Battlefield Hardline Goes Open Beta On PC
Looking to get an early taste of Battlefield: Hardline on the PC? You're in luck, as gamers can head here to get instant access to the beta. The actual game isn't due to hit the market until October 21, 2014, for Windows PC, the two PlayStation consoles and the two Xbox consoles.
In addition to getting early access to the upcoming shooter, gamers will also receive a few perks in return for participating in the beta. These include a weapon camo/skin, a weapon sight and additional Battlefield: Hardline content that will be added when the game ships in October. Meanwhile, players will also receive a unique dog tag in Battlefield 4, which will be provided next month.
But that's not all. Beta gamers who reach Rank 10 will receive a special Battlepack at launch. Also, those who enable Facebook sharing within the game will receive $1,000 in in-game cash to spend on additional weapons and other goods. Both rewards are actually open to PC gamers and PlayStation 4 owners.
Battlefield: Hardline ditches the military scenario seen in previous Battlefield games for a "cops and robbers" storyline that is similar to modern TV crime dramas. "In multiplayer, fans will feel the thrill of the heist or the satisfaction of the ultimate bust with new twists including new modes, weapons, vehicles and gadgets," reads the fact sheet.
We took Battlefield: Hardline for a short spin last week during E3. The press was given a chance to experience a new team deathmatch mode called Blood Money. The setting, called High Tension, was downtown Los Angeles, meaning there were lots of tall buildings for your sniper to claim. Essentially, each of the two teams guarded their vault full of money while also attempting to steal the enemy team's money, as well as the cash crammed into a standalone vault located in the middle of the map. The team with the most cash won.
Unfortunately, we couldn't test any other multiplayer modes, but Blood Money was enough for us to want more. Right now the beta still says "closed" as of this writing, but we were able to sign in and add the beta client to Origin, which you need to use in order to download the client.
Have fun!
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Kevin Parrish has over a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and product tester. His work focused on computer hardware, networking equipment, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others.