‘Battlefield 1’ Open Beta Drops August 31 For PS4, Xbox One, And PC With Rideable Horses
The multiplayer beta dates for Battlefield 1 were finally revealed Monday. Electronic Arts and DICE dropped the start date for the open beta, along with details of what to expect in the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Origin for PC shooter.
The Battlefield 1 open beta will officially kickoff on Wednesday, August 31, across all three platforms. Those interested can get into the beta even sooner by signing up for Battlefield Insider by August 21. Individuals who sign-up by that date and go to the Battlefield Insider page to select their platform preference will receive a code via email to play earlier, as confirmed by the official BattlefieldTwitter account.
The action in the Battlefield 1 open beta will take place on the Sinai Desert map. Located just east of El-Jifar, ground infantry will battle it out in the narrow streets of the Bir el Mazar village while tanks, vehicles, and even horses do battle across the nearby dunes. Meanwhile, the skies will be full of dogfights between World War 1 era bi-planes, some of which have a rear mounted machine gun for a co-pilot.
The new mechanic introduced with Battlefield 1 is the introduction of Behemoths. This is the armored train on the Sinai Desert that drives through the map hailing down artillery fire and running over anything unlucky enough to get in its way. The opposing side will have to attempt to blow up the Behemoth to prevent losing. Other Behemoths in multiplayer include the giant airships and possibly battleships planted off the coast.
Two familiar modes will be available to play for those that jump into the Battlefield 1 open beta – Conquest and Rush. Here are the official descriptions of each:
- Conquest. An all-time fan favorite of Battlefield players, Conquest is a large-scale game mode with up to 64 players fighting for the control of key objectives. With large armies on foot or behind the wheel and the addition of fearsome Behemoths, Conquest brings together all the elements of the signature Battlefield All-Out War.
- Rush. A 24-player mode where the Attacking force must find and destroy the Defending force’s Telegraph Posts, which can be used to call in artillery strikes. The Defenders can deny the Attackers their mission by disarming explosives they plant on the telegraph positions. Should the Telegraph Posts be destroyed, the Defenders must fall back to the next sector and protect the Telegraph Posts there.
Fans can see a preview of the action during Gamescom this week in Cologne, Germany. EA and DICE are hosting another Battlefield 1 Squads event to pit two teams of 32 players against one another. The teams will feature various YouTube personalities, Twitch streamers, and other internet stars.
A new trailer was also released for the annual gaming convention featuring action from the Sinai Desert multiplayer map with a little taste from the campaign featuring the region as well. As previously covered, Battlefield 1‘s campaign will feature a medley of different characters and locations.
Battlefield 1 is set for an October 18 release for those that pre-order the $80 Early Enlister Deluxe Edition for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Those that decide on the Battlefield 1 Standard Edition for $60 will receive the game on Friday, October 21.
What do you look forward to the most in the Battlefield 1 open beta? Sound off in the comments below.
[Image via Electronic Arts]
