EA exploring Battlefield subscription service

The Battlefield series may one day offer a subscription service. EA Games executive vice president Patrick Soderlund told Venturebeat that the company is exploring such a model for its marquee shooter franchise.

"I think it's fair to say that we're looking at that," he said. "Like all other companies, we're looking at how we can maximize our investment in this, get the most out of our investment, and get more people playing this product. That may take us to different places, but we're not really talking about where that is yet."

EA competitor Activision launched a Call of Duty subscription service, called Call of Duty Elite, last year. A $50 premium annual subscription gives gamers access to all Modern Warfare 3 downloadable content, as well as other perks.

Asked if EA is aiming to take the Call of Duty franchise down with Battlefield, Soderlund said the markets for both games are different and focusing on quality will lead to greater sales for the publisher.

"When it comes to taking Call of Duty down, you know what? I don't look at it like that. We are in this business because we want to make the best possible products," he said. "Call of Duty is a shooter, but it's a different shooter. And I think they have a market; we have a market. I'm fine with what I'm doing. I'm going to continue innovating and doing as best as I can with my teams. Hopefully, that's going to lead us to more units [sold] and more happy consumers."

For more on the latest Battlefield title, check out GameSpot's review of Battlefield 3.