With rumors of a boycott swelling, EA decided not to have guns available for purchase in their new title Battlefield: Bad Company.

Animosity first surfaced when gamers noticed that certain weapons were locked in the beta, and marked as downloadable content. With the prospect of paying for guns, fans were outraged at EA. They quickly came out and said 5 of the 10 locked guns would be given away, but the other five would still be downloadable or offered with the Gold Edition of the game.

Clearly, that did little to calm the fans. A full-fledged boycott started over the internet, and with that cloud hanging overhead, EA announced that all the guns would be available for free, although you will have to maximize your level in online play.

Score one for the gamers. EA has been ridiculed for holding things for purchase like alternate jerseys in Madden and NCAA Football, and has caved in in the past on both those counts. While the people who buy the Gold Edition will have a brief advantage, it’s good to see people won’t have to pay for firepower.