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Best of the Rest: Ben's picks for 2011
Battlefield 3 The time I've spent with Battlefield 3 this year is only bested by the many, many hours I've spent stalking dragons in Skyrim. The hours with BF3, however, were distinctly more dense, while I shouted at teammates to provide cover fire, slowly inching towards a heavily-guarded objective, or lead the charge on an enemy base from the driver's seat of a large, mobile, metal death box. It's a crime that Battlefield 3 isn't on our top 10 list, because it's by far the best multiplayer shooter experience available, and it's certainly this year's best (in yet another year with several genre entries, including an Infinity Ward-developed CoD title). The main campaign isn't very good, sure, and the co-op is even less impressive, but the "Battlefield Moments™" you'll experience in multiplayer more than make up for the package's shortcomings. Worried you've been waiting too long and won't be able to compete? BF3 mitigates that with support classes, allowing players of all types to participate. Squad up on Team [JOY]!
FIFA 12 finishes year atop UK charts, Old Republic slides way down
Chart-Track's UK sales chart for the week ending December 31, 2011, is up, showing the family-friendly footie time (don't go to a dark place, don't go to a dark place!) of FIFA closing out the year as champion. Nearly every game in the top eight held its position from the Christmas Eve list, except for Battlefield 3, which twirled Just Dance 3 around to take its spot in third. Chart-Track notes this is the second year in a row that the FIFA franchise has held the top spot during the final week. It's also the fourth time FIFA 12 has scored a first place finish, tying with FIFA 10 and FIFA 11's glory days. Star Wars: The Old Republic takes one of the largest dips we've seen on the charts, going from tenth place during launch week to 38. This would certainly be a time to call in the Ewoks for reinforcements, if it weren't for Old Republic being a PC game. It's reasonable to guess many sales are occurring through EA's Origin digital distribution network.
Best of the Rest: Alexander's picks of 2011
Dead Space 2 I am a passionate man. When Dead Space 2 was overlooked by several of my fellow editors, preventing it from attaining a rightful place in our top ten, I briefly contemplated a multi-city tour. The plan was simple: ring their doorbell, smack them across the face, cross their name off a list and move on to the next deserving victim. My main reason Dead Space 2 deserved a spot in our top ten: At times, I forgot to breathe. Dead Space 2 was a game of tension and release. I found myself gasping for air after several scenes, so focused on whatever new necromorph horror was trying to splay me that the part of my brain regulating natural respiration was overridden by the section screaming, "SHOOT IT! SHOOT IT WITH SO MUCH QUICKNESS AND RUN!" For the sake of levity, if I had it my way, there would have been several moments where protagonist Isaac Clarke pulled out Handi-Snacks, lifted his visor and pouted about whatever danger he'd face beyond the next airlock.
Old Republic debuts in 10th, FIFA runs up UK charts before Christmas
Chart-Track's UK sales list for the week leading up to Christmas Eve had FIFA 12 rallying, with sales up 34 percent, to score a first place finish. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 moved up one spot replacing Just Dance 3, which despite having a seven percent increase in sales, simply couldn't maintain its position and oscar mike'd into third. The big premiere of the week was EA's Star Wars: The Old Republic, which debuted in tenth place, having launched on Tuesday the 20th. This is irregular for the UK, since most games launch on Friday. Despite the extra time, the high-profile MMO's launch week didn't beat out Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games. The saving grace of The Old Republic's lower ranking premiere is Chart-Track doesn't count digitally distributed copies. According to EA, things are going well with its new MMO. Check out the UK's top ten games for the pre-Christmas week after the break.
Crysis 2 for $10 today, Battlefield 3 for $30 tomorrow through Amazon for PC
In addition to Amazon's EA sale going on now through its PC digital distribution network, there are a couple noteworthy additions to the roster today and tomorrow. Today, Crysis 2 is available for $10, a 75 percent discount off the regular price. Starting 2012 with a flashbang, Amazon will have Battlefield 3 for $30 on the first of the year. Also relevant here is customers who have purchased anything from Amazon's "best-selling games of 2011" should have a $5 coupon that can be applied in the new year, bringing it down to $25. That's a great price for a game that's been beta-tested since launch to the point of playability.
'Battlefield 2143' easter egg hidden in Back to Karkand DLC
A couple of eagle-eyed Battlefield 3 players have spotted the above easter egg in the recent "Back to Karkand" DLC pack. It's just a stencil on a virtual wall, but of course the number "2143" (at least we're guessing that's the remains of a 4, and not a triangle) would hint at a followup to DICE's Battlefield 2142, the not-quite-as-successful futuristic spinoff of the Battlefield 1942 series. The Battlefield 3 Blog points out that a similar easter egg was hidden back in the Battlefield 2: Euro Force map pack back in 2006, and that egg was eventually the first sign of 2142's release later that year. Don't start hoping for a sequel just yet, however. While some fans would probably enjoy a return to the 2142 universe, odds are this is just DICE having a little fun, and reminding us that while many players might have forgotten about the futuristic spinoff already, DICE's own developers haven't just yet.
Win a trip to meet DICE in Sweden by being the best Battlefield 3-er
DICE and EA are offering a trip to Stockholm, Sweden, to meet the Battlefield 3 team at DICE studios and stay in a five-star hotel for three days -- all you have to do is prove how awesome you are at Battlefield 3. The "Only in Battlefield 3" competition asks players to upload videos of their coolest unscripted Battlefield 3 moments, or as EA describes them, anything that makes you go, "Holy sh#t!" Videos can use the Battlefield 3 asset pack provided by EA, including the Battlefield 3 theme song, and can't use any possible-copyright-infringing material. For a full list of requirements, check out the Only in Battlefield 3 competition page, and maybe watch this video for inspiration.
Google Zeitgeist puts Battlefield 3 in top ten rising searches, Black Ops tops gaming chart
Google published its annual "Zeitgeist" report of the most popular searches and topics in 2011 this past week and for the first time ever, a game was included in the top ten fastest rising search terms of the year. Yes, as you've probably already guessed, it was "Gem Keeper." Wait, no, it was "Battlefield 3." EA's big shooter stirred up some interest, apparently, landing it right in between "Casey Anthony" and the "iPhone 5" in biggest gains in search popularity of the year. When it comes to video games in North America, however, there's another title on top of the heap: "Black Ops" was the most searched-for term in the category, with "Call of Duty" coming soon after that. "Battlefield 3" didn't even make the list in the category numbers, so its overall search volume was actually lower than the Activision series. Don't count "Halo Reach" or "Super Mario" out either -- they show up at the third and fourth spots on the list in the gaming category. And Google even shows us what 2011 searchers are most interested to play next year: "Diablo 3" and "Mass Effect 3" sit at the bottom of the list already for the most searched-for terms in gaming.
12 Days of Joyswag: Battlefield 3 superkit - the game, controller, vault, wall graphics
Another year, another 12 days of holiday giveaways! Between now and Christmas Day, we're doing the one thing that makes us feel truly alive: giving. Specifically, we're giving you fine folks some of the swag we've managed to collect in our cluttered home offices. And the good will and merriment doesn't stop here! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook for even more chances to win! So you're pumped about Battlefield 3 ... but you don't actually have it yet. We understand there may not be many of you out there, but if you fit that description, we've got the giveaway for you. One lucky winner will get Battlefield 3 on either Xbox 360, PS3 or PC, along with a BF3-themed Razer Onza gamepad for Xbox 360 and a Calibur 11 "vault" for your Xbox 360 Slim. Oh, and some Battlefield 3 wall graphics from Walls360.com. It's enough Battlefield 3 stuff to let your friends know you're serious about the game, and to warn members of the opposite sex that you're not ready for committal. Find rules on entry, and pictures of the swag, after the break.
Amazon discounts EA's action games for today only
In the run up to Christmas, Amazon is discounting all kinds of stuff. Today, it's action titles from EA's lineup, some of which have had their price tags slashed by as much as 33% percent. Crysis 2, Battlefield 3 and Need for Speed: The Run and Battlefield: Bad Company 2 are all in the sale, both physical copies and as downloads direct through Amazon. Think about it, you could give your friend or loved one the feeling of being John McClane this holiday season. Just saying!
Google Zeitgeist goes live, reminds the world of Rebecca Black's existence
How will people remember 2011? As the year of Rebecca Black, if the results of Google's Zeitgeist list are to be believed. The momentarily famous "Friday" singer topped Google's annual year-end list of hot search terms, followed by the software giant's own Google+ social network and deceased Jackass star, Ryan Dunn. The top five is rounded out by the acquitted Casey Anthony and the ultra-hot FPS, Battlefield 3. Apple made three appearances in the top ten, courtesy of the iPad 2, the no-show iPhone 5 and its late founder, Steve Jobs. On the other side of the coin, social networks Myspace and hi5 topped the fastest falling lists. Celebrate the year that was with a video after the break.
PSA: Battlefield 3's 'Back to Karkand' now on PC, Xbox 360
Battlefield 3's "Back to Karkand" has been deployed on PC and Xbox 360. The maps for the expansion were buried in a recent PC update, so the mouse and keyboard crew should be good to go. Xbox 360 users have a 2.07 gigglebyte update ahead of them, so that's something to get going on ASAP. The PS3 version was updated last week. "Back to Karkand" is free for those who picked up the "Limited Edition" version of BF3 at launch -- otherwise it's $15 (the standard for FPS map packs). The mega Xbox 360 download doesn't just add Karkand maps, however, as there's also a ginormous list of changes made to single player, multiplayer and Battlefield 3's general balance. Check it out after the break.
Today only: 40% off just about everything on Origin
EA has a pretty massive sale going on over at the Origin store. Nearly everything has been marked down by 40 percent, including Battlefield 3, Batman: Arkham City, Crysis 2 and most of the EA-published titles currently available on consoles or PC. The offer is only good today, so get cracking and stuff some stockings.
Battlefield 3 tutorial: Shooting down jets the awesome way
It's been fun, everyone. We've really enjoyed posting funny and awesome moments from video games over the years. Unfortunately, this may be our last time doing so because, frankly, it's hard to imagine something better than this. Prove us wrong, internet! Bring us more awesome.
PSN Tuesday: DLC for thee in Resistance 3 and Battlefield 3
The PSN Store update is now live! The high-profile additions this week are Battlefield 3's "Back to Karkand" DLC and the Brutality Pack for Resistance 3, the latter featuring a new Survival mode, a theme, skin and weapon for multiplayer. And, for PlayStation Plus subscribers, there's a free copy of Tomb Raider: Underworld waiting for you, some free PSOne Classics titles in the Spyro series and an 80 percent discount on the Penny Arcade Adventures games. You can see the full update list over on the PlayStation Blog.
PSA: 'Back to Karkand' deploys today on PS3; next week on PC, Xbox 360
Battlefield 3's "Back to Karkand" expansion will be available on North American PS3s as soon as the PSN update occurs at some point later today. In the meantime, check out this trailer, featuring the BF3 version of BF 1942 and 1943 favorite Wake Island.
Tactical light, other fixes in Dec. 6 Battlefield 3 PC patch
The PC version of Battlefield 3 will receive a 2GB patch tomorrow, December 6, which includes several fixes and "most of the content for Back to Karkand." DICE notes the inflated size of the patch being due to Karkand is not ideal and it will aim to make DLC content an optional download in the future. The bug fixes and balance tweaks are plentiful in the patch, but the one that matters to many has been addressed: "Tweaked Tactical Light so it is not as blinding over longer ranges." And, to think, after being blinded so many times we were getting really good at navigating through echolocation. There's no mention of whether these fixes are also buried in the console download for Karkand. The "Back to Karkand" DLC will be playable tomorrow for PS3 and December 13 for Xbox 360 and PC. %Gallery-137898%
Battlefield 3's 'Back to Karkand' expansion arrives on PS3 Dec. 6, 360 and PC on Dec. 13
As promised, EA and DICE are delivering Battlefield 3's first expansion, "Back to Karkand," in December, though today we learned from the Battlefield blog that there's a specific date: December 6. Given that all of Battlefield 3's expansions will arrive one week early on PlayStation 3, the Xbox 360 and PC versions of said DLC won't arrive until December 13. If you've missed the variety of videos showcasing Back to Karkand, the pack is composed of four maps from previous Battlefield games, all remade in Battlefield 3's "Frostbite 2.0" game engine. Put more simply: there will be a few more places to murder folks online, as well as a variety of new vehicles with which to do so. The pack will be free for folks who picked up the "Limited Edition" version of BF3 at launch, and will cost $15 for the have-nots.
Battlefield 3 sells through 8 million of 12 million total shipped
In the month of November, EA moved another 3 million copies of Battlefield 3. At least, that's according to numbers revealed yesterday by EA CFO Eric Brown at the Baird Technology Conference in San Francisco (as reported by Game Informer), which has the game selling 8 million units in total across all its platforms out of 12 million shipped. As with most major game launches, both the shipped and sold amounts of the game have dropped significantly since launch, with two million being pushed to retail from EA in the month of November versus 10 million during the first week. The game's first big expansion -- "Back to Karkand" -- is set to be released some time in December, with PS3 owners getting a crack at it one week early.
Battlefield 3 'client update' deploying on PS3 tomorrow, 360 'will follow shortly'
The official Battlefield 3 Twitter account this morning announced plans to launch the PlayStation 3 iteration of its latest title update (dubbed a "client update") for BF3 tomorrow. Additionally, it seems that the Xbox 360 will be getting the same update in the near future, as the post on Battlelog states it'll "follow shortly" after tomorrow's PS3 update. PC players already got the update last week, which improves a variety of issues with the game across campaign and multiplayer. Like with the PC update, the patch notes don't indicate that the the tactical light has been altered, but plenty of other major issues have. For instance, now, if you're holding a SOFLAM (which is, of course, so fly), and an enemy tries running you over, you'll totally live. After the patch? No more! We've listed the menagerie of fixes and tweaks after the break, wherein you can preemptively decide whether or not the patch will "totally break the game."
