Battlefield 3's 'Team Deathmatch' supports 24 players across all platforms

This may come as a shock to a lot of you, but "Team Deathmatch" in Battlefield 3 will only support up to 24 players, no matter what platform you're playing it on. Yes, that even means you, expensive PC rig. Don't get yourself into too much of a rut, though, because the maps are more condensed than their Rush/Conquest brethren, even ditching vehicular warfare and only focusing on tight gunplay.

Thinking back, this may not even matter to a lot of you, including me, as we'll more often than not be capturing flags and destroying crates.

[Battlefield3Blog]

Enemy Spotting won't be broken in Battlefield 3

Spotting enemies was a huge gameplay mechanic in Battlefield: Bad Company 2's multiplayer, allowing you to place a marker over an enemy in the distance for your entire team to see. Spotting was also quite broken, because a marked enemy would remain marked even if hidden from sight. That's all changed in Battlefield 3, where a marked enemy will lose the hovering red-tag when they retreat back into vegetation or any other form of concealment. Said spotted enemy will still appear on the mini-map, though.

Those pesky new jets, however, will always be marked. Makes sense, because, they're, um, huge.

[Battlefield3Blog]

Oddly, Battlefield 3 features server browser only on consoles

Yes, that is quite odd, isn't it? A feature that is available in practically most, if not all PC games will no longer be available on the platform's biggest title to come out this year. 

It has been revealed that console versions of Battlefield 3 will feature in-game server browsers, while the PC version will not, instead leaving players needing to exit Battlefield 3 altogether and locate another server though Battlelog.

Quite ironic to say the least, and definitely not the right way to attract an audience for the PC's version of Battlefield 3.

[BF3blog]

Abandon couch, there's no split-screen co-op in Battlefield 3

You may as well return that carton of ramen noodles and huge keg of Red Bull, because DICE has confirmed there will be no split-screen co-operative modes in Battlefield 3. The news broke out from DICE's VP and GM Karl Magnus Troedsson, who also detailed the co-op feature even further, stating the maps were built separately from the main campaign, with an emphasis to "build more specific co-op missions."

"Naturally, you will recognize some of the elements," said Troedsson, "but they are built specifically for the co-op with all the scripting, events and everything."

Also revealed was the fact that Battlefield 3 will ship with six co-operative maps instead of the rumored ten, with each taking around 20-45 minutes to complete.

[GamingLives via GamerZines]

Co-op for Battlefield 3 confirmed; watch a duo creep around in a scenario

DICE confirmed at Gamescom earlier today that Battlefield 3 will include co-operative gameplay, and even presented a live demo showcasing how it works. From the screenshot above [and video after the break], it seems like you'll always be able to see what your partner is doing, kind of like Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter's Crosscom. Well, either that, or the second player gets severely duped with the screen ratio.

I quite enjoyed what was shown in the demo, and to me it had a Rainbow Six feel to it, with the duo creeping inside closed-quarters co-ordinating who was going to eliminate which tango. "I'll take the left side, you stay on the right." Awesome. Pure. Awesome.

Yea, this Battlefield 3 multiplayer trailer definitely showcases Jets

For the first time ever we are given gameplay footage of Battlefield 3's jets, and yes, they are just as awesome as anybody could have imagined. The map featured is Caspian Border, a "vehicle-heavy map that exemplifies classic Battlefield gameplay."

Battlefield 3, Origin, and your persona

Over the weekend there was quite a bit of news regarding the current hoopla between DICE's Battlefield 3 and EA's new online service, Origin. We already know that Steam will not be an outlet in which to purchase Battlefield 3, a tactic in which EA hopes people will hop on the Origin bandwagon. However, some gamers were thinking of buying Battlefield 3 on disc format in order to avoid being forced to use the Origin service. Pulling out another surprise, DICE's Daniel Matros revealed in a reply on Twitter that Origin will be required to play disc versions of the shooter, though, as BF3blog.com notes, many disc shooters require a client to perform in the background of a game, so this isn't really anything out of the ordinary.

Speculation is concluding that Origin also will be required no matter what digital distribution service a person uses to buy Battlefield 3, be it Direct2Drive, Amazon, etc.

We learned further as to why Origin is required for Battlefield 3, as Matros announced that a player's Battlefield 3 account is linked directly to their "Origin persona," meaning, their Battlefield 3 username is the same as their Origin username. Taking a page out of the "Online for Consoles" handbook, the only way a player can change their Battlefield 3 username is to also change their Origin username, akin to what console players do on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. This is radically different to past Battlefield games on PC, where players were allowed to create several soldiers under one identity.

EA's attempt at closely linking Battlefield 3 to their Origin service is certainly turning out to be a controversial one, and perhaps one that may bite them in the ass at some point. Even with the PC's killer specs, will this propaganda turn die-hard enthusiasts over to consoles? I foresee some petitions going live very, very soon.

[BF3Blog]

Battlefield 3 unlocks exceed that of Bad Company 2 ten-fold

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is still a great shooter to this day. However, once you reach a certain point there's not much to unlock anymore. That wouldn't be such a problem, mind you, had this "certain point" not arrived so quickly. Needless to say, the proverbial "hanging carrot" was not really out of arm's reach, and some people found this to be rather...lame.

DICE is fixing all that with Battlefield 3, which is said to have "10 times the hardware unlocks spread over weapons, weapon attachments, gadgets, and a huge unlock tree for vehicles alone."

EA explains why Battlefield 3 won't be on Steam

In the fight between Valve's Steam digital distribution service and Electronic Arts' new-fangled Origin service, we've seen quite a few EA titles pulled from the Steam front and pushed over to the Origin side. The biggest battle as of late has been the exclusion of Steam being a possible outlet for gamers to purchase Battlefield 3 this fall, with most of the gaming community leaning toward the "obvious" answer of EA wanting to attract consumers to their new service. Well, as EA explains, that isn't the case at all.

Speaking to Kotaku, an Electronic Arts spokesperson claimed that Battlefield 3 will not be on Steam as "the service limits our ability to deliver patches and downloadable content directly to players. No other download service has adopted these practices. At EA, supporting our players is a top priority, and we are happy to partner with any download service that does not restrict our ability to connect directly with our own consumers."

Although this could be a logical, and legit explanation, it will be interesting to see how the community reacts to the whole situation. Will they make the jump to Origin in order to play Battlefield 3 on a jacked-up gaming rig? Or, will this whole "scheme" not give Origin any success as players can still jump to services such as Direct2Drive in order to play?

Annual Battlefield titles would "eventually kill the franchise," says DICE; prefers Vietnam-esque expansions

Those who were worried that the Battlefield series would hop on the ol' Yearly Release Express with the other big franchises of today can put those fears to rest. DICE's Patrick Bach told GamerZines that an annual release of Battlefield is not part of the company's current "business goals," and that doing an annual release would "eventually kill the franchise." Well said, Bach, well said.

"To us, we need the time to be able to create the next game that consumers will hopefully like," says Bach. "If we were to release another big Battlefield title next year, that would mean that we'd have less than a year to build it, and that would mean that we'd have to have another studio building it for us, which would mean it wouldn't have that DICE seal of approval, which would mean they'd just have to release a copy of the game we just released. Ugh, no."

Bach went on to reassure that EA would never force DICE to release a game every year, and that he feels that expansions similar to Bad Company 2's "Vietnam"--which introduced new weapons and vehicles along with new maps--are what makes a game "feel new and fresh again." 

"It's not a new game but a twist on your old game, and I think that's a healthier way of looking at a franchise rather than just trying to cram every single last penny out of it."

Pre-order Battlefield 3 [here], get [this] bonus

In addition to the already known Battlefield 3 "Back to Karkand" map pack pre-order bonus, Amazon, Best Buy, and GameStop all have some exclusive pre-order freebies as well.

• GameStop- "Physical Warfare Pack" containing a DAO-12 Shotgun, Flash Suppressor, Type 88 LMG, Flachette Ammo
• Best Buy- SPECACT kit containing eight weapon and uniform skins for multiplayer
• Amazon- Exclusive Dog Tag Pack

[Battlefield Blog]

Battlefield 3 may use Online Pass system; Meant to pay for server space

Patrick Bach, DICE's Executive Producer, noted that Battlefield 3 may utilize EA's Online Pass system--a system where players input a single-use code included in every [new] copy of a game in order to play online. As with past games, those who buy Battlefield 3 used would have to pay a little extra in order to play online.

Bach explained that, in the end, this all goes towards paying for server space. "The whole idea is that we're paying for servers...," Bach states, "we don't get a single dime from a used game, but we still need to create server space and everything for you."

Bach hopes people understand that the whole Pass system is not intended "to punish people," but rather, it's "compensation."

Realistically, I can understand where DICE is coming from. Server space, and good space at that, doesn't come cheap. We'll see if others agree when Battlefield 3 releases this October.

[Gamerzines via CVG]

Over 30 minutes of pure Battlefield 3 weapon/character customization footage

Those official "Operation Métro" Battlefield 3 trailers were short, yet sweet, but YourGamingTeam's YouTube channel uploaded a whopping 30+ minutes of Battlefield 3 footage ranging from weapon and character customization to more footage of the "Operation Métro" multiplayer map.

If you can't wait to get your hands on Battlefield 3, this will certainly make you drool.

Check the videos after the break.

Here's why Battlefield 3 on consoles is [only] 24 players

C'mon, we've all asked the question: Why is Battlefield 3 on consoles only 24 players? Many of us speculated or, even flame-baited that it was due to "console limitations," but DICE Brand Manager Kevin O' Leary states that, after much testing, 24 players hits the "sweet spot" on consoles.

O'Leary told PixelEnemy that since DICE is a multi-console developer, they "want to make sure that every platform that [DICE] have the game out on, it's the best possible experience for that platform." Makes sense, no?

While many may not see this comparison as comparable, MAG required up to 256 players at one point on the PlayStation 3, and that game had an unfortunately short lifespan. I trust DICE, and I know they know what they're doing over there.

[via CVG]

UK Sporting Battlefield 3 Billboards

The UK is usually the last territory to get something in the gaming industry, but as of now we can all envy the land for their latest fall-fashion--Battlefield 3 billboards.

The marketing campaign for Battlefield 3 is said to run at about $50 million dollars, and members of the EA UK forums have been posting the first wave of advertisements they've seen floating around their hometown.

[via BF3Blog]

Battlefield 3's Classes Detailed; No Medic Class, Recon "more of a team player"

DICE detailed the four playable classes for Battlefield 3--Assault, Engineer, Support, Recon--on the game's official blog. Notice anything missing? That's right, there is no Medic class in Battlefield 3, but rather...

...the Assault class now carries both the Med-kits and the defibrillator. Senior Multiplayer Designer Alan Kertz states that since the Assault class is usually the run-n-gun class, "it makes sense that the guy on the frontline will be able to revive fallen teammates..." On the other hand, players can still customize the Assault class to play more like a soldier, and less like a medic.

Don't be Fooled, He's Quite Possibly the Coolest [And only] Old Geezer on the Battlefield

Jaap, at 66 years old, is quite possibly the coolest grand-dad you'll never know. Well, I'm not so sure he's a grandfather, but one can't help but assume. When he's not digging holes in his garden, he's sniping holes in the heads of helpless victims as he lays low on the vicious battlefield of Bad Company 2!!!

And guess what? He's inviting everyone in the world to play with him, so if you want to tear it up with Jaap, add him on PSN--ADHD_WACKO_JACKO

[video after break]

Watch the Console Debut of Battlefield 3 from Fallon

Last night on Jimmy Fallon's show the first ever console gameplay footage of Battlefield 3 was shown. The gameplay is the usual urban footage we've seen for the past few months now, only this time we have the douche-chilling commentary from Fallon.

I'll be clear--I've never liked Fallon, nor do I think he's funny. But, at the end of the day, he has his own show, and I don't.

...just watch the footage taken from the PlayStation 3...

Battlefield 3 Loves Orange Peel

Amazon reveals the "Limited Edition" boxart for Battlefield 3, complete with an orange peel and the "Back to Karkand" access notice.

Battlefield 3's "Physical Warfare" Pre-order Bonus Will Be Open to Everyone Later On

Were you a bit worried that the Battlefield 3 "Physical Warfare" pre-order bonus would give some gamers a huge advantage on the multiplayer battlefield? No need to worry, because DICE clarified this whole pre-order bonus schmeal which has had quite a few people in an uproar--the "Physical Warfare" pack will be available to everyone, whether they pre-ordered Battlefield 3 at a participating retailer or not, sometime later this year, free of charge.

"I would like to start by clarifying that the Physical Warfare Pack is a time-based exclusive. If you do not pre-order Battlefield 3 at a retailer carrying the Physical Warfare Pack, don’t worry. We will unlock the contents of the Physical Warfare Pack for free to all Battlefield 3 players later this year."

Additionally, DICE reiterated that those who pre-order Battlefield 3 will also get "Back to Karkand", a themed expansion pack which contains four additional multiplayer maps from the team that brought us Bad Company 2: Vietnam.

You can check out more on Battlefield 3 (besides right here) on the official blog.