Battlefield: Modern Combat adds singleplayer

Game Slated to Ship in Fall 2005

Posted by Staff
Battlefield: Modern Combat adds singleplayer
Digital Illusions announced today that Battlefield: Modern Combat, the latest title in the award winning multiplayer game series, will feature a single-player mode when it ships in fall 2005. Developed for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system and the Xbox videogame system from Microsoft, the new game will benefit from an additional year of development. This means Digital Illusions receives an increased budget from the publisher Electronic Arts.

In addition to the single-player mode, Digital Illusions will add new maps and further polish to the game during the extended development period. The decision to add the new feature was made in response to consumer feedback.

"We are very pleased with the decision to add single player to Battlefield: Modern Combat. It is strategically important for Digital Illusions, and gives us greater opportunity to establish the Battlefield trademark on the consol market before the launch of the next generation's consoles," said Patrick Söderlund, CEO at Digital Illusions.

"The postponed launch of Battlefield: Modern Combat means lower royalty incomes during 2004. On the other hand the potential for better royalty incomes during 2005 will increase prominently," said Patrick Söderlund, CEO at Digital Illusions.

"Adding more time to the development cycle of the game will result in a stronger feature set and more compelling product," said Greg Richardson, General Manager, EA Partners. "We are confident that this decision will result in a stronger product and increased sales."

Featuring both single-player and multi-player modes mean that Battlefield: Modern Combat can be enjoyed by solo players or within an online multiplayer environment that supports up to 24 players. To play online, PlayStation2 console owners will require a broadband connection, memory card and network adaptor, while Xbox owners will require a subscription to Xbox Live.

Battlefield: Modern Combat takes place on the modern battlefields of the world, and allows players to fight for one of three military superpowers: the United States, the Chinese, or a newly formed Middle East Coalition. Players can choose from over 30 different vehicles, 70 weapons and communicate with one another in real time via USB headset.

At E3 2004, Battlefield: Modern Combat was honored with numerous editorial awards and was voted, 'Best Online Game' by the influential enthusiast website IGN.com.

Battlefield: Modern Combat for Sony's Playstation2 and Microsoft's Xbox will be sold at full price. Electronic Arts publishes and distributes the game. The launch of the title is now brought forward to the fall 2005. The previous launch date was fall 2004.