First Battlefield 3 Expansion Goes Back to Karkand

[Andy Chalk]

First Battlefield 3 Expansion Goes Back to Karkand

The first expansion for the upcoming Battlefield 3 [http://www.amazon.com/Battlefield-3-Limited-Pc/dp/B002I0HJZO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1305078960&sr=8-3] will featrure four of the most popular multiplayer maps in Battlefield history, reimagined in a collection that will be free with preorders.

I know, I know. Battlefield 3 isn't even out yet - it doesn't even have a hard release date yet - and here we are talking about expansions. It may not make a lot of sense but it is what it is, and what it really is, when you get right down to it, is a preorder bonus.

Battlefield 3: Back to Karkand will feature the "Strike at Karkand," "Wake Island," "Gulf of Oman" and "Sharqi Peninsula" maps, each remastered for play with the new game. They're the "most played and loved maps in the history of Battlefield," said Lead Designer Niklas Fegraeus. "Combined, these four maps have been played for an incredible 25,000 man years!"

The maps will be physically similar to their Battlefield 2 [http://www.amazon.com/Battlefield-2-Pc/dp/B0006SL93I/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1305079051&sr=1-1] predecessors but the Frostbite 2 engine at work in Battlefield 3 means old strategies won't necessarily be effective in the new game. "From a gameplay perspective, destruction is the biggest addition compared to the original map in Battlefield 2 back in 2005. I remember this particular building by the square in the original ['Strike at Karkand' map] where players could defend very effectively," Fegraeus continued. "Now, with the destructive power of Frostbite 2, someone can just RPG that building and expose the defenders within."

The expansion will also include classic Battlefield 2 weapons and vehicles, new achievements and trophies, and more. More information about Back to Karkand is being revealed in a four-part "behind-the-scenes" series currently underway at the Battlefield Blog [http://blogs.battlefield.ea.com/battlefield_bad_company/archive/2011/05/10/Back-to-Karkand.aspx##], but surprisingly, there's no indication yet what the expansion will cost for those who choose not to preorder.

Battlefield 3 is expected to come out during the 2011 holiday season for the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.


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[Vault boy Eddie]

I was planning on preordering anyways, this is just gonna make me want to do it the first day it starts lol.

 

[XT inc]

Eh don't really care either way, games need to be released first and played before they are even deemed worth DLC. I mean these maps in essence are what should be free as sweet goodies of fan service, it stops being fan service when they slap buy now on it.

It's not so much a gripe at day one dlc as it is the slide devs are on whoring out everything that you could say people would pay for it and charging for it, after they got the game. Star wars galaxies people would play extra for Luke pale blue or a Red sith tint for their light sabers? Fuck yeah 5 dollar dlc Just for shiggles.

 

[Grey_Focks]

I'm seeing this as an awesome pre-order bonus that people who don't pre-order, or buy new, can still pay for and get. I'm alright with that.

Which, now thinking back on that, since you couldn't play online without that code, it really wasnt all that great to begin with.

Yes you can, it would just keep pestering you to enter it if you didn't. Can still be played online just fine.

 

[RaphaelsRedemption]

I love Strike at Karkand; my favourite map.

I think I'm going to get this game. Now to persuade my group to all buy it too...

 

[Irridium]

This sounds like stuff that could be given away for free with Project $10.

You know, that thing that was supposed to curb used sales and boost new sales. How'd that work for you EA? I take it didn't work so well, since you seem to have gotten rid of it. And so now you offer free DLC for a game that is way far from release who's quality we know nothing about.

Awesome.

Granted this would better be used against a different game, since I'm sure Battlefield 3 will be great, not to mention a beta is coming, and it will probably have a demo like the past Bad Company games and Battlefield 2142.

But still, offering free DLC if people drop $60 on a game who's quality is unknown just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Its funny, people bitched an insane amount about Portal 2's useless hats having to be bought. Yet when EA will most likely charge for 4 great Battlefield 2 maps that would have been given for free with Project $10, people seem to be fine with it.

Again, awesome.

 

[internetzealot1]

Oh great. Now they're trying to pressure us into buying the game before it comes out by restricting access to maps. And this is on top of the the linear, set-piece focused campaign. And I don't even know if the multiplayer will be good, because I play on a console and they're focusing on the PC version, which has 200% more players in a game. How do you balance maps for both 24 and 64-player sized games?

 

[Black Watch]

Alright guys, lets ***** about this because we are entitled to free DLC that people have worked hard on.

 

[park92]

Oh great. Now they're trying to pressure us into buying the game before it comes out by restricting access to maps. And this is on top of the the linear, set-piece focused campaign. And I don't even know if the multiplayer will be good, because I play on a console and they're focusing on the PC version, which has 200% more players in a game. How do you balance maps for both 24 and 64-player sized games?

in bf2 DICE just made a huge map and then cut off sections into 32 player and 16 player maps

 

[Awexsome]

Man, they did the same thing with Bad company 2. Ship with like... 5 maps at most. Half of the conquest maps too big for their own good.

They had some good updates but the multiplayer was already pretty lacking for me at release and I stuck with CoD.

 

[SovietSecrets]

I am preordering for sure now.

 

[Snotnarok]

I really wanted this game before but now I want it even more. After seeing the second map pack for black ops at the price of some full games I just don't care to spend money in that direction anymore. Despite BlOps being better than MW2 and all that it still doesn't have the polish that World at War has...or the content that came free on PC version via sponsors.

 

[Braedan]

So.... how much is this going to cost? I loved all those maps, but I have never yet pre-ordered, and I doubt I ever will. Too risky. I also don't like getting screwed out of maps. People say "you don't deserve free DLC" and I agree. But this isn't DLC, it's a fucking map pack. Bad Company 2 left me sour because they tried to market it as "Free maps!" when really it's the same maps with different victory conditions. Companies have been giving away extras for ages, that's how to keep sales alive beyond 3 weeks. COD geniuses are used to being bent over a table for 3 new maps, but I refuse to get screwed.

 

[Worgen]

ugh, can we agree not to talk about dlc shit till at least the game is due out in like a month or so, I mean its like 6 months till the damn thing launches and they already have dlc listed

 

[gunner1905]

When is this thing coming out? Summer or fall?

 

[josemlopes]

Sharqi Peninsula? Barely played that map, since they have Wake Island I would rather have Iwo Jima or some other BF2 map

 

[OniaPL]

This is EA saying that noobs release day one DLC, we release day one expansion packs!

Fuck you.

Then again, your crimes will be forgiven for bringing Karkand back. But don't pull this shit off again.

 

[Dogstile]

Which, now thinking back on that, since you couldn't play online without that code, it really wasnt all that great to begin with.

You could if you were fine with it asking you to enter a code you didn't have every time you load up the damn game.

I wasn't, to be honest. I thought it was a stupid practice