Battlefield 5 Won't Have Season Pass DLC, But You Can Buy Cosmetics

As promised, EA revealed a lot more details about the newest installment in the long-running Battlefield series, Battlefield V. The WWII shooter arrives for PS4, Xbox One, and PC this fall, but one of the most surprising things we learned is the way EA plans to release new content for it.

During its big reveal presentation, EA announced that it won't be offering a paid season pass for Battlefield V. Instead, the publisher will roll out a regular stream of content updates for the online shooter--all for free--as part of its Tides of War live service.

This stands in contrast with the way EA released additional content for the series' most recent installment, Battlefield 1. Those who picked up an early run of the game could purchase the Premium Pass, which entitled them to all of Battlefield 1's DLC expansions upon their release. EA would later replace the standalone version of the game with Battlefield 1 Revolution, which bundled the Premium Pass together with the base game.

In lieu of a paid season pass, EA and developer DICE will offer players the ability to purchase cosmetic items. DICE senior producer Andreas Morrel also revealed that the studio will also offer the option to buy a "catch-up mechanic" as in previous Battlefield "further down the line."

The decision to offer new content for free is similar to the approach EA has been taking with Star Wars Battlefront II's post-launch updates. "Battlefront and Battlefield are, at their foundations, two very different games, and we've been building them very differently," Morrel told GameSpot. "But, of course, we've learned--like everyone else has done, and we want to deliver the best balanced experience possible."

Battlefield V launches for PS4, Xbox One, and PC via Origin on October 19. It will be available in both standard and Deluxe editions; those who purchase the latter will get access to the game three days early, on October 16. Prior to its release, EA will also hold an open beta for Battlefield V later this year.