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In a surprising announcement during an interview with Gamestar magazine, DICE executive Patrick Soderlund confirmed that Battlefield 3 will not include mod tools, and that EA is looking for “alternative methods” to appease modders.
When asked about modding, Patrick answered with a surprisingly condescending answer:
“It’s going to be very difficult for people to mod the game, because of the nature of the set up of levels, of the destruction and all those things… it’s quite tricky. So we think it’s going to be too big of a challenge for people to make a mod.”
Ridiculous.
The Battlefield name is synonymous with mods. Desert Combat, Forgotten Hope 1 and 2, Project Reality, Eve of Destruction, Point of Existence, and countless other mods that were born out of BF1942 and BF2 were in some ways more enjoyable than the vanilla games themselves. They opened new ways to play the game, as well as give people new options on what kind of experience they want with that game. That’s the beauty of modding. Experiencing something new and different each time you play. Denying the creative possibilities that can be possible in Battlefield 3, DICE is shooting themselves in the foot.
And this whole talk of “It’s too hard to do” is complete nonsense. Disregarding all the questionable Japanese Oblivion mods, PC modders are one of the most talented groups in all of gaming. Saying that the engine is “too complicated” to work in is not an excuse. Look at GTA IV. The PC version of that game was not intended for modding, yet look at this. Modders are not children. Some of them have the talent of professional developers, if not more. Give them the means to create, and they will go through the biggest of hurdles to see their ideas come to fruition.
DICE has said time and time again that they’re taking a “PC first” approach with Battlefield 3. With this news, and given that the mod community is a huge part of PC gaming, that’s very hard to believe now.
