Sledgehammer: Forget Battlefield, MW2 is the game to beat

Call of Duty developer Sledgehammer Games says its big adversary is Modern Warfare 2, not Battlefield. Studio head Glen Schofield has played down Modern Warfare 3’s rivalry with EA’s Battlefield 3, insisting his main focus is to live up to the 2009 FPS predecessor. “We have a lot of respect for each other,” he told MCV of the firm’s relationship with Battlefield developer DICE. “We know how hard each team works, I know the sacrifices they and their families are putting in, so there is a lot of respect there. I think it’s fought at a different level of ours. So although they may be our competition, I actually view Modern Warfare 2 as the benchmark that I need to aim for.” Schofield admitted that Sledgehammer Games does feel the weight of expectation in developing the next Call of Duty but is confident fans won’t be disappointed. “We have the pressure of living up to Modern Warfare 2,” he added. “I would be kidding you if I said there was no pressure. We’re working on the biggest game in the world. “But there is also that adrenaline that kicks in when you are working on a game like this. “We have really polished Modern Warfare 3. A lot of passionate people spent a lot of time making it.”

Source: http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/sledgehammer-forget-battlefield-mw2-is-the-game-to-beat/086481

Battlefield 3 will ship with an Online Pass code in the box that will be needed to access the game’s expansive multiplayer features. The news was confirmed by DICE designer Alan Kertz on Twitter. When pressed on the reasons for the decision, he said that the decision to use the system was “because servers cost money, and used games don't make developers any money”. Those who buy a pre-owned version of the game will be able to buy an Online Pass for around £8. Its predecessor, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, included a VIP pass that could be redeemed to access additional content on the game disc that was otherwise locked. The last high-profile EA release to not include an Online Pass was Portal 2, and before that Crysis 2. But these games were published under the EA Partners label, meaning their developers were free to opt-in or opt-out of the scheme.

Source: http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/no-shock-as-online-pass-confirmed-for-battlefield-3/086492