Morning DLC: Video Games News And Rumors 9/16/13
By Nick Tylwalk
"The “Battlefield 4” open beta begins on October 1 for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360, EA has announced.Peter Moore, the corporation’s chief operating officer, also confirmed the game will release on these consoles on October 29 – meaning that the next-gen editions will release before any others.The game’s open beta is for current-gen systems and PC only. It features Conquest mode on the Siege of Shanghai map. Those who have pre-ordered the game have been promised extra-early access to the game, though EA has yet to specify when."
"Criterion, much-loved UK developer of the “Burnout” series and recent “Need for Speed” games, has downsized to just 15 people as it moves away from the racing game genre.The “Need for Speed” series is now under the charge of Swedish studio Ghost Games, which has worked on this year’s entry, “Need for Speed: Rivals,” with the help of a large number of Criterion staff in Guildford, UK.Alex Ward, the creative director of the EA-owned developer, revealed on Twitter that Ghost UK was formed as a result of this partnership, with he and 15 Criterion staff working from a new location on something new."
"Coverage of Hasbro’s Annual Investor Day has revealed that at least one new Transformers video game will be released in 2014.Activision will continue to be the developer for console games so perhaps Full Moon Studios will get to finish off their “Cybertron” story, although it is more likely the title will be a tie in to the movie, “Transformers: Age Of Extinction.”"