REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – September 20, 2011 – DICE, an Electronic Arts Inc. studio (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced that the Battlefield 3™ multiplayer beta will open to all gamers on September 29, 2011. Players from around the world will have a chance to experience the game that industry critics have hailed as the ‘Best Online Multiplayer Game’ before it ships on October 25, 2011. The beta is set in Paris on the Operation Metro map, where players work their way from lush parks on the outskirts of the city to a dark, bombed-out metro station, to the vibrant streets around the Paris stock exchange. Two elite tactical units square off in the series’ popular Rush Mode. One side takes the offensive by attacking M-COM stations while the opposing squad defends and protects. For more information about the beta, players should visit www.battlefield.com/beta or follow @Battlefield on Twitter.
The Battlefield 3 multiplayer beta will be available for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system and PC. Gamers who pre-order the digital PC version of the game at Origin (powered by EA) will be granted early access to the beta starting on September 27, 2011. In addition, all customers that pre-ordered a Limited Edition of Medal of Honor™ will also receive early access to the beta starting on September 27, 2011.
Gamers in the beta can also log onto Battlelog, the game’s free social media network that allows gamers to communicate and compete with friends, track their stats and share their progress. Battlelog extends the in-game experience to be accessible anywhere, whether on a PC, console or handheld device.
Players are also invited to join the EA Gun Club for the latest shooter news, and to receive in-game benefits including access to the M1911 pistol and distinct badges in Battlefield 3. The M1911 pistol will also be available to registered Battlefield veterans.
Battlefield 3 is one the year’s most anticipated games, having won over 50 illustrious awards at all of the gaming industry’s major tradeshows. The game recently earned the coveted “Future Game Award” at the Tokyo Game Show, a prize that follows the honor of “Game of the Show” at GamesCom and “Action Game of the Show” at E3. Lauded by game critics for advancing the state of the art in gaming, Battlefield 3 is the only shooter that can deliver the physicality and emotion of being on the battlefield. It is thanks to the expertise of the development team at DICE and the power of the Frostbite™ 2 engine that Battlefield 3 delivers a massive sense of scale, best-in-class audio, completely destructible environments, hyper-real graphics and animation, and lets gamers pilot a whole range of vehicles from trucks and tanks to choppers and jets. Gamers that pre-order the Battlefield 3 Limited Edition will receive the Back to Karkand post-launch digital expansion pack at no extra charge.* This themed multiplayer pack features four highly celebrated maps from Battlefield 2™, each now boldly re-mastered using Frostbite 2. Completing the package are classic Battlefield 2 weapons and vehicles, unique rewards, new achievements/trophies, and more. Pre-order the Battlefield 3 Limited Edition now at http://store.origin.com/battlefield3.
Battlefield 3 hits retail stores on October 25, 2011 in North America. For more information on Battlefield 3, please visit www.battlefield.com, and for the latest news on Battlefield please visit http://www.facebook.com/battlefield or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/battlefield.
*Conditions and restrictions apply. See http://store.origin.com/battlefield3 for details.
