We have some promising news for future Battlefield 4 owners now, especially those who are pondering the decision on waiting for a next-gen PS4 or Xbox One version of the game. We all know that the game is due out this October on current-gen platforms and PC, but many console fans are considering waiting longer so that they can pick up a graphically superior version compared to Xbox 360 and PS3.

The good news, is that there may be a solution in place, which will allow you to still pick up the game on October 29 during launch. DICE has revealed the excellent news that they are currently in discussion on methods to allow players to transfer their Battlefield 4 data from current-gen over to the next-gen consoles.

This will obviously be a god send to many players, as it essentially will mean that they won’t have to start another career when playing an Xbox One or PS4 version and will be able to keep all of their stats and vehicle unlocks in tact. Nothing is confirmed yet, but DICE revealed to MP1ST at E3 that it is definitely under consideration.

At the same time, there are also some potential doubts over this move, as those picking up a next-gen version and starting from scratch may find it very difficult when they are coming up against players who have been willing to buy Battlefield 4 twice to keep all of their stats.

DICE could choose to just allow certain stats to be kept, like kills and deaths, but require players to start from scratch in other areas such as unlocks. This way, it would allow first-time next gen players to have a smoother introduction to multiplayer, whilst those buying the game again shouldn’t find it too long to unlock everything again anyway – since they would have mastered the maps and weapons on PS3 or Xbox 360 versions.

What are your thoughts on this move – would you support a game data transfer system between current and next gen versions of Battlefield 4 or not?

Earlier on this week, we gave you the confirmation that Battlefield 4 would support 64 players for the first time on the next-gen Xbox One and PS4 versions of the game. If that wasn’t good enough for you, DICE has also confirmed that the popular Commander mode is returning as well to both PC and console.

If you played Battlefield 2, you’ll know all about Commander mode. If not, you are in for a pleasant surprise indeed as the commander role will give you an entirely different Battlefield experience that you won’t have witnessed in Battlefield 3. One commander will be assigned to both teams and they won’t play any part as a ground solider.

This means that effectively, Battlefield 4 will actually support 66 players – 64 players on PC and next-gen console, plus two commanders with one on each team. The commander will be able to see a full birds-eye view of the entire map, giving them a tactical heads-up on the map. They can then communicate directly with the team-leaders of each squad, even being able to view a live video feed of the action going on in the squad-leaders current position.

Once the team has acquired enough points on a map, abilities will become available for the commander to use. This will include things like UAV, firing tomahawk missiles to try and take out tanks and even send in gunships for some heavy assistance. It all sounds amazing but wait – DICE has confirmed that the experience will be available on tablets too, with players able to join in as a commander using Battlelog.

That is fantastic news without doubt, but the icing on the cake in our opinion would be for the PS Vita to get a Battlefield 4 Commander mode app. Imagine playing on PS4 on the TV, then being selected as the commander on the PS Vita version, which syncs up to servers on the PlayStation network.

It would be a great move if DICE were to allow it, so hopefully they will be thinking the same thing. DUST 514 has a similar connectivity app with the PS Vita, so we don’t see why DICE couldn’t make a similar app for PS Vita – just for the commander mode. What do you think of this idea – would you like to see it as well? Imagine being in a Starbucks cafe on WiFi, hooked up to a 64 man match as the commander whilst enjoying your favorite caramel latte? We can all dream.

EA and DICE had been teasing prior to E3 that they were bringing something special to the event in the form of Battlefield 4 multiplayer, and boy they didn’t disappoint. A live 64-man battle took place live during E3′s press conference and if you were previously fearing that BF4 would end up as a “BF3.5″, these fears alone should be gone after watching a replay of the live match.

As big fans of Battlefield 3, we too are expecting big things for the new game, especially with the game coming out so soon after Battlefield 3 on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. We knew that Battlefield 4 would obviously increase on battlefield map sizes, but just wait until you see the carnage that is possible on the map Siege of Shanghai.

During the video, we see confirmation of five man squads, the ability to counter knife attacks with a melee of your own and also increased destruction in a big way. By that we mean the live destruction of a skyscraper building that we’re assuming can crumble at any given moment on a map, depending on the damage it takes.

The graphics look amazing on the PC version of Battlefield 4 and hopefully Xbox One and PS4 owners will finally see a similar experience on console thanks to the upgraded hardware. We can also confirm that 64 player maps will be available on next-gen consoles, running at 60FPS – although the set resolution on console hasn’t been confirmed yet.

Look at the graphics when the skyscraper comes down – it looks epic and we just hope that it was a random event, not pre-set on that map. We also love the new way to take down tanks, by setting C4 on pillars underneath on lower levels – this could become a massive tactic when the game goes live in October.

Some may have thought that EA were moving too soon on Battlefield 4, but who can honestly say that they are not going to be buying this game upon release? We think the actual debate will come when players have to make the decision on whether to pick up on current-gen consoles, PC or the new Xbox One and PS4. 64 players on next-gen versions now makes a massive difference of course.

Do you think EA has firmly silenced their critics with this Battlefield 4 multiplayer reveal? It looks amazing and we can’t wait to get our hands on the game in October. Tell us what version you’ll be buying – current, next-gen or PC?

We have some great news for Battlefield 4 fans now and a piece of information that may have potentially slipped beneath your radar. After initially wowing the gaming world with their 17 minute Battlefield 4 single-player footage, DICE has now confirmed that they are ready to show off Battlefield 4 multiplayer for the first time.

By ready, they have confirmed that they will be bringing multiplayer to E3 2013 next month and will provide lucky attendees with the chance to participate in some live battles directly from the E3 showfloor. Perhaps even better though, DICE has also said that those who are unable to attend will not miss anything – because they will be streaming the entire thing.

Live streams will be available, showing the Battlefield 4 multiplayer action as it unfolds live from E3, with DICE also revealing that matches will take place with commentary. We had the chance to play some live Black Ops 2 multiplayer matches in London prior to the game’s release, and we have to say that the included commentary does really add to the whole experience.

The first Battlefield 4 multiplayer footage will be available for viewing on June 10, during EA’s pre-E3 event. EA has promised ‘hours’ of streaming footage for those looking to watch online, so it really is shaping up to be a special week if you are a fan of Battlefield.

Some BF fans are fearing that gameplay could end up the same as BF3, but hopefully EA will show enough of the game at E3 to ease some of these fears. It should also serve as an excellent appetizer as Battlefield 3 premium owners patiently await their chance to enter the BF4 beta as part of their subscription.

How excited are you about Battlefield 4 this year? Are you a little cautious this time, or still fully on board the Battlefield bandwagon?

EA had teased that they had some Battlefield 4 information to show, and the company has delivered in conjunction with Microsoft’s Xbox One console reveal. Battlefield 4 now has an official release date, as well as confirmation of a pre-order expansion offer, similar in the way to which Battlefield 3 launched with Back 2 Karkand.

Without further ado, Battlefield 4 will have a release date of October 29. Confirmed platforms so far include PC, PS3, Xbox and now the Xbox One – with the PS4 likely to join the list during Sony’s E3 2013 keynote next month. That October 29 date also means that the recent Xbox blog leak was correct all along, as the website posted the October 29 date by mistake, only to remove it very quickly.

We didn’t see the Battlefield 4 Xbox One exclusivity deal announced that some were expecting during Microsoft’s event, so we’ll have to wait and see what happens at E3 2013, with regards to timed-exclusive DLC on one particular platform. EA has however, announced the availability of the China Rising DLC expansion pack.

This pack will come free for anyone who pre-orders the game on any supporting platforms. China Rising will feature four ‘massive maps’, all-new vehicles and high-tech military equipment for players to utilize. If Battlefield 4 is already a day-one purchase for you, you can even pre-order the game now and secure the China Rising pack over at EA’s Origin Store.

You can also expect China Rising to be the first of four expansion packs that will be included as part of a Battlefield 4 Premium Subscription. Otherwise, China Rising is likely to be available as a separate fee sometime after the game is out. We see an exact pattern emerging with the release of Battlefield 3 here.

Back 2 Karkand was an excellent expansion though and well worth the pre-order, so let’s hope that China Rising is just as good. This time though, consumers may be more clued up and wait until Battlefield 4 premium is announced, so they essentially do not have to ‘buy China Rising twice’ – once as part of a pre-order and again as part of a $50 Premium pack.

An October 29 release date also suggests that the Xbox One console is due out either before that date or on October 29 exactly. Let us know your thoughts on the China Rising offer – will you be pre-ordering or not?

We have some important and somewhat surprising news to bring you now, as Electronic Arts has announced that they are ending their infamous Online Pass service, with all future games releasing on current, next-gen consoles and PC. We wonder if the company being voted the worst in America two years straight had anything to do with it.

The Online Pass usually blocks all online features of an EA game upon purchase, requiring the user to activate their one time pass to enable online. However, EA has revealed in a recent interview with VentureBeat that they have ‘listened to consumer feedback and decided to do away with it moving forward’.

The company has also said that ‘many players didn’t respond to the format’, so it’s refreshing to see EA actually take some criticism on board, especially with the transition into next gen. It also means that the likes of Battlefield 4 and FIFA 14 will not utilize online passes any more, so how will EA aim to replicate the same online restrictions without an online pass?

Some consumers may be thinking that this is too good to be true, so we’ll have to wait and see what happens. Then again, EA already has their Battlefield Premium program, which has already proven to be a massive success – perhaps they will just stick with that and let non premiums play online without any activations.

The FIFA franchise was also a big adoptee of the online pass system, so it will be interesting to see how EA plans to move forward without the method in place. With the backlash over Sim City, could this be a sign of EA wanting to repair their relationship with disgruntled fans who picture the company with negative emotions?

We could be seeing EA explain this on stage at E3 2013, with a possible replacement service to Online Pass as well. Give us your thoughts on this.

Battlefield 4 may have been confirmed for a Fall release in 2013, but it looks like EA are already making plans for the future of Battlefield, perhaps even going a little over the top at the same time. It’s just been confirmed that the publisher has registered Battlefield domains all of the way up to Battlefield 20 – but will you still be playing the franchise then we wonder?

Battlefield 20 sounds a somewhat scary prospect. Not just because of the fact that we’ll all be a lot older than we are now, but the fact that EA already has plans ahead of schedule to bring out a Battlefield game all the way up to 20 – we are at 4 now after all.

Then again, they could just be protecting their business assets. It’s no secret that sneaky individuals try to gamble on future domain names for games, by purchasing them early for a very low price and then selling them off big to publishers when the game is eventually made.

It has happened so many times in the past and it looks like EA want to save themselves some likely hassle in a couple of decades time, whilst kicking off a fair bit of speculation as well at the same time from intrigued fans. You can see the evidence for yourself here over at Battlefield20.com – the owner is registered to Electronic Arts, with the company making their move on May 2 before anyone else gets in.

Should you perhaps try and get Battlefields 25-30 registered for yourself for some potential spending money when you come to retire? Now that the domain names have been secured, it also suggests that EA won’t be changing the names of their Battlefield games either, like what Activision has done recently by changing Modern Warfare 4 to Call of Duty Ghosts.

What do you think or hope you’ll be doing by the time Battlefield 20 comes around? List your predictions below!

With Nintendo’s third-party situation looking pretty bleak at the moment in relation to the Wii U, we have some new information for you to digest which isn’t particularly good reading for Wii U owners either. Battlefield 4 developer DICE has revealed that one of the main reasons why BF4 isn’t coming to Nintendo’s console, is because they previously performed tests of the Frostbite 2 engine on the Wii U hardware, with apparent poor results.

This is interesting to say the least, for a number of reasons. The first that strikes us, is the fact that Battlefield 4 running on the Frostbite 3 engine is on the way to the current Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles. Many developers have previously revealed that the Wii U hardware is significantly more powerful than the current-generation of consoles, which was arguably justified with the likes of Assassin’s Creed 3 and Black Ops 2 looking great on Nintendo’s console.

But hang on, Frostbite 3 can run on Xbox 360 and PS3, but DICE has just said that they can’t even get Frostbite 2, which powered Battlefield 3 running successfully on the Wii U. Does something not add up here to you, or are we looking too much into this?

Obviously Nintendo are having big problems attracting third-party games to the Wii U, everyone can start to see that now, but is the new information from DICE believable in your opinion? You can view the Tweet in full from DICE technical director Johan Andersson and judge for yourself.

“FB3 has never been running on WiiU. We did some tests with not too promising results with FB2 & chose not to go down that path”

If Battlefield 4 wasn’t coming to Xbox 360 and PS3, perhaps we could understand the statement a little better. Has EA’s relationship with Nintendo been mixed into all of this we wonder, regardless of the Wii U hardware potential? Either way, Battlefield 4 nor any other Frostbite 3 game won’t be coming to the Wii U.

Let us know your thoughts on this latest revelation.

We have a snippet of new information for those of you who are patiently looking for details on how to get into the Battlefield 4 beta. As most of you know, EA has already confirmed that those who paid for a Battlefield 3 Premium subscription will automatically gain access into the beta. However, EA has been very quiet on when the beta will actually begin and the exact methods on how to obtain that crucial Battlefield 4 beta key.

Fortunately, the official Battlefield Twitter account has given us a few clues on the upcoming beta test. When replying to a user question on methods to enter the beta for BF3 Premium members, EA has revealed that keys will actually not be handed out, until the beta starts.

That tells us that Medal of Honor Warfighter owners are going to be playing the Battlefield 4 beta first, and then as the beta is progressing, codes will then be emailed to users. If that is the case, then you’ll want to be checking the email that you signed up to Origin with.

EA could also decide to message users within Battlelog with Battlefield 4 codes, if they find that to be more efficient. With E3 coming up in June though, we fully expect EA to release accurate details on how everyone will be able to get into the beta. We’re presuming that the beta will be available on all platforms (PS3, Xbox 360 and PC) – but EA has yet to confirm which platform will start first and the dates on when it will begin.

In the meantime, it’s back to End Game until new information is released. If you are a premium member, let us know if you are getting frustrated with the silence. Do you predict that PS3 may be first considering the system received all of the BF3 material before other platforms?

As we await new Battlefield 4 gameplay which is undoubtedly going to be shown at E3 2013 in June, EA has been keeping fans entertained, with a Battlefield 4 social challenge on the official Facebook page. That challenge has now been completed, revealing a brand new screenshot in HD for you to enjoy, once again giving a glimpse into the graphics potential that the Frostbite 3 engine offers.

We have to admit that since the amazing 17 minute Battlefield 4 gameplay preview that EA unleashed a few weeks ago, we haven’t heard much on the game since. The Battlefield 3 servers are still as packed as ever, with DICE now teasing Battlefield 4 information coming soon on the message of the day ticker in the corner of the screen.

Some information on Battlefield 4 beta would be nice though, especially solid details on when Battlefield 3 premium members will be able to get in on the action, with the final game set to launch during the 2013 fall season. EA are not saying anything about this yet though, instead offering a single screenshot tease on their Facebook page to keep fans waiting.

The screenshot is essentially a HD screen grab from the 17 minute trailer that we have already enjoyed. Nevertheless, it still looks stunning and we’re guessing DICE chose this particular scene to show off some of the lighting effects that will be possible on Frostbite 3.

Is it fair to say that this is PC graphics that we are looking at here? You can check out the image in full HD quality here, since the above teaser is just a sample. Is one screenshot enough though or do you expect a little more from DICE and EA?

EA has also provided a link to some older screenshots, you can enjoy those again here. Let us know what you think of the new image and whether you are starting to get frustrated with the lack of beta information.