If you have been playing BF3 on PC, you’ll know that the Frostbite 2 engine makes a considerable difference in terms of graphics quality, compared to the same game on console using the Frostbite 2 engine. DICE has confirmed that they plan to make enhancements to their new engine and these improvements in the future will require the need for PC players to be running a 64-bit operating system.

Johan Andersson, rendering architect at DICE has also suggested that when DICE does carry out these changes, it would be a good idea for all 32-bit players to upgrade to Windows 8 and experience the Frostbite 2 engine on 64-bit instead. It’s important to note that this change won’t be happening until sometime in 2013, so those of you on Windows 7 32-bit and are thinking of getting the PC version of Medal of Honor: Warfighter shouldn’t worry for now.

Since the majority of PC players run most games fine on 32-bit, convincing consumers to upgrade to a 64-bit OS may not be an easy task, especially when players can find workaround methods using executables. Now that DICE has come out and stated that this will be a requirement on PC in the future, will it now lead to other developers following suit and practically forcing consumers to make the upgrade?

With Medal of Honor: Warfighter taking primary focus for EA during the latter stages of 2013, it is logical to assume that the likes of Bad Company 3 and Battlefield 4 will be just some of the titles that require a 64-bit OS on PC. Will you make the upgrade when the time comes, or are you already happily running a 64-bit system, and wished that more gamers did the same?

More About: Battlefield, Battlefield 4, EA

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Once again it is the wonders of LinkedIN that appears to have let slip the details, although with Battlefield 3 still seemingly just out the door, it doesn’t look like an official announcement was coming soon anyway.

Given the successes of Bad Company 2, it is logical though to assume that a third game is coming – but how will it actually differ to Battlefield 3? Bad Company 2 is essentially a toned down version of Battlefield 3 for console, but with a heavier story-driven campaign mode.

There’s no denying that Bad Company 2 was a very popular game, but the key for EA and DICE is actually making the game its own entity and not copying elements of Battlefield 3 and slapping the Frostbite 2.0 engine on it – BFBC2 used the Frostbite 1.5 engine just for reference.

Unlike a recent PS4 mention on LinkedIN which has now been updated as a ‘typo’, the information on Battlefield Bad Company 3 still remains according to GamerZines. Mirror’s Edge 2 is apparently on the way as well from DICE which is great news for fans who loved the first game in 2008.

Considering that we have still not had any post-release content for Battlefield 3 though (B2K already announced prior to release, so we’re not counting that), we think that a BFBC3 game will be treated with less enthusiasm for now. There is still a lot of issues that needs to be addressed with BF3, mainly the custom servers, so we would like to see some stability put back into that game first, before even thinking of DICE’s next potential project.

What are your thoughts on the apparent ‘outing’ of Bad Company 3? Are you curious as to how they could distinguish the two games as well, to make Bad Company 3 completely a different experience to BF3?

More About: Battlefield Bad Company, EA

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Correct us if we’re wrong, but the Double XP weekend made famous on Call of Duty has never been seen on Battlefield, prior to this past weekend. It is still live on console at the moment and although it was also intended for PC players, DICE has now rescheduled this for May 26-27 instead.

Now though, prepare yourselves for a massive rumor regarding new plans to monetize the game further. EA apparently has something called ‘Battlefield Premium’ in the pipeline according to Battlefieldo and it’s said to be a direct answer to the ‘successful’ Elite subscription platform that Activision has rolled out for Call of Duty.

Battlefield 3 players could be getting content drops and these drops will include items that normal members won’t be able to use. The first has already been given some initial details in the form of a black dog tag, as well as a ‘premium’ knife which we’re guessing may make it easier to perform knife attacks. There’s also mention of brand new exclusive assignments, as well as weapon camos and soldier camos.

EA had previously teased that they were a fan of Activision’s Elite platform, so perhaps Battlefield 3 players had this coming. There’s no word on how much this will cost per month, but we’re guessing it will fall in line with Activision’s $50 a year pricing, or maybe even cheaper if they want to offer an immediate incentive over Elite.

A date of June 12th has also been revealed for the Close Quarters expansion pack, as well as the apparent confirmation of a fifth expansion pack to be released in 2013 after End Game, which is thought to be coming before the end of the year.

Obviously there’s no confirmation that all this information is legit, but it is worth pointing out that the details also mentioned about the double XP weekend, prior to EA making that official, so it’s promising. What is your initial reaction to EA offering a premium platform for Battlefield 3?

After their attempts to recoup as much money as well via custom server renting – is it unsurprising that they are now taking things to the extreme with monthly payments? That premium knife is interesting as well, especially if it gives premium users an advantage over non-paying players – surely that is a very risky road to be heading down? You can imagine the uproar if this special knife kills non-premium users more quickly.

Are you willing to hear EA out on their plans to offer a subscription for Battlefield 3? Or is it yet another sign that EA are purely thinking of their wallets, when they should be bringing out regular patch updates to balance the original game that everyone paid for – ie, one with official servers as opposed to custom ones?

More About: Battlefield 3, EA

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While some of you are clearly happy pouring money into EA’s rent a server program on console, it appears that many of you are not, particularly those who just want to enjoy the vanilla BF3 experience that you first enjoyed when buying the game last year.

All the official servers hosted by EA and DICE appear to have disappeared permanently, with the minimal official servers that were available all snapped up by those who can’t wait to set up their 2000 ticket Metro 24/7 server. If the zero availability of official servers wasn’t bad enough, there also seems to be a growing trend of skilled players getting kicked by admins who decide that they don’t want them playing on their servers any more.

I have seen this myself first hand in game and it is annoying I have to say. Being kicked for no reason is obviously very irritating, especially when you have racked up a good score only for it to mean nothing. If DICE are going to keep custom servers in the game permanently at the expense of official ones, then they really need to tweak some settings to keep everyone happy.

Firstly, there needs to be an option to report an admin more easily. By perhaps having a ‘rate an admin’ option at the end of the map, with the votes going directly to a regional moderation team who can take action. Obviously it doesn’t solve the problem initially when you’ve just been kicked, but at least it’s a way for DICE to identify admins who are on a power trip.

After the infamous tweaks to the tactical light and IRNV scope, are you a bit disappointed with the way the game has ended up? The Close Quarters expansion will probably divert attention from the ongoing issues when it releases this Summer, but we just hope that DICE are listening to the community, as the popularity of the game seems to have decreased after their latest patch update.

How is your experience with the game at the moment – are you a happy player with no problems, or have you been kicked for no good reason at times?

More About: Battlefield 3, EA

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We thought FIFA 12 looked pretty good from a graphics point of view, but FIFA 13 looks even better. In the initial screenshots released, we see player models of the likes of Lionel Messi and Robin Van Persie and to say they look good is an understatement at the very least. In the shot of Van Persie specifically, we’re amazed at the sheer quality of Manchester City’s Yaya Toure in the background – you can even easily pick out Zabaleta in the distance too.

Obviously there’s no sign of actual pitch graphics yet, but we can’t wait after seeing these closeups. We remember Konami saying that they have ‘returned to their roots’ with PES 2013 in a basic attempt to bridge the growing gap between themselves and their EA rivals, but on this evidence, they are going to have their work cut out once again if they are going to top FIFA 13.

Thanks to some information posted to Neogaf, we also have some initial details on some new gameplay features you can expect to see. Five categories have been disclosed so far, and they are First Touch Control, Player Impact, Complete Dribble, Tactical Free-Kicks and Attacking AI. You can read about each aspect over at Neogaf but we’re interested to know what you all think of the new difficulty added to the game when receiving the ball. According to EA, it will now be more difficult to receive the ball and it all depends on the weight of the pass, the ball height and also the relevant technical ability of both passer and receiver to determine the outcome.

It sounds a lot like the ‘PES FirstControl’ gameplay feature that Konami has brought in to PES 2013, so it will be interesting to see which plays out better when the games are both out in the Autumn. Take a look at the screenshots though and let us know your initial impressions of the game. Still hooked on FIFA, or are you willing to give FIFA 13 a miss this time around?

More About: EA, FIFA 13

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For those of you that aren’t aware yet, the Close Quarter pack will not feature the conquest game mode since all of the maps are of a smaller nature. Instead though, DICE will be offering a brand new mode called Conquest Domination and we see the first glimpse of it during the new gameplay.

Just like Ziba Tower, a heavy emphasis is placed on destruction and the theme of the map looks largely based on a typical presidential mansion, giving players the option of taking the battle indoors or outdoors. There’s some further evidence of the new SPAS-12 shotgun weapon, while we spotted the new AUG rifle as well.

Don’t forget that there will be 10 brand new weapons so we’ll try to bring you a list of those weapons as soon as we have it. If you’ve spotted any other new weapons that we didn’t see in the Ziba Tower gameplay, let us know your observations below.

The map looks to be around the same size as Ziba Tower so if you were previously unimpressed with Ziba Tower, you may not change your mind on Close Quarters after seeing Donya Fortress. In our opinion though, we can’t wait for the new expansion pack to drop. Close Quarters is going to offer up an entirely new gameplay experience to BF3 and it’s just the change we need before preparing for the next DLC pack Armored Kill which will return the gameplay to its roots with brand new vehicles.

What are your initial thoughts on the new gameplay? Are you really excited about Close Quarters as well?

More About: Battlefield 3, EA

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If you haven’t used Battlelog yet and you play Battlefield 3 frequently, you really should since it is the perfect side compliment to the game. Battlelog is a great tool to check out detailed stats about your various Battlefield adventures, as it records crucial data such as your kill/death ratio, how many games you have won and lost and even your longest headshot distance.

Now you can bring up the same stats on your iPhone, thanks to the free Battlelog app. It’s on the App Store now, just do a search for Battlelog and you should see it. The interface is exactly the same as the desktop version and it looks to be very well made by EA we have to say.

There’s four main categories at the bottom of the app which will provide shortcuts to the main areas of Battlelog. The Battle Feed will give you live updates on how you and your friends are getting on in the game, whether that involves unlocking a certain attachment, or if you have just reached a brand new Colonel level. The Com Center is a very useful addition, as it will allow you to send instant chat messages to anyone else who has the Battlelog iOS app running. Stats provides a summary of all your achievements in the game, such as accuracy, hours played, best weapon and vehicle kills and so on. Finally, the unlocks tab will display all the unlocks still needed in the game for a relevant class or vehicle. For instance if you just need to unlock items for the Jet, it will just list those, rather than all the unlocks that you have already made for other vehicles.

Our first impressions of the app are very good. EA obviously took their time with it, but it looks like they have delivered with a quality app and not some lazy approach which some of you were fearing. We’re glad to see that this is entirely free as well – there’s no sign of any required payments, and the app isn’t littered with ads either which is always nice to see.

The app will probably be most useful in between rounds, when you and a friend can discuss tactics in the Com Center whilst waiting for the next map to load. You can also find another BF3 player easily straight from the app, for those moments when you want to check out the stats of a particular opponent to see how good they really are.

We have a feeling that the app is going to come in very useful for all BF3 players with an iPhone. There’s no sign of an Android release yet, but we imagine that EA are working on releasing it soon. If you have already used the app, let us know your initial thoughts on it. They’ve done a pretty good job haven’t they?

More About: Battlefield 3, EA

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It’s not just any old video game though, but rather a concept look at how Battlefield 5 may look in the distant future if combined with a pair of Google’s fancy glasses. In short, the person in the video is able to load up a virtual Battlefield sim straight from the glasses, using the location that he is currently situated.

Soldiers come out of nowhere and there’s plenty of Battlefield effects to be seen, including some pretty realistic knife action. The video takes elements from Google’s original Project Glass video, such as being able to toggle music on and off through the glasses, as well as being able to take a video call instantly, whilst still being in the Battlefield sim.

Sound a bit too unrealistic to you? Perhaps, but that’s why it’s a concept and it is very well made. The video, made by ‘There is a Canal’ seems to have already attracted the attention of EA, as we can see that the video has already been uploaded to the official Battlefield Facebook page. Job done then for the creator?

This could be the first progression into a virtual reality future of video games, and it may seem farfetched right now, but it is obviously going to happen sooner or later – in the comfort of your own home. We just hope that Google’s Glasses come with a disclaimer, otherwise people are going to get seriously hurt running around abandoned warehouse sites pretending to shoot imaginary people.

What are your thoughts on the concept – do you like it?

More About: Battlefield 3, EA, Google Glasses

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Battlefield 3 is still very much the game to play at the moment, regardless of the state of multiplayer at the moment. EA has a tough task ahead if they are going to entice gamers to move away from BF3 in favor of picking up their new Warfighter game. A brand new trailer released though does a mighty fine job of planting the seed though, as we see some actual gameplay for the very first time, utilizing that Frostbite 2 engine which has been used to great effect on the PC version of Battlefield 3.

The gameplay shown takes place in the Philippines, with Danger Close eager to once again emphasize that the gameplay will allow players to take the role of numerous assault forces on a global scale. Don’t ask us why but one of the soldiers featured in the trailer really reminds us of Jesse Ventura’s Blain character from the awesome Predator movie – watch it and see what you think!

There’s even a explosion-filled gunship scene thrown in there for extra measure too which looks particularly tasty. A lot of people are still not sure about whether to get this game after the first MoH title, but we say it is looking very good. The big question that a lot of you are wanting to know though is – how good is multiplayer looking? This will be Danger Close’s first crack at multiplayer since the last game, as you’ll probably know that this was handled by DICE last time around. How well will they be able to implement that Frostbite 2 engine?

Check out the new footage below and let us know your thoughts on it. We’re impressed so far.

More About: EA, Medal of Honor: Warfighter

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We have asked you for your highest killstreak in various Call of Duty games before, but now we want to see how well you are getting on with Battlefield 3. Due to the nature of the game and being more tactical based than COD, you can argue that it is a lot harder to achieve a really good killstreak since there is just so much going on around you and countless ways to die whether on foot or in the air.

We want to know what your highest killstreak on Battlefield 3 is, or as EA call it on Battlelog, your ”highest killstreak bonus” without dying. Battlelog is great for keeping a tab on some of your best stats and previous battle reports, but we just wish that there was an option to save a battle report on Battlelog for those true ‘Battlefield moments’.

The only way to do that right now is to take a screenshot, and that’s exactly what I did when I achieved my finest score on the game yet. I managed some time ago to get a 46 killstreak on Seine Crossing, ending with 51 kills and 4 deaths and a total score of 14,983. Before the latest patch update, it was pretty rare to get a score over 10,000 on standard ticket numbers, but since there are now plenty of custom servers with x2 tickets, we imagine that most of you have started to get scores close to 15,000 and 20,000 on a regular basis.

If you have managed to rack up an impressive killstreak on Battlefield 3, share your experiences of the moment below. Also feel free to post your current Kill / Death ratio on Battlelog if you feel it is worthy of public appreciation. At the moment, I have a K/D of 2.06 which is not too bad at all.

Would you agree with us that a killstreak is much more satisfying on Battlefield 3 than Modern Warfare 3?

More About: Battlefield 3, EA

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