We’ve got half of a new panel this week as we are joined by Senior European Correspondent Chris and Central North American Contributor Shawn. After we go through the last week’s news, the opinions are flying as we rip into Battlefield Play 4 Free! Warning: Some harsh opinions may be presented during this episode.

Show Notes:

This week we continue our discussion of Battlefield 3, what we know so far, what we’d like to see, and discuss some of the history behind Battlefield and how things have progressed. Join us and leave your feedback in the comments!

Show Notes:

Battlefield 3 is on the horizon, BF Play4Free is nearly here, and the Battlefield Podcast is back, giving it another kick at the can! Join us this week in our first episode in nearly 2 years as we discuss the latest news and present part 1 of our impressions of what we know about Battlefield 3 so far.

Show Notes:

Perhaps with Battlefield 3 there’ll also be a few new Battlefield Podcast episodes? Who knows…

Battlefield 3 leaps ahead of its time with the power of Frostbite™ 2, the next instalment of DICE’s cutting-edge game engine. This state-of-the-art technology is the foundation on which Battlefield 3 is built, delivering enhanced visual quality, a grand sense of scale, massive destruction, dynamic audio and incredibly lifelike character animations. As bullets whiz by, walls crumble, and explosions throw you to the ground, the battlefield feels more alive and interactive than ever before. In Battlefield 3, players step into the role of the elite U.S. Marines where they will experience heart-pounding missions across diverse locations including Paris, Tehran and New York.

Frostbite 2 – Battlefield 3 introduces Frostbite 2, the incredible technology that takes animation, destruction, lighting, scale and audio to new heights.  Built upon this powerful game engine, Battlefield 3 immerses players physically and emotionally to the world around them like never before.

Feel the Battle — Feel the impact of bullets and explosions, drag your fallen comrades into safety, and mount your weapon on almost any part of the terrain.  Battlefield 3′s cutting edge animation, spectacular visuals and real as hell battle gameplay attack your senses and make you feel the visceral warrior’s experience like no other FPS.

Unparalleled Vehicle Warfare — The best online vehicle warfare experience gets even better with a fitting sonic boom as fighter jets headline an impressive lineup of land, air and sea vehicles. Other returning fan favourite features include 64 players for PC and prone.

Urban Combat — Take the fight to iconic and unexpected places in the USA, Middle East, and Europe including claustrophobic streets, metropolitan downtowns, and open, vehicle-friendly landscapes as you fight your way through the war of tomorrow.

Set in the modern theatre of war Battlefield Play4Free is a first person shooter with realistic graphics.

Battlefield Play4Free combines the very best of the Battlefield series – updated, classic maps and vehicles of Battlefield 2, the definitive classes and powerful weapons of Battlefield: Bad Company 2 as well as the addictive RPG-style leveling and customization system of Battlefield Heroes.

As the game’s title suggests, all of this is available online to players – completely for free, using the groundbreaking Play4Free model pioneered by Battlefield Heroes.

Get ready for a whole new war, as DICE’s massively popular online shooter Battlefield: Bad Company 2 makes the journey back to the 60′s and the infamous Vietnam war.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam is a content-heavy expansion for the game that has sold more than 5 million copies and has been called “a better game than Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2″ by The New York Times.

At the heart of this expansion lie four distinct, brand-new multiplayer maps based on the Vietnam war. Each map brings a new gameplay experience and fresh visuals, with characteristics such as foxholes, tunnels and dense jungles from where the enemy can launch surprise attacks. Also, 15 classic Vietnam-era weapons and 6 vehicles are available from the moment you go online.

All four multiplayer game modes from Battlefield: Bad Company 2, including the genre-defining Conquest Mode, will be playable in Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam. The expansion is integrated with the full game persistence, so no matter what theatre of war you participate in, you will continue to level up your soldier as usual.

To set that unmistakable 60′s atmosphere, the audio team at DICE has recorded all-new voice-overs for both sides of the conflict, based on authentic dialogue from the Vietnam war. On top of this, a rocking soundtrack with 2 hours worth of time typical tracks gives the expansion a truly characteristic sound.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is all-out multiplayer warfare at its absolute finest. With this new expansion, the battle moves to tropical Vietnam for a new chance to settle the score: Which team has the biggest skills, the smartest tactics, and the tightest squad play?

It’s been a while since our last episode but it sure gives the guys lots to discuss. So many things have happened in the Battlefield universe lately that it’s hard to mention them all but rest assured that things like BF2 patch 1.5 Beta 2, BF Heroes Beta, BF 1943, BF Bad Company 2, and Battlefield 3 (!!!!) are all covered!

Enjoy!