The Battlefield 4 multiplayer beta launches this week for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC with pre-loads starting Sunday, Sept. 28 so it is time to get ready for battle. This quick guide will get you up to speed on what you need to get in, what will be available and what kind of hardware you'll need.
Battlefield 4 Exclusive Beta
The exclusive beta for Battlefield 4 starts Tuesday, Oct 1 at 4 a.m. EST for those PS3, Xbox 360 and PC owners who have Battlefield 3 Premium subscriptions or are Medal of Honor: Warfighter Limited or Digital Deluxe Edition registered owners with the online pass installed on their system. Pre-ordering the Battlefield 4 Digital Deluxe Edition for PC from EA's Origin service also gets you in the exclusive beta.
Note that you will only have access to the beta on the same system that you own a copy of Battlefield 3 or Medal of Honor: Warfighter. If one of those is for the Xbox 360, you can't play the Battlefield 4 beta on the PS3 as an example.
Pre-Loading the Battlefield 4 beta
Those with access to the Battlefield 4 exclusive beta may begin downloading the game to their system starting at 10 a.m. PDT on Sunday, Sept. 29. Console owners will need to head to the PSN Store and Xbox Games Store (Xbox LIVE Marketplace) to download the beta at that time.
PC owners will need to fire up Origin and go to their My Games section, right-click on either Battlefield 3 or their Battlefield 4 pre-order and click Show Game Details. The Battlefield 4 beta will be displayed in the Expansions section.
Console owners will not have the opportunity to pre-load.
Battlefield 4 open beta
The Battlefield 4 open beta starts Oct. 4 and will be available to all PS3, Xbox 360 and PC owners at that time.
When does the Battlefield 4 beta end?
The multiplayer beta will last until Oct. 15 according to DICE so that they can prepare for the Oct. 29 launch of the game.
Will the Battlefield 4 beta be up constantly during this time period?
Yes, for the most part. DICE plans to have the beta running 24/7 but may have to bring it down occasionally for "technical reasons."
What kind of PC will I need for the beta?
Official specs for Battlefield 4 can be found here. However, the beta will only work with a 64-bit version of the Windows operating system. 32-bit versions will be supported in the official release though.
What maps will be available in the Battlefield 4 beta?
The Battlefield 4 beta will feature only a single map - The Siege of Shanghai.
What gametypes will be in the Battlefield 4 beta?
There will be two multiplayer gametypes available - Conquest and Domination. Here are the official descriptions of both.
CONQUEST
Combat type: The definitive Battlefield mode – All-out vehicle warfare mixed with intense infantry action across land, air and sea
Designed for: 24 players (X360, PS3) / 64 players (Xbox One, PS4, PC)
Commander mode: Optional
Conquest is the quintessential Battlefield mode and includes all-out vehicle warfare across land, air and sea. Engage in dogfights with jets, lay waste to the battlefield with tanks, patrol the rivers in attack boats, and engage in intense infantry combat. With its vast maps and wide array of available vehicles, Conquest truly lets you play your way. THIS is Battlefield!The goal is simple; capture flags, eliminate enemy soldiers, and bring the enemy’s ticket count down to zero. The best way to do that is to make sure you own a majority of the available flags on the map. To capture flags you must be within a specific range. The more flags your team controls the faster your enemies’ respawn tickets will reduce. But be advised, your enemy can capture your flags at any time, turning the table and putting you on the offensive. The first team to bleed their opponent’s respawn tickets to zero are the victors.
DOMINATION
Combat type: Fast-paced infantry variant of Conquest
Designed for: 20 players (all platforms)
Commander mode: No
Domination is an intense, infantry only game mode that made its debut in Battlefield 3: Close Quarters. While sharing many of the elements of Conquest (capturing flags, bleeding your enemies’ tickets to zero), Domination is tighter and more focused. You’ll never be far from a flag, which means you’ll be constantly on the move and constantly in the thick of the action.In contrast to Conquest, capturing flags is much quicker in Domination, and the ticket count is lower than in Conquest. You also lose tickets more slowly if you own a minority of the bases. This means that every kill made in Domination means much more for the outcome of the entire match than it does in Conquest.
Will you receive anything for participating in the Battlefield 4 beta?
Yes, every beta participant will receive the "Was There Did That" dogtag.
Where do I submit bug, issues or suggestions for the Battlefield 4 beta?
DICE has setup a Battlefield 4 beta forum for all platforms where you can post what you've found or what you think needs to be changed.
Do I still have to use the web Battlelog to get into a multiplayer match on the PC?
Yes, you do. However, DICE has also built Battlelog into the game itself and players with multi-monitor setups can put their web browser displaying the Battlelog while it updates in real-time while you play the game on the other monitor.
Is the Commander Mode available during the beta?
Unforunately, no.
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