Battlefield: Bad Company 2 details emerge from GamesCom

EA’s DICE announced that Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will be available March 2, 2010 in North America and March 5, 2010 in Europe. Hoping to surpass the levels of destruction found in Battlefield 1943 and Battlefield Bad Company, DICE promises that Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will deliver tons of destruction, vehicular warfare, squad-based gameplay and an open world environment. What I’m hoping for is multiplayer that makes a bit more sense and single-player AI controlled squad mates that actually help you when things get hairy.

In Bad Company 2 players use weapons and vehicles to survive and to conquer whatever objectives await. Players choose from 15 vehicles, each providing a tactical advantage and offering a variety of gameplay options - including the new UH-60 transport helicopter that ship an entire four-player squad directly into battle, while allowing two additional team members to use its two mounted rail guns on board.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 players will also have 46 weapons that can be customized into over 200 different, high-powered firearms. There are over 15,000 kit variations possible in the game as well as a wide range of gadgets, accessories and character specializations.

The DICE signature Frostbite engine will deliver new levels of destruction including a new micro-destruction mechanic that allows players to be more strategic on the battlefield by chipping cover away bit by bit or taking down an entire building.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will be available on the Xbox 360, PS3 and the PC in the first quarter of 2010.

Bad Company 2, 1943 Revealed

A double dose of Battlefield news from Electronic Arts and DICE today: a sequel to Bad Company and a multiplayer-only Battlefield are on the way. DICE announced Bad Company 2, the follow-up to the first story driven Battlefield game that followed the antics of B Company as they tried to get out of the hot zone while trying to make a buck or two.

The new game promises more destruction and vehicular combat in addition to the run-and-gun missions the first game offered. My hope is that DICE has learned some hard lessons from last year’s game; better squad AI that, enemy AI that doesn’t put a bullseye on the player’s head and destructible terrain that offers full scale destruction. I have faith that DICE is ready to “bring it” this winter when the game is released.

Prior to that release DICE will give players the multiplayer only Battlefield 1943. Fans of the very first game in the series will no doubt be delighted with a return to the series’ roots. Using the same Frostbite game engine as Bad Company 2, Battlefield 1943 brings players back to World War II for some team-based action as either the Axis or Allied Forces in such locations as Wake Island, Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima - fighting by land, sea, and air using a variety of vehicles and familiar classes.

Anyone attending the New York Comic-con this weekend will be able to get a first look at Battlefield 1943 by visiting Booth #1441.