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.

Electronic Arts and Virgin Gaming announced the Battlefield 3 Worldwide Conquest Tournament to celebrate the October 25, 2011 launch of the first-person shooter. The largest console videogame competition in gaming history, players from around the world will compete online in Battlefield 3 for a chance to win $1.6 million in cold hard cash. The online tournament begins in early 2012 and will culminate with a live grand finale where the players with the best Battlefield skills will walk away with a share of the $1.6 million prize pool.

“We’re always looking to raise the bar for our members, to give them truly epic gaming experiences they won’t find anywhere else and Battlefield 3 hits the mark,” said Zachary Zeldin, Co-Founder of Virgin Gaming. “This partnership with EA and DICE is exactly the kind of relationship it takes to deliver on that goal, and we can’t be more excited to be working with them to host the greatest competitive gaming event I’ve ever seen.”

“The Battlefield series has always been a very social experience with its best-in-class multiplayer gameplay and we’re honored to have such passionate and loyal fans,” said Karl Magnus Troedsson, General Manager, DICE. “We want to give them the best Battlefield experience we’ve ever created with Battlefield 3. The Worldwide Conquest Tournament with Virgin Gaming is a great way to celebrate the gameplay and reward our fans.”

In the game, the single-player storyline is revealed through a series of flashbacks as Marine Staff Sergeant Henry Blackburn races to prevent an attack on New York City by a deadly force known as the PLR. As Blackburn recalls key events leading up to the attack, players take control of several characters in heart-pounding missions across land, sea and air. One of these characters is Dmitri “Dima” Mayakovsky, a legendary and pragmatic GRU operator in the twilight of his Special Forces career. Known as a “cleaner”, Dima is the sort of person that does whatever it takes to get the job done.

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.

Key Features:

• Frostbite 2 - Battlefield 3 introduces Frostbite 2, the incredible technology that takes animation, destruction, lighting, scale and audio to new heights. Built upon this powerful game engine, Battlefield 3 immerses players physically and emotionally to the world around them like never before.
• Feel the Battle - Feel the impact of bullets and explosions, drag your fallen comrades into safety, and mount your weapon on almost any part of the terrain. Battlefield 3's cutting edge animation, spectacular visuals and real as hell battle gameplay attack your senses and make you feel the visceral warriors experience like no other FPS.
• Unparalleled Vehicle Warfare - The best online vehicle warfare experience gets even better with a fitting sonic boom as fighter jets headline impressive lineup of land, air and sea vehicles.
• Urban Combat - Take the fight to iconic and unexpected places in the USA, Middle East, and Europe including claustrophobic streets, metropolitan downtowns, and open, vehicle-friendly landscapes as you fight your way through the war of tomorrow.

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.