Battlefield 4 beta feedback: what's changing before launch

Battlefield 4 beta players have done their jobs, according to a list of fixes and tweaks DICE plans to make before launch. Good job, Battlefield 4 beta players! In the blog post , DICE's Vincent Vukovic thanks the testers and describes how the beta's "key findings" will be addressed before October 29—several of the bug reports relate specifically to PC optimization.

Chief among the issues are low framerates and stuttering. "Rest assured that we're using the information we received to optimize the performance for the launch of the game," writes Vukovic. "We also released three game client updates and a number of game server updates during the Beta to address some of these issues and to gather more information to ensure a smoother launch."

Also at the top of the list are bugs that cause stalls on the loading screen and unusually high CPU usage for dual, quad, and six-core processors. "This was a true Beta," writes Vukovic, "And as such all the crash reports that were generated during this period will actually help us make a better game."

A "true beta," of course, being a real testing phase and not a demo in a beta's skin—sounds like DICE senses that some learned cynicism needs to be massaged out. Along with technical fixes, the developer promises gameplay tweaks—largely adjustments to weapon stats such as damage and rate-of-fire—and says it'll keep scrutinizing and tweaking after release.

The BF4 beta is now over, but only a little under two weeks remains before the release. Can DICE get it running smoothly in just two weeks? Will the word "levolution" stick? Tune in next time for the shocking launch conclusion!

Tyler Wilde
Executive Editor

Tyler grew up in Silicon Valley during the '80s and '90s, playing games like Zork and Arkanoid on early PCs. He was later captivated by Myst, SimCity, Civilization, Command & Conquer, all the shooters they call "boomer shooters" now, and PS1 classic Bushido Blade (that's right: he had Bleem!). Tyler joined PC Gamer in 2011, and today he's focused on the site's news coverage. His hobbies include amateur boxing and adding to his 1,200-plus hours in Rocket League.