buy PWP, will i get Karkand?

It's not possible to get PWP without Karkand.

d22ontour

As long as it has ak-47s it will be grand.

Spear

d22ontour wrote: »

As long as it has ak-47s it will be grand.

None seen yet, just an AK-74M and AKS-74U.

KeithAFC

Spear wrote: »

It's not possible to get PWP without Karkand.

So am i going to have to buy 3 things then? Original game, PWP and then Karkand?

Spear

KeithAFC wrote: »

So am i going to have to buy 3 things then? Original game, PWP and then Karkand?

You can't but them separately. Karkand will be available separately eventually, but probably not until a month after the main release. PWP can never be bought separately.

stevenmu

mozattack wrote: »

Who cares, its great to get some more guns. I am happy about it.

You're not getting any more of anything. They're taking something out of the game that was already in it, and then offering it back to people who pre-order at a certain store.

the_syco

Was going to pre-order on Steam. Now... I don't know. Probably wait and see what retailer gives it out the cheapest?

red dave

the_syco wrote: »

Was going to pre-order on Steam. Now... I don't know. Probably wait and see what retailer gives it out the cheapest?

Yeah probably best to hold off until closer to release date