Battlefield Hardline Beta Starting Soon?

With Battlefield Hardline set to launch on the Xbox One, PS4 this coming March, most speculated that it was only a matter of time before Electronic Arts released a Battlefield Hardline beta for users to experience the game for themselves. A newly leaked email indicates that the Battlefield Hardline beta could kick off during the first week of February.

This morning, an email allegedly sent to Ronku participants indicated that the Battlefield Hardline beta would start on February 3rd saying, “In case you haven’t heard the beta for Battlefield Hardline goes live on February 3rd.” Ronku is a program that pays content creators on YouTube and Twitch to produce coverage for EA games. Besides the confirmed on the Battlefield Hardline beta release date, VG24/7 is reporting that new art assets and pictures have arrived in the exclusive Ronku portable, also hinting at a coming beta release. The email was reportedly sent by William Hyde, executive in charge of managing the Ronku program for Electronic Arts.

The Battlefield Hardline beta is sure to be a big topic of discussion when it finally does arrive. Originally, the game was slated for a release last year, but Electronic Arts delayed the game because Visceral Games needed more time to fully develop it. Battlefield Hardline will be the first major game release of 2015. That’s the biggest reason it’ll be watched so closely. The game is one of two delayed big-name delayed releases making their debut this year. The other is Rocksteady Studios’ Batman: Arkham Knight.

Read: 7 Xbox One Games to Get Excited for in 2015

The other reason the Battlefield Hardline beta will be a big topic of discussion is its concept. Since revealing the game, EA and Visceral have pushed the idea of it not being a typical first-person shooter and multiplayer game. Past games of the serious have focused on war experiences. In fact, Battlefield could be considered the one franchise that competes directly with Activision’s Call of Duty. Battlefield Hardline will leave the wartime settings from past games behind and focus on the battle between police in authorities. For example, presenting a badge will stop some thugs in their tracks. Everyone will have military grade weaponry and vehicles.

Battlefield Hardline players will get to choose which side they’re on. Those who choose to be a member of the police force will be tasked with finding and ending the lives of criminals. Users won’t be able to experience the game’s campaign in the linear way they are accustomed to with most first-person shooters. Battlefield Hardline is setup like a crime drama you might watch on television; the campaign is being divided into easy to digest episodes. In that way, the game should feel sort of like Law and Order.

Unfortunately, the leaked email sent out to Ronku users didn’t include details about what’ll be available during the Battlefield Hardline beta. There are four main game modes, according to information Electronic Arts has already shared about the game. Heists will force users playing as criminals to rob an armored truck before they are hunted down by members of the opposing team playing as police officers. Crosshair will feature both factions fighting over the fate of a witness. Rescue requires players save the hostages taken by an opposing team. Criminals are tasked with stealing a list of cards before their busted in Hotwire Mode. Finally, there’s Blood Money, a mode that has players rush to amass $5 million in cash before the opposing faction.

The Battlefield Hardline release date may have changed from October to March, but the number of available versions hasn’t. Battlefield Hardline is coming to Windows PCs, the PS3, the PS4, the Xbox 360 and the Xbox One.