battlefield

We Americans sure do love our shooters, and this fall, DICE and Infinity Ward are competing for your hard-earned $60. Separated by a mere two weeks, Battlefield 3 and Modern Warfare 3 represent a significant chunk of the already-crowded holiday gaming season.

Of course the question on everyone's mind is, "Which one is better?" We don't think it's fair to say either one at this early juncture, especially since we've only had limited time with Modern Warfare's single-player campaign, and practically none with the multiplayer mode.

So while it's too early to crown either title as the winner, you'll just have to settle for our look at Battlefield 3 to start things off.

Jeff: I first saw Battlefield 3 in action late last year at a behind-closed-doors event in New York. The game was running on a very high-end PC, and the gameplay I witnessed was nothing short of remarkable.

The console version (I'm playing it on Xbox 360) of Battlefield 3 sure has its own polish (I highly recommend installing the optional texture pack the first time you boot it up), but in terms of graphics it barely compares with how amazing this game can look on PC. Let me get that out of the way first; if you've got the hardware to run it, make sure you check Battlefield 3 out on a souped-up PC.… Read more

A lucky bloke from Britain's "The Gadget Show" recently had a chance to try out Battlefield 3 on this one-of-a-kind simulator. Unlike what you'd see with most regular gaming rigs, this virtual firefight is being played out on a wraparound screen pieced together by five HD projectors to deliver larger-than-life visuals. It's all complemented by a dedicated surround sound system and even a pair of paintball guns to replicate enemy fire for realism.

Rather than a keyboard and mouse, users walk on a giant treadmill to move their character in the game while operating a wireless gun controller to shoot. Check out the video above to see the system in action, and drop us a note if you come across an even better first-person-shooter setup.

(Source: Crave Asia via Kotaku)… Read more

Obsessed with Battlefield 3?

On October 25, custom-case maker Calibur 11 is set to drop PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 cases that give the consoles a BF3-themed vibe. The cases cover the console, requiring no disassembly. It's worth noting that once fitted, the Calibur 11 mod requires one to keep the console vertical. While some may find this type of product gaudy, there is a certain cool factor. … Read more

Ever wished you could win money--big money--for playing video games?

While that dream may never come true for most of us, there is a chance for anyone with an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 to become a gaming god. Virgin Gaming, EA, and DICE are teaming up to host a Battlefield 3 Worldwide Conquest tournament with $1.6 million in cash and prizes on the line.

Potential fraggers must be 18 years or older to register for the online tourney, which begins in 2012 and which Virgin is calling the "largest online console game tournament ever." Unfortunately, the contest is not available for PC gamers, who make up a huge portion of the fan base for the series. In some aspects, I can see why Virgin Gaming may want to avoid integrating PC gamers, as cheating has soured FPS games for many years on the platform.

Nonetheless, Virgin's official response to PC gamers being excluded was rather disappointing. "Our technology is only set up to integrate with console games at this phase in our life. We're still new and trying to create a unique service that resolves a lot of the challenges in the competitive gaming space today," a Virgin rep said. "We have much love for gamers on all platforms, and as we grow we'll try to bring everyone under the tent." … Read more

An open beta for Battlefield 3 arrives on September 29 for PC, Xbox 360, and PS3.

The beta of the highly anticipated FPS will be available to play until October 10, giving gamers more than a week of intense multiplayer combat that utilizes all-new maps, weapons, jets, and an updated graphics engine. Those who preordered the PC digital download of Battlefield 3 (through Origin), or purchased the limited/Tier 1 edition of Medal of Honor will enjoy even earlier access to the BF3 beta on September 27.

Downloading the free beta will be simple. You'll just need to access the PlayStation Network store, Xbox 360 marketplace, or Origin on PC. You must use Origin to download the beta on PC.

To keep things fair, stats accumulated during the beta will not transition over when the game goes live, but you will be able to keep the name you used when registering. EA/DICE noted that the open beta is limited to residents of North America, South America, Europe, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

Are you going to play the BF3 open beta? Here's a cool scene from the BF3 single-player mission Operation Guillotine, a joint operation to capture key members of the PLR leadership:… Read more

This week on preGame, we're sitting down with one of the year's most anticipated games, Gears of War 3. Tune in for a chunk of live gameplay from early on in the game. Then, we'll put the pedal to the metal in Burnout CRASH!, the latest downloadable title from EA's Criterion Games.

But before we hit the demos, we'll run through this week's news including new details on the Battlefield 3 beta, the PS Vita's battery life, and hands-on impressions with Batman: Arkham City.

Finally, make sure to listen carefully this week as we're giving away free digital copies of one of Mark and Jeff's favorite games of all time, Resident Evil 4, for Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network!… Read more

As if things weren't already going well enough with the next big game in the Battlefield franchise, wait till you see these new jaw-dropping visuals.

DICE and EA today revealed some lengthy hair-raising footage of Battlefield 3 at the Gamescom Expo in Cologne, Germany. The highly anticipated first-person shooter will be in open beta in September, while the official debut is set for October 25 for PC, Xbox 360, and PS3.

The press conference disclosed a previously unseen co-op mode mission for PS3 called "Exfiltration." Two players are trying to recover a high-ranking officer named El Zakir … Read more

Last week, publisher Electronic Arts said preorder tallies for Battlefield 3 are currently tracking 10 times higher than predecessor Battlefield: Bad Company 2. However, reservation totals aren't the only area in which Battlefield 3 is growing tenfold over its predecessor.

According to the latest Battlelog update, Battlefield 3 features 10 times as many in-game unlocks as Bad Company 2. These items include weapons, weapons attachments, gadgets, awards, service stars, and what DICE calls a "huge unlock tree" for vehicles.

Read more of "Battlefield 3 to have 10X the unlocks of Bad Co. 2" at GameSpot. … Read more

The wildly anticipated Battlefield 3 has been catching on with gamers.

According to the game's publisher, Electronic Arts, preorders for the title are more than 10 times higher than they were for Battlefield: Bad Company 2, the last title the company released in the franchise. It's an impressive feat. Last month, EA announced that it had sold 9 million copies of Bad Company 2 since the game's launch in March 2010.

Battlefield 3 is being called by some industry observers a possible Call of Duty killer. The game, which is scheduled to launch on October 25, is a first-person shooter that puts the gamer in the shoes of U.S. Marines. Gamers must work their way through several missions spanning Paris, Tehran, and New York City. Battlefield 3 promises gameplay that's quite similar to real-world battles--a hallmark of Activision's Call of Duty franchise.… Read more