Although footage just recently leaked of Battlefield: Hardline, Sony’s apparently been working with EA for some time on a related PS4 E3 freebie. And boy, is it a doozie. Apparently Sony is giving away free Battlefield: Hardline PS4 beta codes to PlayStation E3 Experience attendees.
Whether all attendees to Sony’s PlayStation E3 Experience is still unclear, but an all-or-nothing offer would seem the easiest path for Sony and EA to take.
The Sony PlayStation E3 Experience is a way to bring the Sony E3 media briefing “home” to any and all hardcore PS3 and PS4 fans. The program lets fans watch Sony’s E3 2014 media briefing in theaters nationwide via a live streaming feed. When announcing its E3 media briefing live stream in select theaters, Sony said it would unveil “a few surprise gifts” for attendees.
At the time Sony didn’t say what those surprises would be. But somebody on the PS4 marketing team got a little overzealous it seems, prematurely sending an email to select PlayStation E3 Experience attendees indicating at least one of the freebies: a Battlefield: Hardline PS4 beta code.
In its emails, Sony thanks its fans for participating in the theater-based E3 media briefing live stream. The emails’ exact wording is:
“Thank you for attending the PlayStation E3 Experience. Be one of the first to live out your fantasy as a cop or criminal where you’ll hunt and raid vaults in two new game modes on the High Tension map. Here is your PS4 Access Code to download the Beta.”
The message is followed by a hyperlinked button button to “Learn More.”
The Sony E3 media briefing will be broadcast live streaming in theaters on the evening of Monday, June 9. EA’s press conference happens that afternoon. Whether Sony’s email really went out early or was designed to draw more attention to its E3 media briefing is unclear. Was it accident or savvy marketing?
Either way, the move (presuming it’s true) is a coup both for Sony and its fans. Giving away free Battlefield: Hardline PS4 beta codes to PlayStation E3 Experience attendees will only serve to strengthen the resolve of PS4 fans and drive hype over whatever Sony announces at its 2014 E3 media briefing. Truly, if a Battlefield: Hardline PS4 beta code ends up being just “gravy,” Sony’s going to have one heck of an E3 showing.
