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DICE "Not Moving onto Future Projects" Until BF4 Fixed

The company's latest shooter remains in tatters for most players.

Battlefield 4 is broken. Crashes, server drops, you name it. It’s been out for several weeks now on various platforms, yet it remains troubled. Today’s statement from Electronic Arts does little to inspire confidence it will be fixed soon.

No Caption Provided

Here’s the complete statement:

“First, we want to thank the fans out there that are playing and supporting us with Battlefield 4. We know we still have a ways to go with fixing the game--it is absolutely our #1 priority. The team at DICE is working non-stop to update the game. Since Battlefield 4 China Rising expansion pack was already in the final stages of development by the time issues began with Battlefield 4, we decided to fulfill our promise to deliver it this week, but we’re not moving onto future projects or expansions until we sort out all the issues with Battlefield 4. We know many of our players are frustrated, and we feel your pain. We will not stop until this is right.”

This latest public addressing comes on the back of EA and Battlefield 4 developer DICE releasing the China Rising downloadable content for the game, a move that prompted criticism from players hoping the companies would focus on fixing the content that was already there.

When asked, the company would not issue a timeline for the game being in a more stable state.

While today’s words from EA don’t magically make the situation any better, at the very least, it’s a more human response than how the companies involved decided to address it previously. Last time, the company patted itself on the back for launching on Xbox One, and decided to make up for the issues with double XP and a free gun. That’s not how you look humble to your audience, everybody.

Patrick Klepek on Google+

175 Comments

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bicycleham

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Thank God

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Fleet_of_Foot

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Great of you to actually cover this story. Took long enough...

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SilentZero

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Haven't had too many problems myself after the first few weeks but this is good news. Still, this shouldn't have happened in the first place.

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Nate

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Edited By Nate

Just give us all Premium for free, guys! I sure as hell won't be paying for it. I'd love to be playing China Rising, but just can't stomach them getting any more of my money.

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Foil1212

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Edited By Foil1212

This is certainly better than "Our game is completely broken. Now you can get double XP if you manage to get in!"

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Klager

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GreggD

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As someone who is currently playing and enjoying the hell out of this game, I'm glad they're taking the response to these issues to heart and putting everything on the backburner until it gets fixed. Also, the peace offerings from EA and DICE in the form of the double XP week and scope for the M1911 were good enough for me while they figured out how to tackle this issue. You sound overly critical, Patrick, with those last couple sentences. They can't make something magically fixed overnight, so a stop-gap placeholder gift seems like a good solution to your angry fans while things get sorted out. At least we now know where they stand.

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Majestic_XII

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@klager said:
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You do know it's fake, right?

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fetterdave

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Not a free gun: a free scope, for a pistol that's, like, tenth in a chain of unlocks.

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slyspider

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Edited By slyspider

I've played some 20 hours of online and have had no issues after launch day. Guess I'm just lucky. From what people are saying when others boot it up it murders their children infront of them

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GreggD

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Edited By GreggD

@fetterdave said:

Not a free gun: a free scope, for a pistol that's, like, tenth in a chain of unlocks.

It's a dev-exclusive part, though. Most people would kill to get their hands on a DICE-exclusive attachment. I've heard them say as much.

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Fleet_of_Foot

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Edited By Fleet_of_Foot

@greggd: It's gotten better for me on the PS4 after that initial patch, but there are still problems. It's great that you're appeased by double XP and a gun scope but those things costs EA and DICE nothing so they're easy to give away. EA could just as easily give us 10 times XP and they wouldn't lose a single penny.

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PurplePartyRobot

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What good is double XP and a free gun part if I can't even stay in a game to use either?

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GreggD

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@greggd: It's gotten better for me on the PS4 after that initial patch, but there are still problems. It's great that you're appeased by double XP and a gun scope but those things costs EA and DICE nothing so they're easy to give away. EA could just as easily give us 10 times XP and they wouldn't lose a single penny.

I know, but how would they distribute tangible items to people on ever platform without pissing everyone off? For those that bought into Premium straight away (like me), I'd probably feel ripped off if they decided to appease people by giving away Second Assault for free, for example. And if they gave people store credit, well, I don't know how easy it would be to distribute to all the different account types across the various consoles. Plus, that price would be pretty high, all told. I dunno. I just don't see an easy fix for this that would make everyone happy, which is why I'm glad they offered us something we could use in-game. That's the whole reason I bought it in the first place, was to play it. Might as well get some free stuff to mess around with/boost my stats while they sort all this crap out.

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fetterdave

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@greggd: I know that it was exclusive to the developers; that doesn't change the fact that it's an item that many players won't have access to for a considerable amount of time, if ever.

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spacebutler

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I'm still getting crashes at least once a session playing BF4 on PC. I like the game, but the crashes are a real bummer. I'm just glad I got it for $20.

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GreggD

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@greggd: I know that it was exclusive to the developers; that doesn't change the fact that it's an item that many players won't have access to for a considerable amount of time, if ever.

I mean, pistols really aren't that hard to level up, but I get what you're saying. Speaking of which, I should probably get on that unlock tree...

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LarryDavis

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@silentzero: I just got this on BF and I'm getting crashes pretty much every time I try to join a server. When it works I really like it, though! Looks amazing, runs smoothly.

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uberexplodey

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quadruple xp incoming.

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ESREVER

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Edited By ESREVER

So I can blame BF4 for the delay in Mirror's Edge 2 then? >:(

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Jonny_Anonymous

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Edited By Jonny_Anonymous

How Did this even happen? Did they just want it out for the launch window that bad that they released a half finished game or what?

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furiouscabbage

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They should have said something like this a week ago. The level of silence coming out of EA/DICE around the issues of this game and how they are resolving them is nothing short of criminal, especially to those that have paid full-price for the game, as well as their Premium service.

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Solh0und

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More like "Battlefreeze 4" Amirite?

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Draxyle

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@solh0und said:

More like "Battlefreeze 4" Amirite?

D-ice cold burn there.

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GreggD

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How Did this even happen? Did they just want it out for the launch window that bad that they released a half finished game or what?

Well, it's feature-complete and everything, but...man, the bugs and netcode issues are myriad. I feel bad for DICE, because I know this probably wasn't their decision.

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Nadril

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@greggd said:

@jonny_anonymous said:

How Did this even happen? Did they just want it out for the launch window that bad that they released a half finished game or what?

Well, it's feature-complete and everything, but...man, the bugs and netcode issues are myriad. I feel bad for DICE, because I know this probably wasn't their decision.

Nah, DICE has always been pretty bad about this sort of stuff.

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lubermans

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@slyspider: Are you playing on PC? I haven't had any issues yet, either.

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Spoonman671

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I really regret paying for this on PS4 launch day. I'm starting to doubt I'll ever play it.

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Luck702

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It's about fucking time EA is willing to admit this game is broken. It's been maddening to know that EA's been rushing DICE to work on more DLC when the base game is still a disaster 1 month later.

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Konig2540

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How Did this even happen? Did they just want it out for the launch window that bad that they released a half finished game or what?

If I were a betting man, I'd say that someone above Dice's pay-grade wanted this out by launch window. If it was entirely up to Dice it probably would've been a lot more playable. Sounds like more EA properties than BF4 launched pretty fucked up to get out in time for the consoles....

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GreggD

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Edited By GreggD

@nadril said:

@greggd said:

@jonny_anonymous said:

How Did this even happen? Did they just want it out for the launch window that bad that they released a half finished game or what?

Well, it's feature-complete and everything, but...man, the bugs and netcode issues are myriad. I feel bad for DICE, because I know this probably wasn't their decision.

Nah, DICE has always been pretty bad about this sort of stuff.

I meant pushing out the DLC before fixing the main game. I wasn't there for the BF2 launch, but I doubt it was this bad, was it?

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phuzzybunny

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Edited By phuzzybunny

Thank God. The game plays great for me and I know my rig can handle it but I keep getting the sound looping crash ever 2-3 matches. I really don't want to play until it's fixed.

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AMyggen

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I hope this really affects the sales of BF 5 when that's released, at least at launch. EA just can't be allowed to continue with this kind of bullshit. Probably won't though.

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Doctorchimp

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Edited By Doctorchimp

It's fucking ludicrous they have to come out to say "okay, we'll focus on this game that doesn't work!"

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Shaka999

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I bet dice wanted more time to work on the game and EA forced them to get it out with the new consoles

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PXAbstraction

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@amyggen: One would hope that would be the case but basically every Battlefield game has been broken at launch (well, the Bad Company games shipped OK) and each one still substantially outsells the one before it. Sadly, many gamers have short memories when it comes to stuff they enjoy. :( DICE makes good games but even before being bought by EA, they were horrible at quality control.

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Jensonb

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Edited By Jensonb

I'm glad they're fixing it for their customers, but if they delay 'Star Wars Battlefront (2015)' [Working Title] as a result of fucking up, let's face it, an assembly line sequel game in the preposterously over-explored 'Modern Military Dudes Shoot Vaguely Islamic or Pseudo-Russian Fictional Enemy Faction Dudes' series...I will not be held responsible for my actions. I've already been waiting way too damn long for a new Battlefront on a system which doesn't suck shit through a straw for playing shooters on.

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Nate

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I'm still having major issues. It crashes about 3 times per hour on average I'd say. Game just totally locks up and the only way to get out is to ctrl alt del.

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CrippWox

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2k should do the same route with the wrestling games wwe 2k14 also have parts that is broken in the game.

fix the damn game before releasing anymore DLC that will delete your edit tag team division.

I haven't got this in a long time but it happens that you get an black screen instead of the winning scene.

Justin Roberts is mute when it comes to announcing the world heavyweight championship match when it is the main event.

ha ha sometimes you even can hear ghostly J. R under matches.

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machinerebel

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Wait, y'mean DICE won't just let BF4 remain broken? Fuck dude, that's some dedication! :p

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fargofallout

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I don't know that I trust EA to put out any game in a working state anymore. Does this inspire confidence that they'll give Respawn the necessary time to make sure Titanfall is in good working order?

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colourful_hippie

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Edited By colourful_hippie

China Rising should be out for free. Double XP and a humble message about getting serious on getting their shit together is barely enough to make up for releasing a busted ass game.

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StoffInator

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Maybe EA should learn not to worry about beating COD to the market and instead make sure their game is ready instead.

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slyspider

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@lubermans: Yup, games really good. Sucks that so many people are having such game braking issues

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deactivated-594be97fd5af7

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"It's finally time..."

"Sir?"

"Activate...the Triple XP Weekend...may God help us all."

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deactivated-5afdd08777389

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Great of you to actually cover this story. Took long enough...

Snark, snark, snark.

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jimmyfenix

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i REALLY wanted to buy this game for the PS4...Oh well i will wait until it hits PS PLUS in 18 months hopefully it is fixed by then.

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EuanDewar

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Edited By EuanDewar

@esrever said:

So I can blame BF4 for the delay in Mirror's Edge 2 then? >:(

oh

dude.

fuck

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GrumpyBob

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Anyone else able to save the damn campaign on Xbone? I have played mission 1, 3 times now.

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Sooty

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Edited By Sooty

So basically: We're going to fix our broken game that you guys paid money for before shoehorning in extra expansions.

Thanks a fucking lot for doing what you are required by law to do. (sales of goods act)

I love BF4 but this statement feels utterly pointless. It's a month since launch almost and the game is still having a lot of problems, I haven't played my PC version in a while but the crashing and sound glitch is nothing short of borked. It seems better on PS4 now but it still crashes there and has similar sound woes.