E3 2014: 'Battlefield Hardline' Beta Will Focus On Urban Assault Instead Of War-Torn Areas

LOS ANGELES (AP) - 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" after its presentation Monday at the game industry's annual trade show.

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

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"Hardline" executive producer Steve Papoutsis says the beta test will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for Sony's PlayStation 4 and PC. He also noted that 32 gamers will be streaming the game after the E3 presentation from a nearby rooftop on Twitch.tv.

"Hardline" launches Oct. 21.