Since E3 in early June the gaming industry took a slight break as developers, publishers, hardware manufacturers, online servers and gamers prepare for what may be the biggest holiday season the industry has ever seen. The summer lull is over and kickstarting the road towards the next-gen consoles is Europe's biggest gaming event: Gamescom.
We already know new exclusive IPs for PS4 and Xbox One will be unveiled during the event, along with more details on practically every high profile game confirmed for release within the next year or two, but Electronic Arts will also be using the venue to reveal something new for DICE's highly anticipated Battlefield 4.
We've seen the new (read: upgraded) Frostbite 3 engine in action thanks to the initial 17-minute single-player BF3 unveil at GDC this spring, followed by an epic multiplayer presence at E3, where DICE showcased the most dynamic multiplayer environments the franchise has seen to date. Not only that, but we saw revamped Commander Mode in action along with the newly added spectator mode which (DICE hopes) will help Battlefield 4 become a future staple of the eSports arena.
Most of the Battlefield 4 multiplayer gameplay shown so far has centered around the Siege of Shanghai map, an environment where there's not only room for boats and ground vehicles, but players can knock out the support pillars of a skyscraper and bring it crashing down.
DICE will unveil a brand new map, along with a new mode, at Gamescom and the showcase - taking place throughout the entire event - will be livestreamed. Everyone's invited, so head to the official Facebook event for details. The livestream begins August 21 at 2:15pm until August 25 at 4:15pm in UTC+02.
With the livestream at E3 focusing on strict 64-player multiplayer, will a similar LAN be setup at Gamescom to showcase other modes (and the team play Field Upgrades system) outside of conquest or could players be taken for a spin and show something truly new, like co-op gameplay or something we've not seen from similar games in the past? What's the over-under on there being dinosaurs in Battlefield 4 after a disappointing no-show in the Battlefield 3 DLC?
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Battlefield 4 releases October 29, 2013 for the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC. PS4 and Xbox One release dates have not been announced.
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Source: EA