In Battlefield 3, players step into the role of the elite U.S. Marines. As the first boots on the ground, players will experience heart-pounding missions across diverse locations including Paris, Tehran and New York. As a U.S. Marine 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.

Battlefield 3 leaps ahead of its time with the power of Frostbite 2, DICE's new cutting-edge game engine. This state-of-the-art technology is the foundation on which Battlefield 3 is built, delivering enhanced visual quality, a grand sense of scale, massive destruction, dynamic audio and character animation utilizing ANT technology from the latest EA Sports games.

The experience doesn't stop with the engine — it just starts there. In single-player, multiplayer and co-op, Battlefield 3 is a near-future war game depicting international conflicts spanning land, sea and air. Players are dropped into the heart of the combat whether it occurs on dense city streets where they must fight in close quarters or in wide open rural locations that require long range tactics.

Those anxious to start the fight can pre-order the Battlefield 3 Limited Edition now at the EA Store . The Battlefield 3 Limited Edition includes Battlefield 3: Back to Karkand at no extra charge. This themed expansion pack features four legendary maps from Battlefield 2 boldly re-imagined with Frostbite 2 physics, destruction and visuals. Completing the package are classic Battlefield 2 weapons and vehicles, unique rewards, new achievements/trophies, and more.

Some heavy duty equipment arrives in Battlefield Play4Free, helping you become a force to be reckoned with while duking it out in the virtual combat zone. How, you ask? It’s easy!

For anyone who pre-orders Battlefield 3 through the EA Store, you’ll be rewarded with two Battlefield Play4Free in-game items: The Battlefield 3 Edition 870 Combat shotgun and the Battlefield 3 Beret. Not only will these help customize your in-game avatar, you’ll also be able to get up-close and personal, devastating the competition with the business end of one of the most effective close-quarter weapons in history.

How does one redeem these items? First, you’ll need to pre-order Battlefield 3 from the EA Store. Once that’s completed, you’ll simply need to visit the Battlefield Play4Free website and log in with the same account used when pre-ordering Battlefield 3. For new Play4Free players, don’t fret – just create an account and a soldier when prompted and you’ll be a-okay. Once that’s done, click the “My Stuff” tab in the navigation bar and choose “Rewards” from the dropdown menu and select the rewards you’d like to redeem.