DICE Claims 15+ Frostbite 3 Games are in Development

Over the past few years DICE‘s Frostbite engine has grown from the visually astounding backbone of the Battlefield franchise to the premiere graphics engine for publisher Electronic Arts. In fact, the publisher is so deeply invested in Frostbite – now in its third iteration – that they are building almost all of their upcoming next-gen games on it.

However, although we know that Frostbite 3 will be, or was, used for some premiere titles like Battlefield 4, Mirror’s Edge 2, and BioWare’s next Mass Effecttitle, we don’t know the full extent of the engine’s reach – specifically, how many Frostbite 3 games EA has in development. We assumed Frostbite was a pretty integral part of EA’s next-gen plans, and if a quote from DICE’s Technical Director Johan Andersson is any indication, that is very much the case.

According to Andersson, DICE is working on more than 15 different games that utilize the Frostbite 3 engine. Some of those games are in-house at DICE, while others are in development at EA’s other internal studios like BioWare and Ghost Games.

Of those 15+ Frostbite 3 games, only a handful have been officially announced to the public in some capacity or another. Here are the games we know of so far:

Battlefield 4
Need for Speed: Rivals
Mirror’s Edge 2
Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare
Dragon Age: Inquisition
Star Wars: Battlefront
Untitled Mass Effect Game

With only about 6 games known – it’s unclear if Battlefield 4 fits into Andersson’s tally – that leaves at least 9 games EA has in development using Frostbite 3 that we don’t know about. It’s safe to assume that whatever Star Wars games both BioWare and Visceral Games are working on would presumably use Frostbite, but EA has not made any official announcements regarding those two games.

There’s no denying that Frostbite 3 looks gorgeous, especially on PC and next-gen hardware, so it makes sense that EA would want to double-down on the engine in the future. EA has actually done a similar thing with FIFA‘s Impact Engine, which many franchises now use for some physics and character collisions.

That isn’t so say all upcoming EA titles will be using Frostbite 3, though, just a large portion of them. The highly anticipated multiplayer shooter Titanfall, which EA is publishing, uses its own engine and looks to be one of the company’s biggest next-gen releases.

Still, 15+ games suggest Frostbite 3 (and even beyond) is the future for EA, and if games like Battlefield 4 are any indication then gamers are looking at titles that will only continue to look better.

What other games would you like to see developed using Frostbite 3? Do you think it’s a smart of EA going all-in on Frostbite, or should they broaden their horizons, so to speak?

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News Wrap Up: Homeworld, Marvel Heroes & The Future of ‘Dead Space’

There’s only one more week until gamers can explore the fictional city of Los Santos in what may arguably be the most-anticipated game of the year. While the leaked map of the biggest GTA game yet made all the buzz today, there are plenty of news bits you may have missed over the last week. On the news front this week, we’re going to look at Mirror’s Edge and Minecraft crossovers; Diablo and its clones; the future of the Dead Space, Need for Speed and Homeworldfranchises; and the success of EVE Online and Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon.

Read on for the details and more stories.

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Real-Life Mirror’s Edge

One of the most exciting announcements from Electronic Arts this year is that DICE finally settled on a direction for Mirror’s Edge 2. As big fans of the original game and to celebrate the upcoming next-gen reimagining, the team at Ampisound crafted a real-life parkour version of the game.

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Behold The Blood Dragon

Far Cry 3 was one of the most fun games of 2012 and Ubisoft somehow find a way to do something radically different but equally as fun with the game engine by releasing a separate, standalone retro-arcade version of the open-world RPG shooter in Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon and the industry ate it up. Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot tells Game Informer that the downloadable Blood Dragon sold over one million copies. Expect crazy spinoffs of upcoming hits, whether it be Splinter Cellrelated or something built off of Watch Dogs or Assassin’s Creed.

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Diablo 3 Always Online

Sorry PC gamers, you’re not getting an offline LAN or single-player mode for Diablo 3. According to game director Joshua Mosqueira, the game was built from the ground up with co-op in mind for trading and to prevent cheating, even though the console versions are offline-friendly. Really, it’s to protect the money-making and ever-controversial auction house. And it’s not going to change.

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No Next-Gen Torchlight 2

Gamers upset with Diablo 3 for its extremely long development cycle, launch woes and always-online requirements may have found their salvation in the much more affordable Torchlight 2 a game that also received critical acclaim and great sales success. While the original Torchlight made its way to the Xbox 360, the sequel is not in development for a console port according to Runic Games.

Source: VG24/7

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Star Trek: Minecraft Voyager

YouTube user tcunero made something incredible in Minecraft – a full-scale recreation of the USS Voyager starship from Star Trek: Voyager. The video up top shows the work that went into building it block by block based on blueprints of the ship.

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EVE Online

To celebrate the 10-year anniversary of EVE Online and look forward to continued growth, CCP Games put together the EVE: The Second Decade Collector’s Edition and are slowly revealing its bonus content for purchasers. Time-limited pre-order bonuses are available now and grant in-game bonuses. The Collector’s Edition releases in October. The promo back can be orders here and the full CE can be ordered here.

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Dead Space Not Dead

Despite a less-than-stellar third installment in the Dead Space franchise, a disappointment we all saw coming a mile away thanks to an emphasis on combat and co-op play over story and survival-horror elements – something that made it unique and special originally – EA Labels boss Frank Gibeau told CVG a few weeks ago that the series isn’t dead.


“No it’s not out of rotation. I mean, I’m not announcing anything right now, but I will say we had a great trilogy of games and we still have faith in that franchise… Dead Space is something that we’re very proud of. We are not making any public announcements on what we’re doing with the next Dead space, but we definitely have a great set of IPs to pull out of the vault.”

Expect a Frostbite 3 powered Dead Space on next-gen consoles in two-three years.

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Ghost Takes Need For Speed From Criterion

Marcus Nilsson, boss of Ghost Games – developer of Need for Speed: Rivalstells Videogamer that his studio has taken over the annualized NFS franchise from Criterion Games, vaguely explaining that Criterion is instead working on “something else” for EA, perhaps one of their six “new IPs” in development for next-gen consoloes. They will not be alternating year-to-year in order to build consistency between the differing NFS series.

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Marvel Heroes 1.2

Marvel Heroes released earlier this year as a free-to-play Diablo clone and has been flying under the radar since. To help broaden the appeal and spice things up for existing players, the game has received a major update with the 1.2 patch adding new unique & relic items, more difficulty levels, a new starting area along with other gameplay tweaks.

Source: Marvel

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Homeworld Returns

When THQ collapsed, Gearbox Software picked up the rights to the long-dead Homeworld franchise. Meanwhile, some of the developers of the original games (and co-founders of Reliec Entertainment) were building their own spiritual successor of sorts titled Hardware: Shipbreakers. In what can only be described as awesome, Gearbox has partnered with Blackbird Interactive to make Shipwreckersan official Homeworld game. CEO Randy Pitchford told Polygon at PAX:


“These guys have been funded by private equity, but it’s clear it was going to take many millions of dollars more. We’re giving them the brand and the resources to make this happen. Now, these guys are cooking and with the money they have now, they can grow the team.”

In the meantime, Gearbox will be releasing HD versions of Homeworld and Homeworld 2 later this year.

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Electronic Arts Does Have 6-8 ‘Completely New’ IPs in the Works

Vague public relations messaging and backtracking seem to be all the rage these days in the gaming industry, and publishing giant Electronic Arts isn’t about to let Microsoft have all the fun. The company is still boasting about the number of new IPs it has in the pipeline for the upcoming generation, even if that number isn’t one anyone who works there is able to define.

Ask an EA employee, and they will tell you they definitely probably have around an estimated six (And that is a for sure an accurate ball park number) to maybe eight-ish kind-of-new IPs on the way…give or take. It all depends on one’s perception of “new.”

As was pointed out last month, EA is being fairly liberal with the definition of “new IP,” with half of the upcoming supposed freshness actually being reboots or reinventions of existing franchises. Established series like Mirror’s Edge andDragon’s Age are all getting shuffled into this “new IP” count under the reboot banner, while it can be said that Star Wars: Battlefront is technically new for them as a company. But none of those games is new-new like Titanfall.

If this definition of “new” still seems a little unclear, EA Games Label executive vice president Patrick Soderlund recently gave an interview in which he spoke up about this very issue. Have a look at what he had to say:

“We are working on a new Mirror’s Edge game, and although that’s not a new IP, it is a revival done in a new way. We are developing Star Wars Battlefront, which to us is a new IP, even though it isn’t technically.”

“We have six to eight completely new IPs in the works. The day we stop making new IP is when we go onto life support. We need to incubate new ideas and push creative boundaries.”

Soderlund does use the phrase “completely new” in describing the new intellectual properties. Which variety of new (The Titanfall kind or the Mirror’s Edge kind) is still unclear. It also doesn’t help that even he can’t pinpoint a definite number.

EA has certainly had a turbulent couple of years. After “winning” back-to-back “Worst Company in America” awards, a highly publicized and highly botched SimCity launch, and seeing CEO John Riccitiello exit the company, it’s easy to understand why the company would want to get gamers excited about any new properties that are on the way. What’s difficult to understand is why they would try and do that in a way that appears, at best, incompetent from a PR standpoint, and at worst, dishonest to those who would support them.

In the midst of such a transitional point in the industry, in which new and risky IPs get produced with diminishing frequency, the message of quantity over quality simply doesn’t fly anymore. A focused attempt to launch two new IPs, instead of inflating the numbers to seem like three or four times as much, still has the potential to garner just as much excitement, especially with new consoles on the way. While it remains unclear exactly how many new titles EA has coming, one thing remains crystal clear: In a time when gamers are only looking for the best experiences to throw $60 at, honest messaging will yield much better results than boastful and inflated chest-thumping.

Are any of you excited for what Electronic Arts has planned over the next few years? Are you put off at all by the smoke-and-mirrors EA seems to be using when talking up their new properties, or is it something you’ve sadly come to expect from the company? Or does all of this not matter because any new Star Wars: Battlefront will heal all wounds?

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DICE Responsible For ‘Mirror’s Edge’ Sequel Delays, Not EA

After surprising the audience and countless fans around the globe with their Mirror’s Edge announcement at E3, DICE has been working hard on the IP reboot, albeit with little being said about the project itself. News has trickled in over the months since, explaining the style and direction of the new game, but not much else is known about the followup to the 2008 first-person runner. While fans have been wondering where Mirror’s Edge 2 has been for the past few years, Executive Producer Patrick Bach recently explained DICE’s role in the prequel/reboot, and the answer may not be what most fans were expecting.

Despite dropping hints and expressing interest in a sequel for the cult classic, the Swedish developer known for the Battlefield series has also been responsible for delays with the new Mirror’s Edge. Bach cites the studio’s difficulty settling on an idea good enough to pitch to EA, who have previously taken the brunt of fans’ frustration.

“The interesting thing is that it’s not about EA blocking DICE, it’s about DICE not… Imagine this: it’s your own money. What do you want to bet on? You want to bet on something that you know will be great. You can’t just bet on a name. You need to have like, what’s the concept?”

It seems a lot of time has been spent making sure the correct format has been nailed down. Considering previous statements that the new Mirror’s Edge could only be made for a next-gen system, DICE appears to have found something unique and exciting to give to fans of the original game. Still, not much is known about the reboot aside from talk of open-world gameplay and a focus on the Faith’s past.

“… Usually when we like [an idea], everyone else likes it. So I think we are the bad cop in most cases when it comes to scrutinising ideas and IPs and features, or whatever it might be. Then again, we are the development studio with creative freedom, I would argue. We would not try to pitch something that we didn’t believe in, and that takes time.”

With DICE stepping forward as the primary cause of internal delays and difficulty getting the Mirror’s Edge reboot off the ground, how might this change the perception of EA, its parent company? Despite not knowing much about the upcoming game, at least we know for sure that it’s on its way.

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EA Has Half A Dozen New IPs in Development For Next-Gen, Sort Of

The AAA games industry heavily relies on franchises, using established brands to launch sequels, prequels, spinoffs, etc. to built-in audiences. Major publishers put most of their money into large scale followups, making it a rare sight to see a company go all in on an untried IP. With such a heavy dependency on established in the current console cycle, some had hoped to see more original franchises going into the next generation. While there are a few notable cases of this in Titanfall,Destiny and The Division, there is still a massive emphasis on established IPs from Assassin’s Creed and Call of Duty, to Battlefield and FIFA.

For Electronic Arts, the strategy going forward is to begin the next-gen with familiar franchises before bringing out the newness.

In an interview with EA’s Frank Gibeau, CVG inquired about the publisher’s strategy with new next-gen IPs. Gibeau:

“We have a broader portfolio, we’ve got a sports business, we’ve got Need For Speed, so we have more to bring over in terms of existing and healthy and growing franchises, and so we want to add a little bit more there.”

EA is also of course heading into the next-gen with Battlefield 4, the sequel to their fastest-selling game ever. Using the proven sellers helps the company establish a foothold on both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One first before pushing newer franchises.

Continuing, Gibeau said that EA were currently pursuing around “half a dozen” new IPs to follow that established base. It all sounds great in theory, but don’t get too ahead of yourself, as his next comments are, frankly, baffling.


“We’ve announced a couple of them, Mirror’s Edge and Battlefront, but we’ve also added some as well. The last time I spoke about this we hadn’t done the Star Wars deal, so there are those games too.”

The president of EA Labels continued,“if you look at a game like Dragon Age Inquisition, it’s a sequel yeah but we’re treating it as a new IP with a new approach. We’re reinventing it.” So by count, three of EA’s six or so “new”intellectual properties are a reboot of Star Wars: Battlefront set for 2015, a tangent of Dragon Age and a next-gen sequel (prequel) to Mirror’s Edge. He certainly has an interesting (read: incorrect) definition of “new IP.”

In fairness, Star Wars is such a huge and all encompassing franchise that creating something new within that universe could ‘almost’ be considered a new IP. That reasoning falls apart however, when considering that the game is a reboot of an established gaming franchise that DICE is in the process of planning, and it is difficult to begin fathoming the reasoning behind the other two games being mentioned. Regardless, Gibeau went on to explain how he sees the games releasing, stating “in years two to three in the next-gen cycle, the plan is each year you’ll see one to two new IP from us coming out.”

How many of those are actual new franchises, we will have to see.

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EA: ‘Mirror’s Edge 2′ Only Possible on Next-Gen Consoles

At their E3 2013 press conference, Electronic Arts had plenty of surprises in store for gamers. While many of their more high profile announcements had been teased in one way or another, two announcements sent the crowd into a frenzy:Battlefront 3 and Mirror’s Edge 2.

Earlier today, we talked a little bit about DICE’s approach to Battlefront 3 and our hopes for the game, and now it’s time to talk Mirror’s Edge. It’s been a long time coming for Faith, and apparently that has been for good reason.

According to EA‘s Patrick Soderlund, Mirror’s Edge 2 went through several phases of development, with concepts that looked promising, but eventually the team at DICE decided to stop their work. Then, thanks to the vision of Senior Producer Sara Jansson, the sequel found new life and slowly formed into the product teased during the EA press conference.

This new Mirror’s Edge 2 is a next-gen title that takes players back to Faith’s roots, and shows her evolution into the character seen in the first game. In part, that means reintroducing the game’s free-running mechanics, but it also means a decidedly decreased focus on shooting, which should please fans of the franchise.

As far as the title’s next-gen aspirations are concerned, Soderlund reveals thatMirror’s Edge 2 would only work on the PS4, Xbox One, and PC, at least without altering the game’s core concept. We had actually heard the same thing about next-gen consoles back in June, with EA and DICE saying Mirror’s Edge 2 will take the franchise to the “next level,” and Soderlund reaffirms it saying:


“It just happened to be a game design that I don’t think you can build on an old-gen machine. It doesn’t work the way it’s designed. And that also appeals to me. We could maybe get it to work on one, but we would have to compromise on too many things. With this we didn’t have to.”

A lot of Mirror’s Edge‘s experience relies on fluid movements, pristine visuals, and a solid frame rate, so it makes sense that DICE would need the best technology available to make that happen. Moreover, we don’t have a firm release date, let alone a release window, for Mirror’s Edge 2 so it wouldn’t make sense for DICE to target current-gen platforms. For now, however, DICE is only willing to talk aboutMirror’s Edge 2 in nebulous terms until they decide to show more.

Do you think Mirror’s Edge 2 should release on both current-gen and next-gen platforms? Do you like the origin story approach DICE is employing for the game?

Mirror’s Edge 2 has no release date, but will be out on the PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

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‘Mirror’s Edge 2′ Will Take The Franchise To ‘The Next Level’

The fans of parkour have been heard loud and clear: Mirror’s Edge 2 is on its way. After the game was revealed via E3 2013 announcement trailer, DICEand EA have broken their silence, not holding back any of their hopes or excitement over the chance to revisit Faith, and the stark white city in which she resides.

Although some might claim that Mirror’s Edge 2 should have been made long ago, it’s seeming less and less like the publisher and developer were testing the markets, and more and more like they were simply waiting for the industry to catch up to their ideas.

In an interview with IGN, EA Labels president Frank Gibeau voiced the optimism that has apparently surrounded the franchise internally for years. Although fans of the first Mirror’s Edge‘s demands for a sequel seemed to be falling on deaf ears, Gibeau explains that Mirror’s Edge 2 being held until the next generation of consoles was no coincidence:

“I think the time is right now because we’ve got a creative idea. We have a great story planned. With all the gen 4 technology, we can re-create that magic of running across rooftops and experiencing a city from a different point of view through the character of Faith. Performance, animation, all those technologies that are now in gen 4, that extra computing power is going to be able to take Mirror’s Edge to the next level. We’ve always been thinking about it, but a bunch of things came together – the right story, the right leadership team, and the right capabilities from this new hardware – that got us to commit and go for it.”

In hindsight, Gibeau was just one of several executives involved in the announcement that was quite open about their hopes for Mirror’s Edge. After Gibeau conceded that DICE was working on a follow-up to Mirror’s Edge over two years ago, and EA Games VP Patrick Söderlund confirmed that the Swedish studio wasn’t restricting themselves to Battlefield these days, the writing was on the wall for all to see. Yet only now can their hopes be realized.

The most recent comments certainly raise expectations, but it’s not the first bold claim we’ve heard made about the upcoming sequel-reboot. Since the announcement, Söderlund has outright stated that to match the studio’s ambitions, Mirror’s Edge 2 wasn’t possible on current-gen hardware. That’s promising from a technical point of view, but the star of the series is unquestionably Faith – a character DICE seems intent on not putting to waste.

In some ways, Faith Connors embodies the positive side of not making the most of a promising franchise – would annualized installments or endless marketing have helped her rank among our most respected video game heroines, or hurt her chances? Whatever the case, the developers claim that taking the series forward while honoring what fans love is their top priority.

It may be for that reason that Mirror’s Edge 2 won’t be a direct sequel to the events of Mirror’s Edge, but a new origin story instead. Cynics may claim that a ‘reboot’ is simply a means of convincing consumers that they don’t need to play the original, and Gibeau concedes that publishers always want as many people playing their games as possible, but reminds fans that they didn’t come by any decision regarding Mirror’s Edge 2 lightly:

“Our goal in any product is to try and grow the audience. We’re definitely taking into account the opportunity to reach a bigger group of people. We think we’ve got the right story and accessibility that can do that. It’s a title that did multiple millions of units, so it has a fairly widespread audience. It’s not an art film. But we do see an opportunity to grow it.

“It’s an action game, and we’re looking at how you make a gen 4 action game feel alive and big and epic. Those are different things that we’re looking at.”

The graphics and animations of the cinematic trailer certainly seemed impressive regardless of the hardware powering it, but gamers have been taught to wait for actual gameplay footage. That being said, DICE’s placement on the leading edge of game engine technology, and comparatively low demand for in-game assets means Mirror’s Edge 2 could offer some legitimately staggering visuals, in regards to lighting alone.

We’re more than happy to wait and see, considering how long it took to even get to this point. What do you think of EA and DICE’s comments? Does their commitment to not making the game until the tech could match their vision give your hopes a boost, or do you think it’s simply more next-gen hype?

Mirror’s Edge 2 is currently in development for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.

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DICE Explains Timing of ‘Mirror’s Edge 2′ Reveal

At the tail end of an already exhilarating E3 press conference, EA gave the floor to subsidiary developer DICE to announce something many fans were looking forward to for years: a new Mirror’s Edge game, one that would be a complete overhaul with an origin story of the protagonist, Faith Connors.

Before the announcement, fans were hopeful at best despite several leaks from retailers, and EA itself. After the major label put minds at ease with a teaser trailer that appears very true to the feel of the original 2008 cult classic, executive producer Patrick Bach explains why now is the best time for a franchise reboot.

Speaking with IGN, Bach talks about the strategy behind relaunching a new (and hopefully more successful) Mirror’s Edge:


“We had to dwell on what it should be and what it could be, as well as find the right focus for the franchise, bringing it back and not just rushing it out there. I think the franchise deserves a proper launch.”

Previous statements from EA Games label boss Patrick Söderlund cite the advancement of console hardware, but the right pitch at the right time might very well have sealed the deal. Bach is well aware of the fleeting industry fads that have come and gone, and expresses that Mirror’s Edge will not fall prey to any gimmicks.


“How do you innovate and move forward without ruining what made the game great? It’s easy to capitalize on gimmicks or things that are popular right now. Couple years ago everyone’s talking about subscription… …Now no one is talking about subscription… …Jumping onto the awesome wagon that’s passing by is not helping your franchise if you have a great franchise. And Mirror’s Edge is one of them. We need to always remind ourselves what the game is at its core so we don’t move away from that.”

As for Faith’s origin story, many fans have already begun piecing together a series of events for the female lead. Being that many of them are addressed in the original game itself, it doesn’t seem too far-fetched to assume that elements of her past will return with greater importance. Characters like Merc and Jacknife, for example, are assumed to be a more integral part of Faith’s character, and her transition from ordinary citizen to ruthless Runner.

While very few details have been revealed about the reboot, DICE is confident that it is developing the best Mirror’s Edge it can. Creating it with the all-new Frostbite 3 engine doesn’t hurt either, and could serve to showcase the technology on next-generation consoles – perhaps even sell a few. Ranters: What do you think Faith’s origin story should be about? What kinds of characters and locations would you like to see more of? Let us know in the comments!

Mirror’s Edge 2 is currently in development by DICE, a subsidiary of EA, for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Windows PC. No release date has been scheduled, but rest assured that when we find out, so will you.

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EA Announces ‘Mirror’s Edge’ Origin Story

EA and DICE’s Mirror’s Edge managed to do something spectacular and innovative when it was released in 2008. Despite having weaker sales than the company anticipated, the game managed to garner positive critical acclaim. The first-person runner has become a cult classic with a strong and dedicated fanbase, and has even landed on our list of games that definitely deserve a sequel. Finally, after several years, fans everywhere will be getting what they’ve been waiting for.

During its E3 Press Conference this afternoon, EA officially announced that a yet-unnamed reboot is in development by DICE, who have also been responsible for the Battlefield series. Waiting until the very end of the press conference, DICE showed off an in-game footage trailer featuring Faith, the main character of the series, running through a futuristic metropolis and knocking down baddies. Interestingly enough, the trailer also shows Faith acquiring her famous arm tattoo design, indicating that the new title will in fact be an origin story for Faith. Also, it appears the sprawling city has gotten a glossy overhaul thanks to the Frostbite engine, which should be remarkable to see more of when the time comes. It will be interesting to see how this reboot title will tie into the original Mirror’s Edgestoryline, and what kind of introduction Faith and the other Runners will receive.

Speculation surrounding an alleged sequel began not long after the original game’s release, as its ending left players with a few loose ends. In recent weeks, however, a few retailer missteps saw placeholder product pages for “Mirror’s Edge 2,” complete with cover art mock-ups. EA itself accidentally published a social page for the game, and renewed domains relating to the game shortly before E3 2013 kicked off today.

We are likely to hear more about the game in the near future, but for now fans can rest easy knowing they will soon see more first-person freerunning action in the large, beautiful metropolis of The City.

Mirror’s Edge 2 is currently scheduled to release in 2014 on Xbox One,PlayStation 4 and Windows PC.

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EA Renews ‘Mirror’s Edge 2′ Domains

DICE may be insisting that they’re focusing on Battlefield right now, but all signs seem to be pointing to a Mirror’s Edge 2 reveal at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo. The last week alone provided an accidental Amazon listingof the game, an listing on EA’s Help Centre, and now yet another event that can be added to the list of Mirror’s Edge 2-is-for-real evidence: the renewing of the Mirror’s Edge 2 domain name.

A Who Is Lookup of the domain reveals that Electronic Arts went and renewed the domain for another year on May 2nd, something which went unnoticed by the general populace until today. While keeping the domain names of potential sequels is regular practice for larger intellectual properties (the company also purchased domains for Battlefield 13 to 20 as well), the timing of EA doing this barely a month before the E3 Expo seems almost too convenient.

The domain name was originally purchased back in January 2008, a few months after the release of the first game.

Electronic Arts has already announced that Battlefield 4 and Need For Speed: Rivals will grace the stage at E3 this year, and Mirror’s Edge 2 would fit well in such a line-up of sequels. The original released to positive reactions from critics and fans, though it didn’t generate enough sales to fast-track development of a sequel. Despite this, the Mirror’s Edge fanbase has remained optimistic about its eventual return – something which EA said would happen.

To add more fuel to the flames, DICE has also teased that they’ve got some ‘surprises’ cooking up for E3 next week. Obviously, the developers won’t be spoiling said surprises prior to the Expo, though if part of it does end up beingMirror’s Edge 2, the word ‘surprise’ itself may be a bit of a stretch. Fans can see the video for themselves at the top of the page.

The game has reportedly been in development for some time now, with industry workers tweeting about it and even including it on resumes for the last year or so. While it still hasn’t been recognize on an official level – aside of when it accidentally appeared on EA’s own Help Centre – chances are the answers fans are seeking will come within the next week from Los Angeles, where the E3 Expo makes an annual appearance.

What do you think, Ranters? Have the stars aligned to create a Mirror’s Edge 2sequel, or are all of these events just coincidence?

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‘Mirror’s Edge 2′ Spotted in EA’s Help Center

It’s been nearly five years since the first-person free-running action title Mirror’s Edge helped DICE break up the production of Battlefield games for EA. That trend has since resumed – albeit with amazing looking results – leaving fans of the innovative platformer waiting patiently for more. While a sequel was all but confirmed to be in production last November by EA Games VP Patrick Soderlund, no real evidence has surfaced about the enigmatic Mirror’s Edge 2. That is, until now.


Only a few days ago, several keen viewers noticed a product page for Mirror’s Edge 2 on Amazon’s German outlet. While that page has since been removed, another has popped up on Amazon Italy, complete with placeholder Xbox One box art. Sealing the deal however, is an unfinished help page template that was noticed on EA’s own website, with the title – you guessed it - Mirror’s Edge 2.

DICE is well aware that their breakaway title is both well-received by critics, and the subject of a sizeable cult following. Now it seems a sequel is not only a possibility, but inevitable. With EA ramping up to show off Battlefield 4 and Need for Speed: Rivals at E3 2013 in just a few short weeks, could Mirror’s Edge 2 be another title revealed at the annual trade show? It would certainly make a splash, drawing much-needed positive attention to EA after a few recent missteps with the likes of the SimCity reboot.

On the plus side, now that DICE is no longer dependant on the Unreal Engine that Mirror’s Edge used during its development in 2007, fans can safely assume that the same iconic art direction and attention to detail can be bolstered by the new Frostbite 3 engine. While it’s difficult to say for sure what will happen in the coming weeks, we’re pretty confident that E3 is the perfect time to launch Mirror’s Edge back into the spotlight, revamped from the ground up, and for an entirely new generation of hardware. Ranters, are you eager to step back into Faith’s shoes and continue fighting the good fight against Project Icarus — or are you still skeptical that a full-blown sequel will be shown in the next few weeks? Whatever happens, Game Rant will be on the scene at E3 to report on the latest and greatest new additions to the gaming industry.

Mirror’s Edge 2 is expected to be in production by DICE, and may show up at E3 2013 during EA’s anticipated press conference.

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‘Mirror’s Edge 2′ Already in Development, According to Former ‘Battlefield’ Producer

With its latest bellwether first-person shooter, 2011′s Battlefield 3, selling well into 2012 (and likely 2013); its proprietary Battlefield game engine, Frostbite 2, quickly being affiliated across Electronic Arts for titles like Dragon Age III: Inquisition and Army of Two: The Devil’s Cartel; and its next confirmed project, Battlefield 4, staring down the Fall 2013 release landscape with blockbuster malice, it’s safe to say that Swedish developer DICE shares a very… intrinsic relationship with the Battlefield franchise.

It’s a singular association the studio would like to break — starting, quite possibly, with Mirror’s Edge 2.

Speaking to OXM, EA Games VP Patrick Soderlund acknowledged that certain members of DICE are currently tackling projects outside of the Battlefieldfranchise. Reticent to name games, Soderlund simply stressed the importance of creating a flexible atmosphere, one where employees don’t feel trapped in a “Battlefield factory:”


“… not all of [the DICE guys] are working on Battlefield things, and that’s intentional, because we don’t want to become a Battlefield factory.

“The minute we start saying ‘you’re going to make a Battlefield game for the rest of your life’, they’re going to go some place else. So for them to make great Battlefield games there need to be other things for them to do as well.”

If we’re to believe another industry executive close to EA and the Battlefieldfranchise, that “other thing” is Mirror’s Edge 2.

Ben Cousins — a former general manger of EA Easy and executive producer for Battlefield 1943, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Battlefield Heroes and Battlefield Play4 Free — wasted no time in responding to Soderlund via Twitter by pinpointing the oft-rumored title. According to Cousins, Mirror’s Edge 2 is already in the works at Digital Illusions Creative Entertainment — and you’re a nobody in the Stockholm development scene if you haven’t heard.

It’s rare that we see such candidness from a rather prominent industry figure — a few Twitter responses critical towards Cousins, who now heads Ngmoco Sweden, indeed invoke the sanctity of tacit insider wisdom. But while Mirror’s Edge 2development may not be general knowledge outside the Swedish capital’s dev scene, it’s certainly general perception.

Take the words of so many others at Electronic Arts and DICE: EA Labels President Frank Gibeau tested the limits of what “unconfirmed” meant during E3 2011, saying that the company was “actively looking at how to bring [Mirror's Edge] back.” We’ve heard this year, from DICE’s Patrick Bach, that the studio has always kept the free-running platformer on the table and would never dream of killing it off. Developer resumes have even leaked online, with DICE and ex-EA employees citing work on Mirror’s Edge 2 alongside other unannounced titles like Battlefield: Bad Company 3.

2008′s original Mirror’s Edge sold over 2 million copies worldwide, and with everyone involved — developers, executives, fans — pining for a sequel, Mirror’s Edge 2 seems all but inevitable. Nothing has evidenced which platforms the game might be headed for yet, but with Mirror’s Edge already seen as a visual marvel in its first iteration, a Frostbite 2-built followup would be an outstanding way for DICE to kick-start the next generation.

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‘Battlefield: Bad Company 3′ & ‘Mirror’s Edge 2′ Are Coming (Eventually)

When the pre-order incentives for Medal of Honor: Warfighter were announced, revealing next year’s beta program for Battlefield 4, fans of the series were surprised for two reasons. Firstly, Battlefield 3 is only just now hitting its stride after a series of major updates and the launch of Battlefield Premium, which will see multiple content expansions release over the next year. The other reason this was baffling was because of expectations that the next franchise installment would be Battlefield: Bad Company 3.

Like the illusive, yet growing in-demand sequel to Mirror’s Edge, another Bad Company title is a certainty, so says Electronic Arts.

Ever since the pretty Frostbite 2 engine debuted with Battlefield 3, there’s been talk about a Frostbite-powered Mirror’s Edge 2. As recently as March a developer resume listed both Mirror’s Edge 2 and Bad Company 3 as projects they had worked on, and according to DICE executive producer Patrick Bach in an interview with IGN, EA is definitely not giving up on either series and would “never kill something that’s great.”

“The Bad Company IP is still something we love and it’s very dear to me because I worked on both titles. We have no information with where we are to a sequel to Bad Company, so I can’t tell you anything about that IP.”

As for Mirror’s Edge 2, Bach says, ”and of course we haven’t killed it, because it’s too good to kill.” The question is, when will EA position the titles for release and are both being timed as potential launch window games for the next-gen PlayStation and Xbox?

One issue holding back Bad Company is that the series began console-only with its sequel later getting ported to PC. Battlefield 3 proved that there’s a massive PC market to tap into, especially in this day and age where the current console generation is years behind in technology and the Frostbite 2 game engine can’t be taken advantage of on the current consoles. Battlefield 3 represented EA’s biggest video game launch to date so it’s easy to see why Battlefield 4 was the better business decision. It would be smart to have Battlefield 4 take place in the future (instead of doing more of what Battlefield 3 is already doing in its modern setting) and saving Bad Company 3 and Medal of Honor for its modern shooters.

Do we really need three sets of modern FPS titles running on the same engine? No.

As we look towards the future there are a lot of unanswered questions but it’s safe to say that fans of Battlefield and Mirror’s Edge have something to look forward to.

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Developer Resumes List ‘Battlefield: Bad Company 3′ & ‘Mirror’s Edge 2′

More Battlefield and Mirror’s Edge games are inevitable – for fans and Electronic Arts, it’s just a question of when. With Battlefield 3 hitting it big for the publisher last year as the company’s biggest launch ever, and Medal of Honor: Warfighter coming this fall, 2013 will without a doubt see a new Battlefield title, although it may not be the already-confirmed Battlefield 4.

As for the stylistic parkour franchise that Mirror’s Edge writer Rhianna Pratchettwishes to return to, given the right circumstances, it may already be in development as we’ve speculated on before.


First, let’s talk shooters. Just like Activision has been doing for years with the Call of Duty franchise, Electronic Arts is planning to do with their modern shooters, alternating annualized releases between developers DICE (BF) and Danger Close Games (MoH). This year is Medal of Honor 2 so next year is a newBattlefield game which will likely be Battlefield: Bad Company 3 and the return of Preston Marlowe.

GamerZines located some interesting information on three developer resumes on LinkedIn, one of which name-drops the unannounced Bad Company 3.

The other two curricula vitarum both list Mirror’s Edge 2 and come from ex-EA employees. One claims he worked on “the wandering of crowd system within Unreal 3 engine” and the other on leaderboards and mini-games.

The original Mirror’s Edge was built on Unreal Engine technology but for its sequel, all signs point towards it making use of DICE’s own Frostbite 2 engine, so we wonder if the Unreal-powered Mirror’s Edge 2 was scrapped back in February 2011 when we reported on EA halting production of the sequel. Perhaps it was re-kindled with the advent of DICE’s new game engine, which the latest rumors seem to indicate.

With the full Wii U coming in just a few weeks at E3 2012, both titles could be part of EA’s keynote presentation since they are a key supporter of Nintendo’s new home console.

A Frostbite 2-powered Mirror’s Edge could be a showstopper at such an event andBad Company 3 could make up for the lackluster and forgettable campaign of BF3, since it focuses more on its characters and has a foundation that would lend itself to a proper, comprehensive co-op campaign which Battlefield 3 and Medal of Honor both failed to offer.

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DICE’s Next Mystery Project Likely Cause For Delayed ‘Battlefield 3′ DLC

Over the last week, Battlefield and Medal of Honor fans have received a lot of exciting news, with new content coming for both franchises. Medal of Honor: Warfighter, a sequel to the 2010 reboot, was officially unveiled at GDC last week and with it, DICE finally announced the Battlefield 3 DLC plans. The latter is something some fans have gotten vocal about over the last few months because of an apparent lack of updates and DLC since the game released in October.

Now, we have the Close Quarters, Armored Kill and End Game DLC packs coming later this year for BF3, but not until June. So, what’s the hold up? Why is the DLC coming out 7-8 months after launch when Call of Duty has monthly content drops? And why are the updates taking so long?

Speaking with Joystiq at GDC last week, DICE general manager Karl-Magnus Troedsson explains the timing and their goals with Battlefield 3′s DLC and hints that they’re working on other things which may or may not have limited their ability to focus on BF3.

“The reason that we haven’t followed up with even more content more quickly, there’s a couple of practical reasons. Part of that is that we just need to spend a lot of focus getting the game out. The ambition was to get more packs out earlier, but sometimes you have to prioritize between the base product and what you’re doing afterwards.”

“If you prefer to have smaller piecemeal packs every now and then, you can go with that. We prefer to do something bigger that has a specific theme, that has maps, weapons, assignments, persistent upgrades, all this kinda stuff.”

Troedsson continues, explaining that DICE ran into limitations that have slowed them down on the update and DLC front, which can mean only one thing. A lot of the staff is working on their next project. Is it Battlefield: Bad Company 3 for the consoles? Is it the inevitable Battlefield 4 (not likely)? Or is it something non-Battlefield related as the DICE GM also hinted at to Joystiq:


“We also have an ongoing plan that those products should not only be Battlefield… though I cannot say more than that.”

Mirror’s Edge 2 ? All of these games, along with Danger Close Games’ upcoming Medal of Honor: Warfighter are utilizing DICE’s Frostbite 2 engine and we know DICE isn’t helping with MOH this time around as they did with the multiplayer component of the 2010 reboot, so they are certainly working on another major unannounced project. Let’s not forget that DICE’s Patrick Liu went on record in October 2011 stating that he believes gamers are ready for a Mirror’s Edge sequel. Hint hint.

What would you like to see next from DICE and are they doing enough withBattlefield 3 to compete with Call of Duty?

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DICE Talks ‘Battlefield: Bad Company 3,’ Wii U, and ‘Mirror’s Edge 2′

DICE has been a busy company, but now Battlefield 3 has been released, marking the return of the original series. During the six year wait betweenBattlefield 2 and Battlefield 3, DICE released an off-shoot series, Battlefield: Bad Company, which was a well-received attempt by the company to create a single player oriented game.

In a recent interview with DICE’s Patrick Liu, a new Bad Company game — among many other things — was discussed. Rest assured, fans of “B” Company, 222nd Army will see the rag tag group of soldiers return to action one day.

As noted in our Battlefield 3 console review, the game’s multiplayer offering is very strong. The Battlefield 3 campaign, on the other hand, is a little lacking. It is fair to say that BF3‘s campaign was DICE’s first attempt at creating a much more serious and reality-grounded story. However, the carefree and ridiculous nature of the Bad Company games was definitely a strong suit. Liu confirmed that the franchise hasn’t been “killed” and that the studio is partial to the characters (who isn’t?). Unfortunately, there are currently no plans for creating a third Bad Company game, and the entirety of DICE is focused on supporting Battlefield 3. For example, working on the server problems that have been affecting users on day one. Liu says this about the future of Bad Company:

“We’ve done a lot of things in the Bad Company series, learning how to make a single-player campaign. But this time the tone and the atmosphere is different, in terms of what kind of characters you’re playing, how the storyline plays out. It’s a lot more authentic and physical experience, while the Bad Company experience was more humour-istic and light-hearted.”

One of the strongest aspects of Bad Company was indeed the characters who were at the heart of the story. It was a new take on the war story and one that worked very well. It would be a shame if DICE didn’t at least make one more game using Frostbite 2. Also, seeing as the second game ended with a bit of a cliffhanger, a resolution to the series is still required. Given that the campaign in Battlefield 3 is a little flat, maybe a return to Bad Company will do DICE some good.

Another topic of discussed was whether DICE would be coming up with games for the Wii U. The short answer is no. The company has gotten its hands on a dev kit and has been tinkering with it, but Liu confirmed that DICE is not currently working on a game for the upcoming console. Sorry, Wii U fans, looks like you won’t be getting a Battlefield 3 port any time soon. However, Liu also commented on the company wanting to make a game that will utilize the Wii U’s new touch screen controller, and how it would be a waste to create a game that wouldn’t utilize it.

There are still some plans on the horizon for DICE, but what are they specifically? We won’t know for a little while yet.


“We have a number of projects going on and we were experimenting to see what we could come up with but that’s all… we’ll see what happens.”

Finally, Liu discussed the matter of a second Mirror’s Edge game, which he feels gamers are ready for. Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be announced formally. Given Liu’s response on the matter, Mirror’s Edge 2 – if it is being worked on — is not out of the pre-production yet, and may not even have made it that far. Perhaps something could be talked about during E3 2012?

Battlefield 3 is out now for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

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DICE Says Gamers Ready For ‘Mirror’s Edge 2′

The almost cult status of the first-person free-running game developed by DICE a few years ago is still churning around in the minds of both DICE and Electronic Arts, the former saying the gaming public is ready for Mirror’s Edge 2. Perhaps DICE will have enough freedom to play around a bit after they release Battlefield 3 in a few more weeks?

There’s almost a perfect storm of events that may lead to DICE’s next release being Mirror’s Edge 2. The onset release of Battlefield 3, the availability of their new Frostbite 2 engine, and the general feel of the community is what Patrick Liu, producer at DICE, is what might be aiding their decision to bring a new game in the series to the public.

This is merely adding on to the string of news that DICE was working on aMirror’s Edge related game and that a new game would definitely be using Frostbite 2 (why wouldn’t it?).

The original Mirror’s Edge game possessed a lot of interesting qualities. From the use of colors to navigate seamlessly, the first person perspective of running and martial arts (when they worked), and the simple, yet interesting world that protagonist Faith traversed. Sales for the game were not as high as hoped from the publisher, but the title was still critically acclaimed.

Interviewed by SPOnG, Patrick Liu talked about how the gaming community would be ready for a sequel to Mirror’s Edge, which will surely please its patient fan following.


“Yeah, definitely. I think it’s something that people are ready to get into again… We see that there’s a huge fan following, it’s almost like a cult! And we know what strengths we had, and what weaknesses we had in that game. If we were to release a new game, we’d know what to improve and how to reach a broader audience. So I definitely think there’s a market there.”

Truly a fearless game to make, many who played Mirror’s Edge have been looking forward to a sequel for a very long time. At one point, EA had put the kibosh on a build that was being developed, but it no longer looks like this will be an issue.

The term “broader audience” can scare some of the hardcore gamer demographic. We’re all scared about a product that will be dumbed down in order to reach more people, but the mechanics of the game, especially when it came to pulling off some of the more challenging jump combos, might do well with some rethinking.

Should DICE’s self examination of the strengths and weaknesses of Mirror’s Edgeprove to be something that players can agree upon, then seeing a new game with better graphics, physics, and controls is a very exciting prospect.

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Mirror’s Edge 2 Definitely Using Frostbite 2 Engine

In January of 2009, Electronic Arts brought style and action together in what to this day is arguably the best parkour gaming experience: Mirror’s Edge. Despite positive critical reception, the game didn’t reach blockbuster sales numbers and so while sad for those of us who enjoyed it, it wasn’t too surprising to hear earlier this year that production on Mirror’s Edge 2 has stopped.

A prototype of what Mirror’s Edge 2 could become was presented to EA, but they declined. That was in February but a month later, EA’s Games Label Chief Frank Gibeau went on record explaining that there’s still hope for Mirror’s Edge 2, but they’d need to figure out how to make it reach a larger audience and sell 2-3 times as much. With the help of the Frostbite 2 engine – the one that makes Battlefield 3 so pretty – they may have found their winning formula.

Three weeks ago we reported confirmation that Mirror’s Edge 2 was definitely in the works, and we learned it through words from EA senior vice president, Patrick Soderlund.


“We have not abandoned the franchise. And we are working on something, but I’m not willing to talk more about that.”

The first Mirror’s Edge utilized the Unreal 3 engine and our thoughts at the time of Soderlund’s interview were that DICE and EA would take advantage of the Frostbite 2 engine for the sequel. It’d be crazy not too.

Destructive environments aside, Frostbite 2 offers lighting and animation that are leaps and bounds ahead of the competition, so it’s a no brainer that Mirror’s Edge 2 will attempt to push the boundaries on its visuals using the engine as well. Nothing has been confirmed on this front but the latest issue of Official PlayStation Magazine includes a line, giving credence to our speculation:


“The Frostbite 2 engine will pave the way for Mirror’s Edge to make a free-running return.”

We can guarantee that Mirror’s Edge 2 will include high-speed free-running and parkour elements like its predecessor, but in terms of its unique color scheme and aesthetic, its protagonist and even its gunplay elements, we’ll have to wait and see what EA has up their sleeve to bring this game to wider audiences.

What would you like to see changed for Mirror’s Edge 2 and should the developers take any notes from Brink?

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EA Says ‘Mirror’s Edge 2′ Still a Possibility

Just when people thought that they’ll never see Mirror’s Edge 2, it was revealed this week that EA still has plans to bring back the popular parkour title. EA’s Games Label Chief, Frank Gibeau spoke in a recent interview about how they’re still planning to release a new Mirror’s Edge game, but not until they know they have a solid product.

Last month production was halted on the next installment of Mirror’s Edge after DICE showed their prototype of the title to EA execs. They weren’t too impressed, and had DICE focus efforts on Battlefield 3, which turned out to be a good decision because Battlefield 3 looks amazing!

Gibeau knows that fans of the series feel that they won’t see another Mirror’s Edge game, and in his interview with CVG he wanted everyone to know that EA wants to release another title, but won’t green-light the project until they know they have a big seller.

“What we said internally is: ‘What do we need to do to make [a sequel] a hit?’ We need to go from version one to version two so that it sells two to three times as many, it finds a much bigger audience. The first game from a quality standpoint was good, but now it needs to be great.”

The first Mirror’s Edge was a great game and was highly praised for its style and gameplay, but didn’t sell well in the long run. You can’t blame EA for wanting to sell copies of their games. The fact that they’re spending extra time to develop the title only means Mirror’s Edge 2 will be better – whenever it’s finally released.

An interesting change they could make for the sequel would be a switch to third-preson. The first person perspective in the original title added a new level of challenge when moving through the environment – but a third person perspective could allow DICE to expand on Faith’s hand-to-hand combat abilities, allowing the heroine to take on multiple opponents.

Gibeau didn’t give any hints as to when we’ll see the next game, so be sure to check back for any updates.

What new elements do you think EA could implement to make Mirror’s Edge 2 a success?

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‘Mirror’s Edge 2′ Production Stopped By Electronic Arts

After a bit of suspense over just how well development of the sequel to DICE‘s 2008 surprise first-person platformer was going, it seems that EA has set the record straight. The publisher has decided to put a hold on the development of Mirror’s Edge 2 while development of DICE’s other major project Battlefield 3 commences.

The decision was made after DICE brought a prototype of the game to EA, and for whatever reason, the publisher judged that work on the project would need to be stopped altogether in favor of other properties.

The first Mirror’s Edge, as many may remember, did not fare as well as many had hoped in either reviews or in sales figures. The game sold over 2 million copies and achieved a Metacritic rank of 79-81, but even those numbers failed to reach the lofty heights expected by EA. While many in the gaming industry had hoped that a second iteration of the game would solve some of the smaller issues, the wait may turn out to be longer than expected.

EA’s Patrick Soderlund had previously voiced his support of the original game and its possible sequels, but ultimately even his hopes had to be put aside in favor of a smart business decision. Eurogamer’s translation of the uncovered report doesn’t paint too pretty a picture:

“Patrick acknowledges that Mirror’s Edge didn’t match up to their expectations regarding sales, and that has stopped the sequel that has been in development… EA was shown a prototype, but declined with askance. The project has been stopped – involved parties at DICE are working on something else now. Patrick himself seems to have Mirror’s Edge near his heart, but they are not in the business of charity.”

For those who don’t know, ‘askance’ is defined as “an attitude or look of suspicion or disapproval,” so things clearly aren’t ideal. It looks like the immediate future will include little to no talk of Mirror’s Edge, but fans can take some comfort in the fact that there are still some at EA who are passionate about the game.

In all honest, if one of the game’s most outspoken supporters decided that DICE’s prototype wasn’t up to standard, then perhaps it’s best to focus on other projects at the moment.

Mirror’s Edge had its problems (combat), but it was an original IP with no real precedent, a whole lot going for it, and a potentially incredible future. Maybe with a little more development time and learning from the mistakes of the first game (combat), DICE can give us a worthy sequel within the next few years.

Are you sad to hear that development of Mirror’s Edge 2 has ceased for now, or would you rather have Battlefield 3 sooner anyway?

Mirror’s Edge is currently available for the PC, PS3, Xbox 360, iPhone and iPad.

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