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Electronic Arts - as expected - has announced Battlefield Play4Free, a free to play shooter with a revenue stream based on micro-transactions.

The game will go live in spring 2011 with a mix of maps from Battlefield 2 and the weaponry and classes of Battlefield: Bad Company 2.

"We broke new ground in 2009 with the launch of Battlefield Heroes; a game that has 6M registered players worldwide. Now we are complementing that arcade shooter with a core, realistic Battlefield shooter experience that fans have been clamouring for," said the game's senior producer James Salt. "Battlefield Play4Free is for serious shooter fans who are looking for a premium — but free — experience that rivals top console titles."

Check out the first trailer and screenshots for the game after the jump: