“Special Forces” Sent in For New Battlefield 2 Expansion Pack

by Louis Bedigian

“We've added more interior spaces and created more maps with cover and paths for infantry movement.”

Battlefield 2 stormed the PC this summer, reviving a classic with new levels of depth and innovation. Thirty-two players – that was big news years ago. Battlefield 2 allowed 64 gun (and tank and rocket)-toting soldiers enter the battlefield simultaneously.

This month the game is going to get even better with its highly-anticipated expansion, Battlefield 2: Special Forces. 

New weapons, new vehicles, and plenty of high-flying explosive action. 

The battlefield is so dangerous you may want to attack at night to avoid being seen. 

Other than being an expansion of one of the best PC titles of the year, what else can we expect from Special Forces? EA has been tight-lipped about the title for a while, but we finally managed to divulge new details from the game’s Producer, David Yee.

Special Forces is a new expansion pack for Battlefield 2. More great content is always welcome, but we want to know why this is a must-have expansion.

David Yee: Battlefield 2: Special Forces adds to the infantry experience of the Battlefield universe. Part of it is addition by content. We've added more interior spaces and created more maps with cover and paths for infantry movement.

With Special Forces you're trying to takes the intensity and quality of Battlefield 2 behind the scenes of news headlines. Talk about this and your goals for achieving optimal realism.

DY: One of the things that we have done with the levels for Battlefield 2: Special Forces is to take advantage of more location-based maps instead of having them deal with the more open strategic fronts. For example, some of the maps include an airport, submarine pen and an aircraft carrier.

Who are the Special Forces soldiers and what makes each one important to the game?

DY: In this expansion pack we have added the SAS, Spetsnaz, MEC Special Forces, US SEALs, and two different local insurgent groups. 

Are new weapons going to be featured in this expansion? Are any of the weapons exclusive to a specific Special Forces soldier?

DY: There are new weapons with this expansion pack. One of the unique weapons belongs to the insurgent Anti-Tank kit. It has a crosshair in normal mode, so it does not require zooming in to fire. However, you lose the ability to aim after firing the rocket.

What can you tell us about the new vehicles?

DY: Two of the new air vehicles are the Apache and the Hind. There are also some unique ground vehicles including a Desert Raider and some modified civilian vehicles.

How is character growth being utilized? What does it take to increase your rank?

DY: Rank is still linked to the persistence system of BFHQ. There are new ribbons and awards that are expansion pack specific, but score still contributes to your rank.

Are there any gameplay benefits to achieving a high rank, or was it intended solely for the purpose of bragging rights?

DY: Earning ranks unlocks weapons for you to use online. The unlocks are different weapons for each kit that can give you tactical advantages in different situations.

How much of a role does strategy play in Special Forces?

DY: Successful teams in Battlefield work as a team. Battlefield 2: Special Forces encourages the same teamwork.

Up to 64 players can battle simultaneously. How many ways can players be divided for teams and other strategic elements?

DY: The Commander and Squad Leader functions from Battlefield 2 have not been changed for the expansion pack.  The same tools for teamwork that were in Battlefield 2 are supported for Battlefield 2: Special Forces.

Battlefield 2 is primarily a multiplayer game, but I'm curious to know if there are any single-player features being added?

DY: No new single-player features.

Thank you for your time.