Battlefield 1 Open Beta Confirmed; EA Insiders Get Early Access
As part of its Battlefield 1
world premiere, developer DICE confirms that the highly anticipated WWI
shooter will have an open beta and EA Insiders get early access.
Although developer DICE only had a small slice of in-engine footage to show for
Battlefield 1, its
world premiere presentation
was packed full of information. The developer confirmed a release date
for the game, detailed some of the gameplay, and even shared some teases
for the multiplayer – sure to be
Battlefield 1’s biggest selling point.
However, while
Battlefield fans did not get so see any multiplayer footage for
Battlefield 1, they were promised several opportunities to go hands-on with the game. The first will be at Electronic Arts’
EA Play event,
which will serve as an all-access community event for Los Angeles
residents, E3 2016 attendees, and any who want to make the trek out to
the West Coast.
Those who can’t make the trip to LA, though, will have another opportunity to check out
Battlefield 1 ahead of launch in an open beta test. Yes, like most of DICE’s previously multiplayer releases,
Battlefield 1 will have an open multiplayer beta.
Unfortunately, DICE did not say when the open beta might take place, how long it will run, or what it will include. Judging by
past beta events
it’s a safe assumption that the test will include a small slice of the
multiplayer – likely a few maps, a few classes, and some loadout
options.
As this is an open beta all gamers on (presumably) all current-gen
consoles will have a chance to play. But, DICE did reveal that early
access to the
Battlefield 1 beta will be available for EA Insiders members. There are no restrictions to
becoming an EA Insider; all you need to do is sign-up with an e-mail.

Beta tests for EA games, especially those developed by DICE, have
been a mixed bag to say the least. On the one hand, few fans can pass
up the opportunity to go hands-on with a highly anticipated game ahead
of release, simply to see if the title might be worth the price tag.
Conversely, though, there have been complaints that these
beta tests don’t actually “test” anything,
but serve more like demos. Most of them run so close to release date of
the actual game that it would be hard for the developer to make any
meaningful changes. In fact, some argue that these betas are used more
like marketing tools than legitimate tests.
Nevertheless, considering the hype around
Battlefield 1’s first trailer, we expect there will be plenty chomping at the bit to try out the multiplayer beta. So stay tuned to Game Rant for more
Battlefield 1 news including hands-on impressions from E3 2016 and details on the upcoming open beta.
Battlefield 1 releases October 21, 2016 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.