Microsoft continues to roll out the deals, announcing overnight that four new games would be available for free for Xbox Live Gold members as part of their "Games with Gold" service.

And of those four is Battlefield 1, which is free to download for the entire month of November.

For the month of November, Xbox Live Gold members will receive four new free games – two on Xbox One and two on Xbox 360 – as part of the Games with Gold program. You can play both Xbox 360 titles on your Xbox One with Backward Compatibility.

On Xbox One, Xbox Live Gold members can download Battlefield 1 ($39.99ERP) for free during the month of November. Race The Sun ($9.99 ERP) will be available as a free download from November 16th to December 15th.

On Xbox 360, starting November 1st, Assassin’s Creed ($19.99 ERP) will be free for Xbox Live Gold members through November 15th. Then on November 16th, Xbox Live Gold Members can download Dante’s Inferno ($14.99 ERP) for free through November 30th.

Dante's Inferno is a sad addition as it just reminds us that the once-talented and functioning Visceral Games is no longer with us, but as far as quality products for free, November's offers are pretty good.

And you have until the end of the month to grab it - so head here for details on how to do so for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. The Premium Pass for Battlefield 1 includes all DLC expansions, maps, and modes - including They Shall Not Pass, In the Name of the Tsar, Turning Tides, and Apocalypse.



This also marks the arrival of Weekly Rewards leading up to the November release of Battlefield V with a chance to get a head start on unlocking gear for the WWII-set V.

And sure this is the second time this deal has come about - but for those that missed out on the Battlefield 1 freebies last time - now's your chance. With all four Premium Pass expansions available for free to download and own on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Which includes They Shall Not Pass, In the Name of the Tsar, Turning Tides, and Apocalypse. With the announcement stating, "We know the close of the Battlefield V Open Beta left an itch you couldn’t conquer, and so we’re giving players one more chance to grab the Battlefield 1 Premium Pass absolutely free".

Very cool, and you can find more details on each expansion with links to all the relevant stores here.

As the Battlefield V open beta wraps up and the long wait to the November 20 release date begins, EA and DICE are offering a nice little bonus for Battlefield 1 owners in the form of all DLC expansions for free. The Premium Pass which offers all four post-launch DLC packs is now available at no cost on all platforms until September 18.

Which includes They Shall Not Pass, In the Name of the Tsar, Turning Tides, and Apocalypse. Previously in the lead up to Battlefield V these expansions were offered one by one so this is the first time that all four are being offered at no charge. Naturally, you need to own the base game to play them.

This offer is available across PC, Xbox One, and PS4 and probably won't be seen again for a while so be sure to snap it up this week.

Where DICE and EA are giving away Battlefield 1's Turning Tides DLC that lets players fight in the 1915 British amphibious assault of the Gallipoli peninsula. The update brought four new maps to the game, all of which focus on separate parts of the land, sea, and air vibe of the series.



Turning Tides also introduced a new Operation across two of the new maps, Cape Helles and Achi Baba, alongside new weapons and unlocks.

Also included in the give away is the Battlefield 4 Second Assault DLC, which re-imagined a number of classic Battlefield 3 maps. both can be obtained for free across Origin (PC), Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. For more details and links, head here. Be sure to get in quick as the offer ends July 17.

This is part of the lead-up to the release of Battlefield 5 later in the year.

The core Battlefield experience, where large teams fight it out on a sprawling map, isn't the sort of thing that translates well into a competitive esport. Mainly because it's unpredictable, with individual and squad performance sometimes not really factoring into the overall score. Because, it isn't always about that. And so DICE and EA have spent considerable time creating Incursions, which is every bit Battlefield 1's competitive esports mode.

Tightly focused maps. Only five players on each team. Vehicles and specialisations included. Yeah, this looks interesting. But no doubt will cause a bit of controversy within the Battlefield community.

5-versus-5 Focused Battles

Built in collaboration with the community, the Battlefield 1 Incursions Closed Alpha brings the authenticity of Battlefield 1 to a contained, small-scale battle. The Battlefield 1 Incursions Closed Alpha’s uniquely designed smaller matches make it more than just another mode.

Vehicles

It wouldn’t be Battlefield without vehicles. Much like the Behemoths in the main Battlefield 1 experience, vehicles can turn the tide of an Incursions Closed Alpha match. But they aren’t unstoppable, and destroying an enemy vehicle can be just as decisive as deploying one.

Strategic Depth

Your choice in kit plays a critical role in the success of your squad, while every destroyed piece of environment can shift the entire momentum of battle. Only the sharpest strategic teams will rise to the top of the competition.

For more info and a chance to take part in the Closed Alpha test for Battlefield 1 Incursions, planned for September, head here. In other Battlefield 1 news, a complete edition called Battlefield 1 Revolution has been announced and is available now for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Origin PC.

As opposed to the current seasonal approach tied to the release of themed DLC packs. The move towards more regular updates to the game is said to be based on player feedback, something that developer DICE has actively pursued wit hthe release of Battlefield 1. This change will probably come into play after the release of the upcoming Spring Update which is on track to deliver Platoons -- the fancier and definitely more Battlefield 1 was of saying clans.

Also on the horizon is the next Russian themed expansion, In The Name Of The Tsar. Which as per the concept art below and the title, will shift the action to the Eastern Front and the cold harsh winter.

At a preview event for Battlefield 1's first expansion, They Shall Not Pass, EA showed off sneak peek details regarding the rest of their DLC content as well. Key among those details for a site called AusGamers — news of a Gallipoli Beach Landing coming to the third expansion, titled "Turning Tides".

This heavily implies — though does not confirm — the idea that ANZACs will feature as an army force by the time the third expansion rolls around. Previously members of DICE have been extremely coy when questioned about the addition of Aussie and New Zealand armed forces in multiplayer. The French army has been added to They Shall Not Pass — the first expansion pack — and the expansion itself revolves around French engagements. Turning Tides focuses on Naval battles, so there is a possibility the ANZACs don't get a good look in — but there'd be a whole mess of upset Aussies (and characteristically easy going Kiwis) if the Gallipoli Campaign didn't feature diggers.

The second expansion "In the Name of the Tsar" will focus on the Eastern European Light Cavalry known as the Hussars, and promises expanded horseplay, and the fourth expansion "Apocalypse" wasn't detailed much, but will almost definitely have nothing to do with a blue dude mumbling his way through the second worst X-Men movie.

Other news out of the preview event includes the fact that prominent Battlefield playing Youtubers prefer to go for kills instead of playing the fucking objective, as evidenced by the following screenshot. Meanwhile, you can read my thoughts about the new Frontlines mode now!

Ribbons! Truth be told, this was something that we kind of missed whilst playing Battlefield 1. Getting ribbons for being a solid healer, or dealing out assault damage, we enjoyed our ribbon-based rewards. And now thanks to the next update ribbons are making their way back to the Battlefield. Also coming in the next update is an increase in the Class Ranks to 50, which is a pretty major step-up from 10. Plus, voting for the next map after the end of each round.

These new features are coming alongside a number of notable fixes and changes, that you can read here. The full list is quite extensive, so here are some of the more amusing ones we came across.

• Fixed English spelling error for magnification.
  
• Fixed an issue where players could get stuck in a table.
  
• Grenades and dynamite will no longer fall through the floor of the windmill balcony.
  
• Fixed Conquest spawn locations on Suez.  Moved one up so player no longer spawns underground, moved another out of a tree.
  
• Improved cavalry victim experience. You should no longer get killed by cavalry using a saber from multiple meters away.

And speaking of amusing, as soon as we heard that ribbons we're back we immediately thought of this. Because our minds are hard-wired with Seinfeld references.

Dubbed They Shall Not Pass, Battlefield 1's first expansion focuses on the exploits of the French army and introduces four new maps and a new mode called Frontlines that aims to blend Conquest and Rush into a new experience. Which, definitely sounds interesting as it sees both teams vying for a single flag at a time before moving onto the next. And from there if a team's HQ control point is captured the game turns into a Rush-style attack and defend skirmish.

Colour us intrigued. Also, colour us blue as we're excited that the French army is finally being added to the game. Oh, and four new maps that look and sound great.

Verdun Heights

The opening barrage of the Battle of Verdun created massive forest fires in which players will fight for domination. This is an uphill battle towards the massive fortresses of Verdun. A constant grinding struggle where the artillery never stops. Where the forge and “the Devil’s Anvil” continues to consume even the bravest combatants.

Fort Vaux

The first big engagement inside a fort during World War 1 takes place in the dark underworld of Fort Vaux. Down in the maze of dark galleries and wet stone corridors, French and Germans fight ferociously with grenades, guns, bayonets, and flamethrowers. Watch your corners!

Soissons

Take part in one of the biggest tank assaults of World War 1. The French 10th Army moves to take back Soissons using their powerful Saint Chamond tanks. Planes, tanks, and infantry clash in the beautiful French countryside in the early hours of a hot summer day. Only the thunderstorm is louder than the war.

Rupture

In dire need to capture key bridges across the Aisne river, the French find themselves back into battlefields where poppies grow over a rusty wreck from previous tank battles. It might seem calm but this maze of steel beasts provides an excellent place for those who plan an ambush. As the sun sets over Fontenoy, the battle wakes up.

They Shall Not Pass comes as part of the Battlefield 1 Season Pass and will be available sometime in March.

Battlefield 1 has provided one of the best multiplayer shooter experiences this year. And by going back to World Ware 1, developer DICE has managed to outshine a competitive field made up of titles that were almost exclusively set in the future. The first expansion for the game won't be out until March 2017, but to give us a glimpse at what's in store we've got some new details, great concept art, and hints at some even more intense close quarter trench combat headed our way.

Called They Shall Not Pass the first Battlefield 1 expansion introduces the French Army faction and will focus on events of the infamous and quite brutal Battle of Verdun. And although we don't have any in-game footage or screenshots, DICE has released some concept art that it says point to the type of look and feel that the new maps, and encounters are aiming for.


The most evocative image is without a doubt the one that you see above. It depicts the opening moments of the Battle of Verdun, where the huge forest that surrounds the city erupted into flame thanks to the 1 million plus shells that were fired. The image we see hints at a new map set in the midst of this blaze, and if executed correctly could provide Battlefield 1 with yet another stunning, and horrific, visual spectacle.


The historic Fort Vaux is one filled with underground corridors and galleries. We won't lie, this image conjurers up a bunch of memories playing the now iconic (and infamous) Lockers map from Battlefield 4. A map that has it detractors sure, and we can understand why, but the sheer insanity of smoke filled rooms in an installation filled with soldiers and grenades is something that we've grown to love. Add in gas, and we can't wait to check this new location out.


The new expansion will also expand on the tank warfare from the core game with the introduction of a new map set around the Battle of Soissons in late 1918. Expect bridges, trenches, and "something big" around the village of Fismes. A new super weapon eh? We're not sure what it could be, but if it's as impressive as either the armoured train or the giant airship, we're in for a treat.

They Shall Not Pass is the first expansion for Battlefield 1 and comes as part of the Premium Pass.

Grenade-launching crossbow anyone? Yeah, apparently that's a thing now -- and we couldn't be happier. Giant’s Shadow is a new free map coming to Battlefield 1 on December 20 and in players will get to relive the Battle of the Selle. Albeit a version where you can try and take down an armoured train with a grenade-launching crossbow. "Take that train! No wait, I didn't say that. It was, err, that guy." *runs*

It's only a short teaser but in addition to a crashed zeppelin there's a town section, a train yard, and the same lovely French countryside we've seen in other sections of the game.

Mostly affecting those with rigs powerful enough to run the game at 'Ultra' settings, the first substantial patch for Battlefield 1 seems to be affecting performance in a negative way. In that certain effects and filters seem to be broken with the visuals looking more 'Medium' than 'Ultra'. Naturally, this has left quite the sour taste in some players mouths, as this lengthy forum thread covers.

As per a forum moderator DICE are now aware of the issue and looking to resolve it as quick as possible.

One of the great new additions to the Battlefield formula was the introduction of Operations in Battlefield 1. Essentially they took the awesome Rush mode and expanded it to include more players and then stage the battle across multiple maps with bonus events, vehicles, and units appearing depending on how things were panning out. Of course, it wasn't perfect. And the next big update to the game looks to address some of the main issues players have been having with the new more.

Which ultimately boils down to giving attackers more tickets to play with, and other changes as detailed below.

OPERATIONS CHANGES:
Going forward we are addressing the balance issues with the Operations game mode. It’s clear that attackers need a boost. To increase the effectiveness of the attacking team, we are increasing the overall tickets for both Operations & Grand Operations. In addition, we are also making it somewhat easier to capture sectors as an attacker by reducing the amount of time it takes to capture a flags in Operations & Grand Operations. We’ve also increased the minimum tickets regained in grand operations to from 30 to 50, as well as increased the amount of tickets regained from killing retreating defenders. This will give more of a fighting chance to capture the next sector after previously capturing a sector while having very few tickets left.

64 player

• Increase attacker maximum tickets from 150 to 250
  
• Increased the amount of tickets regained from killing retreating defenders after capturing a sector from 2 to 3.
  
• Increased the amount of minimum ticket regained when capturing a sector in 64p Operations from 30 to 50.
  
• Slightly reduced the time it takes to capture flags.

40 player

• Increase attacker maximum tickets to 200 from 150
  
• Increased the amount of tickets regained from killing retreating defenders after capturing a sector from 2 to 3.
  
• Slightly reduced the time it takes to capture flags.

The Battlefield Fall Update also features some changes coming to Conquest, where the Suez Conquest map will get some major changes in the form of two new flags and a re-balance of all the existing flags on the map.

It doesn't stop there as the overall patch notes for the update are pretty extensive, with a number of fixes and changes being made across the board. Be sure to head here to check them out. There's a lot to go through, so be sure to let us know if you notice anything in particular that's worth mentioning.

Traditionally speaking it's easier to setup a server for online PC gaming than it is for console. Because one is a locked system, and the other is mostly open and allows for a wider variety of hardware configurations. A short while ago we dropped word that EA would be handling the Battlefield 1 Rent-a-Server stuff internally, as to control the quality of what's on offer. On paper that sounds fine, but in a recent post it looks like renting a Battlefield 1 server for the PC version will cost substantially more than one for the PS4 or Xbox One.

The post was made over at the official forum here, and the below prices are in USD.

As you know, Rental Servers for PS4 and Xbox One have gone through EA. Now with Rental Servers going through EA, there’s quite a lot of questions. Let’s answer some now:

How much will it cost?

PC
1 day: $2.99
7 days: $11.99
30 days: $42.99
90 days: $99.99
180 days: $149.99

PLAYSTATION® 4 / XBOX ONE
1 day: $1.99
7 days: $7.99
30 days: $26.99
90 days: $64.99
180 days: $99.99

When will the Rental Server Program Launch?
We’re excited to bring RSP to Battlefield 1 this November.

Yeah, war ain't cheap.

When news dropped that EA and DICE were going the anthology route with Battlefield 1's campaign, it left us more excited for a Battlefield 1 campaign than since, well, ever. And in new series series of trailers we get a glimpse at five of the stories being told. From taking on the role of an ANZAC runner on the beaches of Gallipoli through to fighting in the skies as an ace British pilot, the variety and scope is truly amazing.

The Runner

The British Empire intends to open a new front to the war with an unprecedented naval invasion of the Ottoman homeland. The ships gathered for the Gallipoli Landings — the D-Day of World War 1 — carry over half a million men. As an Anzac runner you’ll witness the heat of epic bombardments and a beach landing, as well as covert deliveries of urgent life-or-death messages across the frontline.

Friends in High Places

The allies are losing the war in the air. Britain struggles to compete with the German aces and the average lifetime of a combat pilot is 17 days. You must face these bleak odds and take to the skies for a noble fight over the western front. Intense dogfights, unexpected encounters, and a story of friendship await you.

Nothing is Written

In the Middle East deserts, Arab tribes rebel against the oppression of the Ottoman Empire. The Empire’s devastating artillery engage rebel forces wielding rifles from horseback. As a Bedouin warrior working alongside the legendary Lawrence of Arabia, you must find a way to take on the technologically superior enemy and destroy a deadly railgun.

Avanti Savoia

Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire are deadlocked among the Alps. Braced by snow-capped mountains, neither side can find a way to dislodge their enemy. Meanwhile, the Italian mountaineer regiment Arditi prepares an unorthodox assault. Don your Arditi armor and head up a mountainside as Italian and Austrian forces clash over a strategic fort.

Through Mud and Blood

In the autumn of 1918, British forces prepare for a mass assault on the town of Cambrai, France. With tank support, Allied Command believes a breakthrough is a certainty. But the Mark V tank has one major flaw: it is not reliable. Join a dysfunctional tank crew who battle their way behind enemy lines as they learn to work together.

With its anthology approach we know that Battlefield 1 will be very different to the usual shooter campaign. By changing locations and focus to showcase different characters and stories from World War 1, developer DICE can provide a much broader look at the conflict -- without having to worry about putting the same faces in each location. At TwitchCon this weekend they showcased a look at the opening Storm of Steel mission, and it looks to take that one step further.

By adding a feature where if you die you simply get transported to new soldier. And with displaying a full name and the year of death, it adds a sense of hopelessness whilst highlighting the all-out carnage that was World War I.

After yesterday's explosive trailer, learning that Battlefield 1's campaign goes the full anthology route is a good thing indeed. With each campaign mission featuring its own self-contained story and set of characters. A first for the series, and one that feels perfectly suited to the branching nature of World War I and the style of game Battlefield has always presented. And in confirming this setup, DICE has given us details on the story behind five of the game's campaign missions.

And they all sound fantastic, especially Friends in High Places and the Gallipoli inspired The Runner.

Friends in High Places
The allies are losing the war in the air. Britain struggles to compete with the German aces and the average lifetime of a combat pilot is 17 days. You must face these bleak odds and take to the skies for a noble fight over the western front. Intense dogfights, unexpected encounters, and a story of friendship await you.

Nothing is Written
In the Middle East deserts, Arab tribes rebel against the oppression of the Ottoman Empire. The Empire’s devastating artillery engage rebel forces wielding rifles from horseback. As a Bedouin warrior working alongside the legendary Lawrence of Arabia, you must find a way to take on the technologically superior enemy and destroy a deadly railgun.

Through Blood and Mud
In the autumn of 1918, British forces prepare for a mass assault on the town of Cambrai, France. With tank support, Allied Command believes a breakthrough is a certainty. But the Mark V tank has one major flaw: it is not reliable. Join a dysfunctional tank crew who battle their way behind enemy lines as they learn to work together.

Avanti Savoia
Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire are deadlocked among the Alps. Braced by snow-capped mountains, neither side can find a way to dislodge their enemy. Meanwhile, the Italian mountaineer regiment Arditi prepares an unorthodox assault. Don your Arditi armor and head up a mountainside as Italian and Austrian forces clash over a strategic fort.

The Runner
The British Empire intends to open a new front to the war with an unprecedented naval invasion of the Ottoman homeland. The ships gathered for the Gallipoli Landings — the D-Day of World War 1 — carry over half a million men. As an Anzac runner you’ll witness the heat of epic bombardments and a beach landing, as well as covert deliveries of urgent life-or-death messages across the frontline.

Right, so it's safe to say that there probably hasn't been a truly great single-player campaign in a Battlefield game yet. So you could say that the odds are stacked against Battlefield 1's campaign. But even so, based on what we see in this trailer, it does look impressive. Fantastic even. From the wonderful character models to the jaw-dropping battle scenes, this could be the one.

What's great is that it looks to add story and character moments across all the great locations that we've seen for the game so far. From desert to villages to city ruins. Plus, it features a cast of characters from all corners of the globe. Well, from countries that took part in the mess that was World War I.

Check it out.

Ahead of next month’s launch we now know what to expect, content-wise, with EA and DICE’s Battlefield 1. Map-wise the game will launch with nine maps set across varying landscapes ranging from desert to forest to muddy trenches. In terms of game modes Battlefield staples Conquest and Rush are returning, alongside a suite of new and old ways to play.

Including a very cool sounding Capture the Flag mode called War Pigeons and a multi-map, epic new mode called Operations.



Click Here for Our Look at the Maps and Modes of Battlefield 1