Yup thats right, but this problem can be averted. Now normally I just sit in the little modding forum and just get on with modding but I know now that there is no way BF2 will continue as a title, if EA carries on with its ways. Very much like a change of diet can put years on your life, and change from EA will put years on the life of BF2. Firstly we all know how much EA loves making their expansion packs, and through many franchises we can finally look back and see how these franchises have been killed by EA. Skip to the end if you're too lazy to read it all :). Lets look at our first example the Sims:
The sims was revolutionary, whether you like it or not, there was very few games like it. After a few months sitting on its own, EA decided to add an expansion pack, it didnt add much but it was worth buying to get a few extra goodies. Then EA decided to add more expansion packs, and within the space of about a year, 4 or 5 expansion packs arrived, each just as pointless as the other. The Sims still has a massive fanbase, but the life of it was sucked dry by the constant expansion packs, many of which were low quality. Now the Sims 2 has come along, and its only been out a few months, less than a year maybe I cant remember, and theres already 3 or 4 expansion packs available. Some may add a certain twist but at its heart its still the same game. Now lets look at Medal of Honor:
It started out as one game, involving sneeking and shooting on the PS1. Now theres so many different Medal of Honor games, you could replace your entire family with every seperate game/expansion pack. None of the games add anything to the genre, they just change the locale, maybe add a new weapon and package it for $39.95 from all good retail stores. Frankly, in terms of PC games, Allied Assault was the WW2 game of the time and many clans formed around it, but the expansion packs and rehashes sent people running away from the genre. This has actually had a knock on effect for all WW2 games. I wouldnt be suprised if the production of Call of Duty, was partially caused by the way EA works, even if it is not documented. Call of Duty has had 1 expansion pack, and did have a long fanbase, which has easily come over to Call of Duty 2 which still has fans playing. Now the Battlefield franchise:
In my eyes BF42 was the best invention for games since chainsaws in Doom. It took the FPS genre somewhere new and exciting, there was Codename Eagle but it has no where near the success of 42. This game was fortunately only ever given 2 expansion packs, but even these felt like pushing gamers away. Vietnam was also blessed with no expansion packs, mainly due to the fact that vietnam is a touchy subject and I dont think EA were ever intrested in this game. Now look at BF2, its been out quite a few months now, and already we're on the verge of having 3 expansion packs or "booster packs". Special Forces was frankly a very typical EA expansion, no real point to it but it added a cool grappling hook and the fact you could turn your enemies into green objects. Frankly it was a terrible excuse for an expansion pack, all the vehicles turned like they had rocket boosters pushing the things round and the idea of having large indoor enviroments lagging half the people on servers was another typically not well thought out idea. I know many people who have been put off BF2, because there has been 42, vietnam and now 2 and frankly the gameplay has changed much. Now with these 2 "booster packs" coming, BF2 will slowly die. If EA wants to have a game which people play upto the point of their next game, they need to stop the expansion pack idea now. Obviously they cant stop what theyve already done, its too late now, they know they have to release the booster packs now because there will be people saying "why didnt you release it" but I can guarntee the new booster will do no more for the game. Just looking at some of the content of the new game and especially the code of the weapons which was released with the patch, its obvious to see that they didnt put half the effort they did into BF2. It will just take your money and leave you eventually bored of the original game.
So what can be done? The only way is if EA listens to people, nobody wants to pay £15 or $20 for an expansion pack when companies like Valve are releasing models and maps for free. Vietnam added new content through patches and I dont see why EA does the same with this, but on a smaller scale. At the end of the day all EA cares about is the money and not the well being of its franchies. One day though, not sure when, this policy will work against them and Ive already organised a party for when this happens.
Skip to here if you're lazy:
All I have to say is if EA wants to kill of the BF2 and ultimately the entire Battlefield Franchise for ever and quickly, give us more expansion packs, we'll give you more money and you give us more rubbish so we can clog our harddrives and eventually get bored of your game. But I believe that the Battlefield franchise is one of the best and it doesnt deserve to go the way of the sims of medal of honor. So please support the BF2 franchise.
The sims was revolutionary, whether you like it or not, there was very few games like it. After a few months sitting on its own, EA decided to add an expansion pack, it didnt add much but it was worth buying to get a few extra goodies. Then EA decided to add more expansion packs, and within the space of about a year, 4 or 5 expansion packs arrived, each just as pointless as the other. The Sims still has a massive fanbase, but the life of it was sucked dry by the constant expansion packs, many of which were low quality. Now the Sims 2 has come along, and its only been out a few months, less than a year maybe I cant remember, and theres already 3 or 4 expansion packs available. Some may add a certain twist but at its heart its still the same game. Now lets look at Medal of Honor:
It started out as one game, involving sneeking and shooting on the PS1. Now theres so many different Medal of Honor games, you could replace your entire family with every seperate game/expansion pack. None of the games add anything to the genre, they just change the locale, maybe add a new weapon and package it for $39.95 from all good retail stores. Frankly, in terms of PC games, Allied Assault was the WW2 game of the time and many clans formed around it, but the expansion packs and rehashes sent people running away from the genre. This has actually had a knock on effect for all WW2 games. I wouldnt be suprised if the production of Call of Duty, was partially caused by the way EA works, even if it is not documented. Call of Duty has had 1 expansion pack, and did have a long fanbase, which has easily come over to Call of Duty 2 which still has fans playing. Now the Battlefield franchise:
In my eyes BF42 was the best invention for games since chainsaws in Doom. It took the FPS genre somewhere new and exciting, there was Codename Eagle but it has no where near the success of 42. This game was fortunately only ever given 2 expansion packs, but even these felt like pushing gamers away. Vietnam was also blessed with no expansion packs, mainly due to the fact that vietnam is a touchy subject and I dont think EA were ever intrested in this game. Now look at BF2, its been out quite a few months now, and already we're on the verge of having 3 expansion packs or "booster packs". Special Forces was frankly a very typical EA expansion, no real point to it but it added a cool grappling hook and the fact you could turn your enemies into green objects. Frankly it was a terrible excuse for an expansion pack, all the vehicles turned like they had rocket boosters pushing the things round and the idea of having large indoor enviroments lagging half the people on servers was another typically not well thought out idea. I know many people who have been put off BF2, because there has been 42, vietnam and now 2 and frankly the gameplay has changed much. Now with these 2 "booster packs" coming, BF2 will slowly die. If EA wants to have a game which people play upto the point of their next game, they need to stop the expansion pack idea now. Obviously they cant stop what theyve already done, its too late now, they know they have to release the booster packs now because there will be people saying "why didnt you release it" but I can guarntee the new booster will do no more for the game. Just looking at some of the content of the new game and especially the code of the weapons which was released with the patch, its obvious to see that they didnt put half the effort they did into BF2. It will just take your money and leave you eventually bored of the original game.
So what can be done? The only way is if EA listens to people, nobody wants to pay £15 or $20 for an expansion pack when companies like Valve are releasing models and maps for free. Vietnam added new content through patches and I dont see why EA does the same with this, but on a smaller scale. At the end of the day all EA cares about is the money and not the well being of its franchies. One day though, not sure when, this policy will work against them and Ive already organised a party for when this happens.
Skip to here if you're lazy:
All I have to say is if EA wants to kill of the BF2 and ultimately the entire Battlefield Franchise for ever and quickly, give us more expansion packs, we'll give you more money and you give us more rubbish so we can clog our harddrives and eventually get bored of your game. But I believe that the Battlefield franchise is one of the best and it doesnt deserve to go the way of the sims of medal of honor. So please support the BF2 franchise.
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