EA has revealed the Battlefield 3 Limited Edition and preorder bonus items today, confirming the fact that preorders and exclusive digital content are now forever intertwined. They’re taking a page out of the Arkham City book and offering 8 exclusive skins, along with exclusive weapons and dog tags.

The heat of the battle intensifies today as DICE, an Electronic Arts Inc. studio (NASDAQ: ERTS) announces two editions of Battlefield 3™ and the unique pre-order items available at participating retailers in North America. Soldiers and squads looking to claim battlefield superiority this Oct. 25, 2011 have an exciting array of options available when pre-ordering Battlefield 3 from select retailers. Fans worldwide are already gearing up to play in squads and are pre-ordering the game in record numbers. Battlefield 3 pre-orders are up more than 10x Battlefield: Bad Company™ 2.

Battlefield 3 is proving to be one of the most anticipated games of 2011, having already earned over 50 awards including ‘Best Action Game’ and ‘Best Online Multiplayer Game.’ Critics praise the game for its intense gameplay experience, powered by the Frostbite™ 2 state-of-the-art game engine that delivers superior performance in character animation, visual rendering, audio and physical destruction. To accompany the game, Orion Publishing will release a novel written by the highly decorated ex-SAS operator and best-selling author of Bravo Two Zero, Andy McNab, with co-author Peter Grimsdale. McNab is working with the creative team at DICE to ensure the authenticity and grittiness of today’s warfare is experienced in the single player, co-op and multiplayer campaigns.

Battlefield 3 Standard Edition

In Battlefield 3, players step into the role of the elite U.S. Marines. As the first boots on the ground, players experience heart-pounding missions across diverse locations including Paris, Tehran and New York City. In the field, periods of tension and anticipation are punctuated by moments of complete chaos. As bullets whiz by, as walls crumble, as explosions force players to the ground, the battlefield feels more alive and interactive than ever before. To complement the single-player campaign, Battlefield 3 delivers 10 massive co-op maps and multiple multiplayer modes – a proven strength of DICE.

Battlefield 3 Limited Edition

Gamers who pre-order Battlefield 3 are assured a copy of the Limited Edition, which includes the deep and immersiveBack to Karkand post-launch digital expansion pack at no extra charge. With Back to Karkand, players can wage all-out war on four of the most celebrated maps from Battlefield 2™ including Strike at Karkand, Gulf of Oman and the Sharqi Peninsula, all stunningly re-created using the power of Frostbite  2. Gamers who choose to purchase the digital expansion separately can do so for $14.99.

Select retailers are also offering Battlefield 3 pre-order customers the following promotional items*:

• ·         Physical Warfare Pack — Storm the battlefield armed with a set of three exclusive weapons in the Physical Warfare Pack including: 1) the Type 88 light machine gun with bipod for deadly firepower and total zone control; 2) the SKS sniper rifle flash suppressor that provides increased stealth abilities for Recon soldiers; and 3) the lethal armor-piercing flechette ammo for the DAO-12 semi-automatic shotgun that will tear through anything in its path. Each weapon will be available for a limited time in-game, and will later become available to all players. Also unlocked is instant access to the highly versatile DAO-12 semi-automatic shotgun.
  • ·         SPECACT Kit — Players can expand their customizable options in Battlefield 3 with a set of eight unique multiplayer skins, one for each class in Battlefield 3.
  • ·         Dog Tag Pack — In Battlefield 3, dog tags serve as the player’s in-game signature, allowing gamers to customize their soldiers. Dog tags are displayed on screen every time a player takes down an enemy or claims an opponent’s dog tags. This pre-order exclusive item comes with five new, unique dog tags.    

Participating retailers may vary. For more information on pre-order item availability, please visit www.battlefield.com.

Battlefield 3 will be available Oct. 25, 2011 in North America for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Xbox 360® videogame entertainment system and the PC.