EA launches ‘Battlefield Hardline’ beta at E3

This photo released by Electronic Arts shows a scene from the video game, “Battlefield: Hardline.” Electronic Arts is testing its latest “Battlefield” game at E3. The video game publisher launched the beta test for “Battlefield Hardline” at the conclusion of its presentation at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, the game industry’s annual trade show, on Monday, June 9, 2014. AP

LOS ANGELES — Electronic Arts is testing out its latest “Battlefield” game at E3.

The video game publisher surprised Electronic Entertainment Expo attendees by announcing it was launching the online beta test for “Battlefield Hardline” on Monday after its presentation at the game industry’s annual trade show.

The upcoming first-person shooter trades the franchise’s war-torn locales and military conflicts for an urban assault featuring cops and robbers in the streets of Los Angeles and Miami.

“Hardline” executive producer Steve Papoutsis said the beta test is available on a “first-come, first-served basis” for PC and Sony’s PlayStation 4.

“We’ve got a lot of work left to do, so your feedback at this early stage is huge as we build toward our release on Oct. 21,” Papoutsis told the crowd inside the Shrine Auditorium in downtown Los Angeles.

Papoutsis also boasted that 32 gamers are streaming the game Monday afternoon from a nearby rooftop on Twitch.tv.

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