Battlefield Play4Free firing up PC in 2011

On the same day that Electronic Arts reported its mostly dismal second-quarter earnings, a company spokesperson teased the announcement of a new Battlefield series entry. A full reveal was promised for Friday, November 5, and now the publisher has made good on that pledge.

Today EA officially announced Battlefield Play4Free, a new first-person shooter due for the PC in spring 2011. The title will be the publisher's second free Battlefield-themed shooter, following the stylized Battlefield: Heroes. EA also noted that Heroes has registered more than 6 million users, double the recruitment tally the publisher announced in December 2009.

Battlefield Play4Free will be decidedly different from Heroes, in that it will sport realistic characters, weapons, maps, and environments. The title will feature 32-player multiplayer support and will contain maps from Battlefield 2 as well as weapons and classes from Battlefield: Bad Company 2.

Players will have access to 16 vehicles in Play4Free, including the Mil Mi-28 attack helicopter, the F35 VTOL jet fighter, the Russian T-90 main battle tank, and the light strike vehicle. Further, players will earn in-game currency as they progress through the game. That money can then be spent on weapons and equipment. A teaser trailer (embedded below) shows off the game's environments, weapons, and vehicles.

EA did not announce if Battlefield Play4Free will contain an in-game marketplace or any other details regarding how the publisher will monetize the shooter. A beta for the title will kick off on November 30. Players can sign up for the beta through the game's registration page.

For more on Battlefield Play4Free, check out GameSpot's hands-on preview.