EA launches free games initiative

Redwood City (CA) - Electronic Arts and developer DICE have announced Battlefield Heroes, a free PC game that is paid for by in-game advertisements and monetary transactions that take place inside it.

It’s the flagship title in EA’s "Play 4 Free" campaign, a new initiative that the software giant is trying to expand its user base.

Much of the game’s cost is curbed by seamless advertisements that will appear throughout the game. The creators will also try to earn more revenue by instilling a series of options for "microtransactions", allowing in-game payments for new items and quests.

"With the new online model, we will continually add new content to keep the game fresh and keep players engaged, while integrating player feedback in real time," said DICE senior producer Ben Cousins.

Battlefield Heroes is slated for a release this summer, and will be available for download at battlefield-heroes.com.