Battlefield 3 pre-order DLC boycott

By Robert Purchese Published 13 June, 2011

Fan dissent at "unfair advantage".

Battlefield 3 fans aren't happy that EA appears to be giving people who pre-order the Limited Edition: Physical Warfare Pack an unfair advantage.

Nearly two thousand (1792) people have voted the enticement of exclusive weapons and maps as a "Bad Idea" on the official EA forum.

Reddit has correlated the anti-Limited Edition cause, redirecting campaigners to forum threads with polls on which to leave their mark.

The Limited Edition: Physical Warfare Pack features exclusive "powerful weapons and items": Type 88 light machine gun with bi-pod, SKS sniper rifle flash suppressor, armour-piercing flechette ammo for the DAO-12 semi-automatic shotgun and day-one access to the DAO-12 semi-automatic shotgun. Also included is the Back to Karkand add-on, which offers four re-created maps from Battlefield 2.

The Battlefield website dubs the weapons inside the Physical Warfare Pack as "advanced hardware for Battlefield superiority".

Wrote Reddit: "If you don't purchase the pre-order or Limited Edition version of BF3, you will have to pay extra for the Karkand expansion pack. The only thing not included in the Karkand Expansion pack is the guns and ammunition, which will create an unfair advantage people who pre-order as well as charging people extra to play maps available on day one.

"This was a decision made by EA, and not DICE. DICE and all of us need your help to get EA to wake up and change their decision.

"The Hive Mind of Reddit has a GREAT influence over the internet, and a lot of the media as well. Whether the rest of the world knows or not."

Reddit controversially supplies various EA VIP email addresses and asks that campaigners politely contact them.

Battlefield 3.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (68) Latest comment 11 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • DavoTheDiv #1 12 months ago

    message to all 1792 of you. Grow the f**k up.

    Right pre-ordered mine. See you on the Battlefield, you losers.
    Edited by DavoTheDiv at 13/06/11 @ 14:44

  • Shikasama #2 12 months ago

    I think this is pretty delibrate.

    If there is no backlash to the pre-order back then hey...quids in.

    If there is a backlash then they can 'listenc arefully to the community' and 'react to their voices' and pull it, putting an extra layer of bullshit onto the 'new' EA love that ahs been going around for a while.

    If this was Activision then EG would have literally imploded by now.

  • Matthew_Hornet #3 12 months ago

    Do we know for a fact that it's unfair advantage, or are the exclusive weapons more like reskinned regular guns with some fancy marketing speak making them out as more than they are? That sounds far more likely to me, I doubt DICE would deliberately unbalance their game even if EA tried to force them...

  • ZombieJFK #4 12 months ago

    Reddit controversially supplies various EA VIP email addresses and asks that campaigners politely contact them.

    What? They posted some "@EA.com" email addresses of high ranking EA people. They're all available in the public domain. How is that controversial?

  • SClaw #5 12 months ago

    I was with you until here:

    "The Hive Mind of Reddit has a GREAT influence over the internet, and a lot of the media as well. Whether the rest of the world knows or not."

    Fuck off you internet losers.

  • soviet_ #6 12 months ago

    Why are they complaining? They should have BF3 pre ordered already!

  • Genome #7 12 months ago

    The weapons not being available is bullshit, but the Limited Edition costs more than the regular edition, doesn't it? So all EA have to do is price the DLC (with guns included) a bit lower than the difference between the regular and limited editions and I'll have no problem with this.

    Reddit controversially supplies various EA VIP email addresses and asks that campaigners politely contact them.

    Internet campaigners can't be polite. They don't work like that. These people will be getting hate mail telling them that their children should all die horrible deaths.

    Bravo, Reddit.

  • -cerberus- #8 12 months ago

    Pre-order DLC should be boycotted regardless.

  • ZombieJFK #9 12 months ago

    @Matthew_Hornet:

    I don't think it matters whether it unbalances the game or not - just the fact that they're selling day one map pack DLC to people who don't pre-order is pretty shitty. The fact they've now added weapons/ammo to the mix if you pre-order from certain retailers has just sent people over the edge.

    DavoTheDiv can tell them to "grow the fuck up" all he likes - fact is, they're doing a damn fine job of letting EA know that day one DLC is not appreciated. I've pre-ordered the game, but my mates haven't. They're more likely to buy the game on release day/within a couple of weeks of release from a bricks and mortar store. They're not going to have the Karkland map pack. I want to play on those maps with my mates. They're going to have to buy them. From day one, that's bullshit. You're splitting your community on day one. Stupidity.

  • DDevil #10 12 months ago

    I did not know about this pre-order DLC. I'll be definitely putting an order in now.

  • koopahell #11 12 months ago

    It makes me gawp in astonishment that you can buy kit shortcuts for BFBC2, what an insane waste of points and game experience... I guess this is kind of similar with the weapons.

  • Watkins #12 12 months ago

    How can Reddit have great influence if the rest of the world doesn't know it? That is the dictionary definition of no influence

  • CaptainQuint #13 12 months ago

    I see Davo is living up to his name.

  • MrFlump #14 12 months ago

    I miss the days when you actually just bought a game and got to play it in its entirety rather than getting exclusive stuff depending where you bought it or paying twice as much for extras.

    Don't ever remember having to choose between "Manic Miner" and "Manic Miner - Coal Miner Mega-Edition exclusively available from John Menzies with extra levels and different costumes".

  • cowell #15 12 months ago

    Thanks Reddit for the tip off. I wasn't aware there was day one DLC. Places pre-order!

    I'm sure the overall impact of this campaign will be to increase rather than decrease pre-orders. Bravo internet fanaticS!

  • TeeHee #16 12 months ago

    Gunship pilot here.

    Don't care.

    but seriously for the cannon fodder does it really matter?

    In BF the snipers are usually far outside the range of infantry for a flash supressor to be effective. the light machine guns tend to have a rate of fire fast enough to mow most targets down with similar ease and shotguns, if used correctly, tend to be one shot kill weapons any way.

  • randompanda #17 12 months ago

    In fairness, lots of relatively unknown people and companies have influence over the world - whether it's political, financial or through the media.

    Reddit isn't one of those entities.
    Edited by randompanda at 13/06/11 @ 13:50

  • makeamazing #18 12 months ago

    If you are buying the game, surely you would pre-order it at no extra cost?

  • MavSkipper #19 12 months ago

    Well, those 1792 people might as well wait for another 3-4 years time when BF3 Complete Edition comes out with all the sh!ts and giggles' DLC included for a reduced price.

    I don't see anything wrong with the pre-order bonus. The game will come out in 4-5 months time, surely they'll be able to save up until then... if not, well, it's their money.

  • repeater #20 12 months ago

    Anyone complimenting themselves on being a hive mind has got bigger problems to deal with than some reskinned weapons in BF3..

  • dirtysteve #21 12 months ago

    'Type 88 light machine gun with bi-pod'

    Does this mean the bi-pod will be functional? We've had them for years, and even in games with a prone animation, the rarely do anything more than dangle.

  • riz23 #22 12 months ago

    /places preorder

  • XdarXideX #23 12 months ago

    Makes you feel proud to be a gamer when other gamers throw their toys out of the crib for NO REASON every fucking day, doesn't it?

  • CaptainQuint #24 12 months ago

    So pre ordering gives you these "benefits" at no extra cost?

    /Pre ordered.

  • jablonski #25 12 months ago

    Are there no games coming out between now and November?

    EG seems to think so

  • P1GEONPOO #26 12 months ago

    If you havent got a mega pc then which is going to be the best version 360 or ps3? Need to know this before preordering.

  • MrChuckles #27 12 months ago

    I expect this is due to the retailers wanting 'EXCLUSIVE pre-order bonus content for in store'. I'd expect EA would happily sell it after the game comes out (After all they'd make more money), but then the retailers lose their exclusivity deal and have a hissy fit. This has certainly been the reasoning behind some pre-order stuff on products that I or friends have worked on in the last year or two.

  • GitSomE_UK #28 12 months ago

    FFS so what? It's BF3! Isn't that enough????

  • FireMonkey #29 12 months ago

    The weapons are probably in the main game, but they just need to be unlocked as you get to a certain level.
    This is what they did in BC2.

    On PC the people with high spec PC's have a unfair advantage over me as they can run at a higher res and so will be able to see me better, but do you hear me bitching about that?

  • FTM #30 12 months ago

    They should get a job instead of larking about on the internet all day..then they could afford the limited edition and its pre-order rewards :)

  • Teamallstar #31 12 months ago

    People really do moan about everything...

    I am going to pre-order in protest of the protesters!!

  • magicpanda #32 12 months ago

    In fairness Reddit.com gets over one billion page views per month. 14 million people read it per month. As websites go it's one of the most popular in the world.
    Edited by magicpanda at 13/06/11 @ 14:19

  • xRiska #33 12 months ago

    Surely you would unlock better weapons than this within a couple of days of play anyway, regardless if these particular ones were in the game or not. This is a massive over-reaction to a non-existent problem.

  • Tryhard #34 12 months ago

    I am a poster on that site.And just like to say some of the people there are a little bit too scary and serious about some things[Yes someone started a thread about having tides in BF3]. We preordered because we love BF and get all that stuff.Where is the problem?

  • SonicUk #35 12 months ago

    Not a Limited Edition. Just the Standard Edition with a dlc card inside. I really hate it when publishers try and make out including a dlc card inside the box somehow turns and ordinary game into a "Limited Edition". I want some actual physical extras, an art book, soundtrack, keyring, model gun etc, not some dlc card which I still have to download the content from a server anyway because I don't have a physical copy of it on a disc.
    Edited by SonicUk at 13/06/11 @ 14:28

  • randompanda #36 12 months ago

    Magic Panda - Ah god, another Panda!

  • magicpanda #37 12 months ago

    While I'm fine with day one weapon unlocks some of these are exclusive guns and ammo that won't be available to anyone else other than those that preorder with Game or whatever.

  • deadstoned #38 12 months ago

    I'm very unimpressed by the "Physical Warfare" pack. If I have the exclusives I feel like a cheat, if I don't have them I feel cheated. I don't want to be forced to shop at a specific retailer and I want everyone to start off on a level playing field.

    EA make the "Physical Warfare pack" universal from all retailers and only as a early unlock or scrap it. I REALLY HATE pre-order incentives that are exclusive and not available to all. Especially when they may relate to balancing issues in the future. 50%+ of all PC sales will probably go through Steam and they'll all be disadvantaged for example.

  • oceanmotion #39 12 months ago

    I don't understand.

    THE ONLY VERSION YOU CAN BUY IS THE LIMITED EDITION SO HOW CAN YOU LOSE.

  • hiddenranbir #40 12 months ago

    Wait you mean an unfair advantage that is balanced out once we unlock the weapons ourselves?

    Isn't this JUST like BC2 and MoH?

    I got a few rifles early and oh boy did I dominate...or something.

    Edited by hiddenranbir at 13/06/11 @ 15:00

  • fletch7100 #41 12 months ago

    Plus the physical pack is England/ europe only i believe. there was meant to be different packs for Americas, Asia etc. So the shotgun you get, its an early unlock. you know EA will charge for this pack couple of months after launch, same with the different packs that are coming out in other regions


    As for the Back To Karkland pack, you can only pre order the limited edition version as confimed by EA . haven't seen any ordinary version to pre order. no release date for karkland map pack has been given to my knowledge, one early story was about a month after BF3 launch for everyone. People who pre order get it free everyone else has to else has to pay.

  • Meh #42 12 months ago

    isn't that why it's called limited edition???

  • MagnificentDuke #43 12 months ago

    This is no different to real "war". Whoever can afford the better guns have the advantage.

  • deadstoned #44 12 months ago

    @WooHoo!!! No there are 2 editions Battlefield 3 Limited Edition and Battlefield 3 Limited Edition Physical Warfare pack

    Exclusive:
    [link url=http://www.game.co.uk/Games/PC-Games-and-Downloads/Shooter-First-Person/Battlefield-3-Limited-Edition-Physical-Warfare-Pack/~r355081/?s=battlefield+3
    ]http://www.game.co.uk/Games/PC-Games-and...[/link]
    [link url=http://www.gamestation.co.uk/gs/battlefield-3-limited-edition-physical-warfare-pack-131798?pageSize=20&searchTerm=battlefield%203%20preorder
    ]http://www.gamestation.co.uk/gs/battlefi...[/link]

    Non-Exclusive:
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Battlefield-3-Li...

  • hiddenranbir #45 12 months ago

    Isn't like a difference in gun makes that big a difference anyway. Depends on circumstance and skillz.

    I use a Steyr Aug in BC2. I'm not suffering because of it.

  • king26 #46 12 months ago

    It should be available to everyone who buys the game new, pre-owned purchases should have to pay extra. That should suit EA, Dice and fans

  • beef_spread #47 12 months ago

    The only version isn't the limited edition. There is a physical warfare edition, the limited edition provides back to karkland maps (probably available to buy soon after games release). The physical warfare edition however, gives these maps along with a shotgun that is "unlocked" and several weapons and items that are not in the standard edition. If you actually read the article or looked up a related link you would see this.

  • Red930 #48 12 months ago

    By the time you have levelled up these guns and ammo will be irrelevant anyway - same as they were with the BFBC2 pre-order bonus'.

    They will give you a kick start for the first few levels then you'll ditch them for something better. Get over it.

    The map "DLC" on the other hand is a bit of a stitch up.

  • oceanmotion #49 12 months ago

    @deadstoned

    Right, thanks. I can see how messy it looks now. EA are confusing the situation with two different versions before we even get to exclusive part of it.

  • fletch7100 #50 12 months ago

    everyone who pre orders gets limited edition verison with Back to Karkland pack free. Release date of pack unknown maybe month after launch.


    Ordinary verison, no such thing to pre order as confimed by EA, if you pre order BF3 you get limited edition anyway
    limited editon on its own( no physical pack ), places like amazon, shopto, etc

    want physical pack with your pre ordered limited edition get it from game or gamestation

    or buy physical pack and whatever other unlock weapon packs that EA are releasing in other regions around the world sometime after launch

    So the point is if you are playing against Americans what kit will they have as the US verison of a weapon unlock pack hasn't been released yet

  • Xboxfanuk #51 12 months ago

    As long as everything is available to players either through pre-order or purchase then I don't see the problem. Publishers are going to extract micro-transactions from everyone the best they can. And pre-orders mean shelf space at GAME. EA doesn't listen to anything but money anyway, same as all companies.

  • ThemisB #52 12 months ago

    Aren't they just early unlocks? Probably all stuff you'll get in your first few hours online anyway. I still agree that these preorder 'incentives' are stupid, but I'm not worried about anyone having an advantage because of them.

  • anthonypappa #53 12 months ago

    i like unlocking stuff through play. it's kind of the reason to play it.

  • Xardan #54 12 months ago

    The point of this is to avoid consumer exploitation from this and future DLC schemes. We all know EA take their DLC very seriously, but this is a particular instance where it is regarded as unacceptable. This seems very understandable to me, but many people would think otherwise and those are the ones we have to thank for the state of things to come.

  • Bibbo #55 12 months ago

    There's no advantage with any of these unlocks. Much like early unlocks for Bad Company 2, I laugh at the people that love to moan about anything and everything.

    Hardly surprising coming from the EA Forums.

    Next they'll be kicking off because of the choice of map and weapons on the beta.
    Edited by Bibbo at 13/06/11 @ 16:39

  • milki-tea #56 12 months ago

    I couldn't give an absolute fuck. I will start and give a shit when DICE finally release xbox360 and PS3 gameplay footage....until then, I've pre-ordered SKYRIM, TOMB RAIDER, AC:REVELATIONS........Oh, and another game called Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

    x

  • aldogray #57 12 months ago

    Just a general rant about extra content..

    I have no problem with the extra content being available in the limited edition as long as it is available to buy straight away for everyone else BUT if these "special" weapons give the owner any advantage at all they should only be allowed in certain online modes (maybe a best of the best mode or something). These weapons should also be unlockable for standard users for free in the standard version. How pissed off would you be if you paid £45 for a game specifically to go online and then you found out you had to pay an extra tenner to be able to compete with the guy with a super hand cannon? If, on the back of the game case, they put something like "Be the best of the best!" they should also be a * next to it with small print at the bottom saying "purchase of additional online conent may be required"

  • Laminator #58 12 months ago

    Those items aren't early unlocks they are exclusives to those who preorder (in this case from Game). Other regions and retailers will likely have different exclusives. That means by even by preordering you are losing out on a bunch of stuff. It really sucks and I cancelled preorder and only hope that EA will rethink this retarded idea. I want to buy BF3 looks like a great game but gotta draw the line somewhere.
    Edited by Laminator at 13/06/11 @ 16:52

  • fletch7100 #59 12 months ago

    This from EA battlefield blog

    Q: Is the Physical Warfare Pack available in all regions, or just in the UK?
    A: It will be available worldwide at select retailers. It was first announced in the UK. Exact details for other countries and retailers will be announced at a later date.



    Q: Will Physical Warfare Pack imbalance the game?
    A: The three exclusive items in the Physical Warfare Pack were specifically chosen not to be overpowered or imbalance or break the game in any way.



    Q: Why do I want the Physical Warfare Pack?
    A: Owning these items will give you a more varied arsenal, but it will not give you a significant advantage on the battlefield.



    Q: Is the Back to Karkand expansion pack exclusive to pre-orders?
    A: No. You can also buy it separately if you do not pre-order Battlefield 3. Back to Karkand will be available the exact same date after the launch of Battlefield 3 no matter if you pre-ordered or buy it separately.



    Q: When will the Back to Karkand expansion pack be released?
    A: We have not yet announced the Back to Karkand expansion pack release date.



    Q: How much does the Back to Karkand Expansion pack cost?
    A: We have not yet announced a price. However, it will be included in the Limited Edition at no extra charge.



    Q: Do I have to choose between Back to Karkand and the Physical Warfare Pack as my pre-order bonus?

    A: No. There is no way you can pre-order Battlefield 3: Limited Edition and not end up with the Back to Karkand expansion pack at no extra charge. On top of this, select retailers all over the world will carry the Physical Warfare Pack. Exact details for other countries and retailers will be announced at a later date.



    Q: Why do you offer pre-order bonus items?

    A: Because we believe in rewarding our core fanbase with special offers -- such as giving them the Back to Karkand expansion pack at no extra charge.

  • hiddenranbir #60 12 months ago

    I've got it pre-ordered so I'm happy. BF3, wooo!

  • IronGiant #61 12 months ago

    If you pre-order games you tend to get them at a cheaper price so I'll always pre-order the best games and this looks stunning. As long as there weapons don't totally unbalance the game it's hardly worth moaning about.. Blame the retailers!

  • azix2 #62 12 months ago

    "reddit"? I recently found out about this site and can't understand the big deal. Anyway "reddit" didn't post sh*t. Someone on reddit posted something to reddit. Weird wording. I think ppl think this site is alive or something. It speaks to you?

  • Chufty #63 12 months ago

    Lol, gamers.

  • Dannyboy1100 #64 12 months ago

    Mw3 maybe a rehash but at least it isnt a day dlc piece of shit

    There will be a new gun for £5 every other wee

  • coolbritannia #65 12 months ago

    Pre-orderers are better than you. fact. Quit whining.

  • theirongiant #66 12 months ago

    Balls, this has been in every bc game and no-one cried themselves to sleep over it. It you care that much, pre-order, if you don't, don't.

  • GibboMayhem #67 12 months ago

    Sounds like 1 massive circle jerk off with 1800 twats.

    FYI as far as I am aware the normal edition and special edition cost exactly the same so whats the big problem here?

    I have both the 360 and pc limited editions on pre order costing £40/£30. In comparsion MW3 costs £45 for a normal version which is its closet competitor.

  • kristo #68 11 months ago

    Fuck pre-ordering either way. I just don't understand it. I mean, back in the day of limited supplies or actual Limited Editions, yes, it made sense.

    Today, why the fuck would you pre-order something? I mean, I know why companies want you too, but I just fail to see the logic. To register your blind devotion? To show you have poor judgement, too much money or both?

    Amazed.