EA Reveals Battlefield 3 LE, Pre-Order Goods

In addition to pre-order items offered by select retailers, there will be two editions of Battlefield 3 when it launches in October.

Thursday EA and DICE said that there will be two editions of Battlefield 3 when it launches on October 25 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Windows PC: the Standard Edition and the Limited Edition. Participating retailers nationwide are also offering unique pre-order items.

"Gamers who pre-order Battlefield 3 are assured a copy of the Limited Edition, which includes the deep and immersive Back to Karkand post-launch digital expansion pack at no extra charge," EA said in a press release. "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."

EA claims that retailers are currently receiving pre-orders in record numbers, up more than 10 times that of Battlefield: Bad Company 2. Select retailers are also providing the following items for pre-ordering the game:

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.

PC gamers will be able to download the Battlefield 3 Limited Edition at Origin (powered by EA) as well as over 100 digital retailers worldwide. Orion Publishing also plans to release a novel alongside the launch of the game, 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," EA said.