EA just released an announcement stating that online play for Battlefield 3 will be down for a period of time. All three platforms will be affected (Xbox 360, PS3, PC). Gamers will not be able to play Battlefield 3 online for about an hour and a half starting at 5 AM est - 6:30 AM est tomorrow (the 7th.) So if you can't connect to your favorite Battlefield 3 server (let alone EA's servers), do not be alarmed.

As was announced a week ago, the long awaited VoIP fix for Battlefield 3 players on the Playstation 3 has finally landed. The fix is automatically applied for PS3 players. This fix will not be released for either the PC or Xbox 360 problems, as the PS3 was the only one with VoIP issues.

The VoIP issues were prominent since release and the reaction from this minor patch has been positive, most reports indicate it has worked. There is some confusion from within the Battlefield 3 community concerning the patch though. Many gamers were under the impression that this patch would fix a number of Battlefield 3 gameplay issues. That is not the case, this patch was strictly for PS3's VoIP issues. There is a major patch expected later this month for Battlefield 3.

It's been just over one year since the original Battlefield 3 trailer release. One year since DICE took the gaming world by storm. On February 3rd 2011 we were given a few hints at what would be coming in the near future. We knew it was Battlefield 3 news, but other than that we didn't know.

locust9 - 2/3/11 said:

On the 4th we got the first trailer and details concerning Battlefield 3.

Back to Karkand seems like more of a recent announcement, but did you know that information surrounding the expansion pack originated a year ago? We predicted the four maps to be: Strike at Karkand, Wake Island, Gulf of Oman, and Road to Jalalabad - plus weapons and vehicles. Not a bad prediction.

A large number of people knew about Battlefield 3 when it was first officially confirmed, even more when this first trailer came out. So when did you learn about Battlefield 3 and what was your initial reaction?

Did you know Battlefield 3 was actually confirmed to be in development in Summer 2009?

The official DICE store is now down to only a few of it's limited edition lithographs! Each lithograph features a dramatic Battlefield 3 experience and is sure to compliment any gamer's wall. It is a must have if you dare call yourself a Battlefield 3 veteran! These prints aren't on a flimsy piece of paper, but an ass-kicking 300g Heaven 42 (if you want to read more about the paper, look here). The available limited edition prints:

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Each lithograph is priced at $39.99 USD (they're limited edition, 1,000 in the world total)! Not interested? Not a problem, the DICE store has tons of other Battlefield 3 swag too like shirts, dog-tags, bracelets, and more!

The Battlefield 3 developers have officially spoken on the hotly debated USAS-12/frag rounds issue. Many BF3 gamers have made the shotgun's power well known and have been urging DICE to adjust the gun. If you've played Battlefield 3 in the past two months, you may have noticed the oddly powerful shotgun as well.

Now when will this update be? We're expecting the next Battlefield 3 patch to come sometime this month.

We know that Battlefield 3 DLC focused around America is a rumor right now, but at least there's some DLC news on the way. In an investor conference call, EA's VP of investor relations, Peter Ausnit said:

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This news comes just a day after EA revealed that Battlefield 3 sold ten million copies by December 31st.

EA's third quarter came to an end on the 31st, ending one of EA's most profitable quarters ever. The success was driven in large part by Battlefield 3's success, selling over 10 million copies in just over two months. You can read the full press-release here.

Riccitiello said:

FIFA 12 (released late September '11) sold a similar amount of units. If Battlefield 3's third quarter sales rate is continuing and counting in the holidays, the current count might be at about 12.5 million copies. Origin is also catching on with gamers, it helped to generate some $100 million in revenue for the company during the same quarter. Battlefield 3 is still one of the most popular products on Origin.

In October during an investment call, EA's Frank D Gibeau said that the first six months of Battlefield 3's life would be jam-packed with DLC. So far, two DLC packs have been released of the expected 21 total. This has been leading to a lot of speculation from the community, the hottest rumor right now involves America. This Battlefield 3 DLC would be focused towards NYC, Miami, and San Francisco. (BF2 veterans might remember the entertaining Armored Fury expansion pack.) Unfortunately there's no truth to these rumors according to DICE developer Alan Kertz:

It is odd though that we've only seen two expansion packs since October.

Server owners listen up, what follows are some of the most valued features PC players look for in a Battlefield 3 server.

Looking to get people into your server? Then you have to think like a gamer, there's more to just maps and modes when it comes to getting people into your BF3 server. A well written and informative title can pull a gamer's attention more than the map or mode. Include your ticket count, server features, and maybe your server's location (not needed as much since Battlelog has the location). Numbers also pull a user's attention too (what you'll see mostly is 24/7).

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Lots of information in a little bit of text.

The whole reason of running a server is to have people play in it, here's some tips from the community and things too think about when you want to start a server:

• Active admins.
  
• Admins that don't abuse their powers (kicking players who are better than them).
  
• Keep server messages to a minimum, no one wants to see the rules every five minutes.
  
• Keep an eye out for team-balance. Often what happens is there are high ranked players on one team and newer players on the other.
  
• Have a website or Teamspeak? Encourage teamwork and dedication by including their information in the chat at slow intervals (two to three times a game).
  
• votekick, voteban, votemap. Giving power to the players will do wonders for player retainment.
  
• Run a ban service like PBBans or GGC-Stream.

Running a niche server can also attract dedicated players. Niche servers include 24/7 Operation Metro servers, Hardcore servers with 3D spotting, TDM servers with no M320/RPG's. This is an easy way to build a dedicated community around your Battlefield 3 server.

While running a specialized server will retain players, it can also scare away new players. Don't change your settings too much. 3,000 tickets and 500% vehicle spawn-time is a great way to keep your server empty. Have other suggestions for Battlefield 3 servers? Leave them in the comments!

PS3 fans of Battlefield 3 can rejoice knowing that the promised VoIP fix will be released on February 6th. The fix will weigh in at a light 20mb will be mandatory for all PS3 users.

EA said:

BF3 developers also noted that VoIP issues may be caused by certain headsets. Specifically the SLEH-00075 Bluetooth Headset. Here's instructions on how to get everything working:

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