A new Battlefield 4 video features executive producer Patrick Bach discussing the game's upcoming beta test.
The beta will be multiplayer-only and will feature a single map, the "Siege of Shanghai" level shown at E3 earlier this year. Even though the timing is rather late, says Bach, they're still hoping to get usable feedback to tweak the game and make needed changes, a process that he says will continue even after the game launches this fall.
The impending switch to next-gen consoles is a bit problematic, says Bach, as the developers won't be able to test the game as widely on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One before they hit markets. Still, he says, the team will be applying feedback from Windows PC players and current-gen platforms to the next-generation ones as best as they possibly can.
Updating next-generation consoles will be easier because the new platforms can download while not in use; players won't have to download a massive update before playing a multiplayer match anymore.
The exclusive beta for Battlefield 3 Premium members begins Oct. 1, open beta begins Oct. 4, and the beta test will end on Oct. 15. Battlefield 4 will launch on Oct. 29 for Windows PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and will be a launch title for next-gen platforms.