EA has announced Battlefield Heroes today - a free downloadable game that will be released this summer. The game is being developed by EA DICE (the team behind Battlefield 1942 and Battlefield 2) and has “fun cartoon-style graphics” and gameplay that “caters to players of all skill levels”. EA is promising an easy-to-pick-up game that will include robust character customization and a deep online meta-game.

Like said before, the game will be absolutely free to download and play but if you’re thinking EA isn’t planning to make a buck then you’d be wrong. The game is leading EA’s new Play 4 Free business model and revenue will be generated through advertising and micro-transactions. It will definitely be interesting to see if this form of revenue generation works out and if so, which companies will follow suit.

Ben Cousins, Senior Producer at EA DICE: “We put a different twist on this Battlefield game going with the cartoon-style graphics and gameplay. There’s something here for all types of players — be it our core Battlefield fans or casual gamers. With the new online model, we will continually add new content to keep the game fresh and keep players engaged, while integrating player feedback in real time. As a game developer, it is such a cool new way to make games.”