Though the holiday season has come to an end, the always-generous Electronic Arts thought they would throw in a little bonus for Battlefield Bad Company 2 players - to celebrate the New Year.

While EA had first required players to complete some 69-Million team actions, in each version of Bad Company 2, in order to access the “Operation Hastings” map - they have decided to make it available for everyone.

The initial call to arms required that players complete any of a whole number of helpful team actions in DICE’s multiplayer title - including reviving teammates, spotting and enemies, and repairing vehicles a whopping 69 Million times per console (PC, Xbox 360, and PS3) in order to unlock the map. PC players were the quickest to respond hitting the mark before the other two communities even reached the halfway point - and thus were rewarded with Battlefield Bad Company 2: Vietnam's final map.

It’s not surprising that the PC would have the larger and more dedicated community - considering the franchise’s PC roots and the title being the second most pirated PC game in 2010.

Though, it is surprising that Electronic Arts decided to fold so soon after PC gamers unlocked “Operation Hastings.” As a surefire way to pull players away from Black Ops or Halo: Reach, this incentive has now become a bold strategic move that rests on the success of the map itself and not on the will of the community to work together towards a common goal.

Battle for Hastings revealed as fifth Battlefield Bad Company 2 Vietnam map

Now that Vietnam's map selection is complete, it looks as if Bad Company 2 has put together the perfect counterpoint to the more Team Deathmatch-oriented titles released this past year. As an objective-centric multiplayer experience, Bad Company 2 relies heavily on cooperation amidst team members. Though EA’s attempt to take that cooperation to the next level may have been a bit ambitious, the players who did log the hours can now reap the benefits of their spoils.

Do these types of community-based incentives entice players to devote more time to a particular title or are they simply forcing those loyal players to work overtime?

Battlefield Bad Company 2 and its Vietnam expansion are available now for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.

Source: Battlefield Blog