Electronic Arts announced today that the first person shooter, Battlefield 3 has sold 5 million units in its first week of release. According to the press release, Battlefield 3 also has more then 2.5 million “Likes” on its Facebook page. It also goes on to mention that while players have had a solid first weekend of playing online, there have been “intermittent disruption of online services” due to the high volume of traffic. However, ” internal estimates show that servers and service uptime stabilized to roughly 98.9% throughout the weekend, ensuring that players were connected and enjoying the game. With a commitment to support the game as a software service, EA is listening to consumer feedback and is making daily updates and improvements to ensure an optimal online experience for all.”

Other notable bullet points mentions is that the game has over 200k followers on Twitter, and already fans have 73M savior kills, 48M revives and destroyed 67M vehicles.

Don’t forget to check out our full review of Battlefield 3 and the game is now available on store shelves for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

This week is another hefty week of releases. Battlefield 3 is out for Xbox 360 PlayStation 3 and PC. So, what platform are you picking up the game on? If you’re interested, here are the other releases come out as well.

10/25/2011
Active Life: Magical Carnival (Wii)
Back to the Future (PS3, Wii)
Battlefield 3 (360, PS3, PC)
Ben 10 Galactic Racing (3DS)
Blackwater (360)
Captain America: Super Soldier (3DS)
Centipede: Infestation (Wii, 3DS)
Country Dance 2 (Wii)
Dance Central 2 (360)
Disney Universe (360, PS3, Wii, PC)
Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi (PS3, 360)
Heavy Fire: Afghanistan (Wii, PC)
Heavy Fire: The Chosen Few (3DS)
Horses 3D (3DS)
House of the Dead Overkill – Extended Cut (PS3)
I Spy Castle (DS)
Just Dance Kids 2 (Wii, 360, PS3)
Kinect Sports Season Two (360)
Kirby’s Return to Dream Land (Wii)
Magic School Bus Oceans (DS)
Monster High: Ghoul Spirit (DS, Wii)
Pokemon Rumble Blast (3DS)
Puss in Boots (Wii, DS, 360)
Stronghold 3 (PC)
The Cursed Crusade (360, PS3)
Zoo Resort (3DS)
inviZimals: Shadow Zone (PSP)
thinkSMART Chess for Kids (DS)

A pretty big week, especially if you’re into dancing titles, you have yourself Just Dance Kids 2 as well as Dance Central 2 for Kinect. What are you getting this week?

Here we go again, new season, new game, and from what I have seen so far, a whole new football gaming experience. One week away from release and it’s the word ‘new’ that is a daunting one here. Yes we love the updated teams, players and graphics and whatnot, but with the majority of the big changes made to the actual gameplay mechanics, should we be biting our nails at this stage?

Maybe the more hardcore FIFA players will be biting their nails over the changes made this year, but then maybe you’re just not as hardcore as you thought you were after all? See, the changes made to FIFA 12 this year are ones that force a more tactical and in turn more realistic sense of football simulation. Gone are the days of simply holding A and X (Xbox 360) in order to sandwich the ball holder into submission with two defenders. No more automatic jockeying, jostling and tackling with one button, because now it’s all about Tactical Defending (TD).

From the very tutorial-oriented start of the demo it is clear to see that this year EA Sports have set out to try something very different. No more than two minutes into the demo I am told that FIFA 12 has a very different method of defending which I would need to be taught prior to continuing. At this point, admittedly, I did shit myself slightly. Big changes such as this worry me, particularly for a game such as FIFA which is one that has come on leaps and bounds in recent years in terms of gameplay (and I say this as a former Pro Evolution enthusiast). Honestly though, in the back of my mind I knew that holding one button to press, jockey, jostle, contain and tackle an opponent was a bit of a cop out.

Defending tactically with a sliding impact...

TD is made up of a number of tactical methods which range from holding a player up goal-side to containing and taking the ball from the opponent. I firstly had the opportunity to try the Tackle Drill, aiming to take the ball from my opponent. This immediately reminded me of the FIFA games pre-2009, in that you had to press the B button to perform a standing tackle or block. The slide tackle doesn’t seem to have changed much, but it is just a sliding tackle. One noticeable feature when sliding however is the new Player Impact Engine which helps the sliding tackles feel more heavy and realistic upon impact with the opposing player or the ball. Jockeying is now not as simple as it used to be. It has been split up into numerous tasks working towards holding up an attacker, moving in to contain him and finally attempting to secure the ball with a tackle. This makes the defending tougher but more challenging. The ball carrier must be pressured to a certain degree and any mistake made defensively will more than likely be a costly one.

The new defending system is a son-of-a-bitch to get used to at first after having grown to playing the same way for the past 3 years or so, but I can’t help but feel that the change should be welcomed as the old method has become out-dated and much too simple. We all know it’s a bit too simple and quite frankly annoying when you get beat by a 7 year old kid online (the shame…).

Jockey, contain, jostle, tackle... all in that order...

The Player Impact Engine (PIE) looks to be a neat addition allowing real world physicality upon player contact. Two years in development this new physics engine has managed to provide FIFA 12 with a much more realistic feel on the pitch and ties in beautifully with the True Injuries feature whereby the PIE monitors contact between players in real time and evaluates each collision accordingly to decide if an injury has been done and if so, where.

In addition to the new gameplay features, there are new modes such as Online Friendlies, Head to Head Seasons and an all new Career Mode which all seem like promising additions to the game from both multiplayer and single player perspectives.

The full game is available from September 30^th, until then the demo is available now for download. Check it out and let us know what you think.

With the beta for Battlefield 3 drawing closer and closer, EA wanted to clue you in on some system requirements you’ll have to keep in mind for your PCs. Will you need a smart PC to play the beta? Read on to find out.

Minimum System Requirements

OS: Windows Vista (Service Pack 2) 32-bit
Processor: 2 GHz Dual Core (Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz or Athlon X2 2.7 GHz)
Memory: 2 GB
Hard Drive: 20 GB
Graphics Card (AMD): DirectX 10.1 Compatible with 512 MB RAM (ATI Radeon 3000, 4000, 5000 or 6000 SERIES, with ATI RADEON 3870 or higher performance)
Graphics Card (Nvidia): DirectX 10.0 compatible with 512 MB RAM (Nvidia Geforce 8, 9, 200, 300, 400 or 500 series with Nvidia Geforce 8800 GT or higher performance)
Sound Card: DirectX compatible
Keyboard and Mouse
DVD-ROM Drive

Recommended System Requirements

OS: Windows 7 64-bit
Processor: Quad-core CPU
Memory: 4 GB
Hard Drive: 20 GB
Graphics Card: DirectX 11 compatible with 1024 MB RAM (Nvidia Geforce GTX 560 or ATI Radeon 6950)
Sound Card: DirectX compatible
Keyboard and Mouse
DVD-ROM Drive

Via Joystiq

EA Games has revealed the heavily anticipated Battlefield 3 Beta will be incoming on September 29th, 2011.

The beta will be multiplayer only and will be running on Xbox 360 and PlayStation consoles. Gamers who pre-order the digital PC version of the game at Origin (powered by EA) will be granted early access to the beta starting on September 27, 2011.

The beta is set in Paris on the Operation Metro map, where players work their way from lush parks on the outskirts of the city to a dark, bombed-out metro station, to the vibrant streets around the Paris stock exchange. Two elite tactical units square off in the series’popular Rush Mode. One side takes the offensive by attacking M-COM stations while the opposing squad defends and protects. For more information about the beta, players should visit www.battlefield.com/beta or follow @Battlefield on Twitter. In addition, all customers that pre-ordered a Limited Edition of Medal of Honor™ will also receive early access to the beta starting on September 27, 2011.

Gamers in the beta can also log onto Battlelog, the game’s free social media network that allows gamers to communicate and compete with friends, track their stats and share their progress. Battlelog extends the in-game experience to be accessible anywhere, whether on a PC, console or handheld device.
Players are also invited to join the EA Gun Club for the latest shooter news, and to receive in-game benefits including access to the M1911 pistol and distinct badges in Battlefield 3. The M1911 pistol will also be available to registered Battlefield veterans.

With new features using real-time map locations, SSX will allow players to drop anywhere on the planet at any time. SSX won’t see release on the store shelves till January 2012, but we have some new screenshots for you below to take a gander at. SSX will feature all new multiplayer modes and online play including social interaction features to keep you occupied.

Electronic Arts’ Gamescom press conference just wrapped up this morning and sent over a new batch of Battlefield 3 screenshots. The presentation focused on co-op on a PlayStation 3 system live on stage.

The game so far seems to be wrapping up development as the release is nearing closer and closer. Don’t forget that if you pre-order the game you’ll be offered the Limited Edition version of the game. The Limited Edition includes the Back to Karkand multiplayer map post-launch for free. Check out the rest of the screenshots below.

Here we have a new batch of NCAA 12 screenshots for you to take a gander at below. Enjoy.

NCAA 12 releases next month (July) on Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.

EA has revealed the contents of a new downloadable content pack coming for Crysis 2 players. The pack contains 5 new maps and two new weapons. The maps are; 5th Avenue, Chasm, Plaza, Prism, and Apartments plus for weapons the smoke grenade, and FY71 assault rifle. This pack will hit Xbox Live, PSN, and PC on June 28th in North America and Europe the next day.

EA is running a livestream of Battlefield 3 for the next four hours. Apparently the stream will show a few videos, have some interviews and will hopefully have some live gameplay. Feel free to join us in watching it right here with the fancy embed you can see above these here sentences. Expect some awkward military dudes talking about games confirmed.

EA and DICE have just announced a multi-platform open beta for Battlefield 3 at EA’s E3 2011 press conference. The beta will begin in September, so look out for it then. We’ll be throwing up a gameplay video from the game later so keep your eyes open for that when it hits. We’re currently watching the game now on EA’s livestream (http://live-event.ea.com/e3/press) and it’s shaping up to be something special. We have also managed to get a snippet of footage of the game’s multiplayer too, which is available after the jump. It’s 49 seconds long, but that’s more gameplay than you’re going to see of The Old Republic and other titles this E3!

EA and Insomniac Games have announced Overstrike, a new four-player co-op action game. According to the press release, “a shadowy organization has threatened to take over the world and there’s only one team that can stop it: Overstrike 9”. Expect teamwork and gadgets, alongside some America-fuck yeah style terrorist popping. Vintage. This is Insomniac’s first multiplatform release, as Overstrike will be released on both the 360 and the PS3. We’re not sold on it yet, but you can check out the trailer on the game’s official site.

A quick one just before EA’s E3 press conference, here’s a lovely little gameplay trailer for Battlefield 3 that has just been pushed out to the internet by EA and DICE. Expect to hear more about this explosive game later this evening during EA’s E3 press conference. As always, we’ll keep you up to date on any important developments.

EA has announced Need for Speed: The Run. As you can expect, it’s the next entry in its long-running driving series Need for Speed. The Run will be released on the 3DS, PC, PS3, Wii and 360 in North America on 15th November and Europe on 17th November.

Apparently, Need for Speed: The Run will once again be set in the world of underground racing. However, the twist this time is that it will take place against the backdrop of a high-speed race across the US from San Francisco to New York.

This time, development duties are being handled by Black Box. They’re the developers that controlled the franchise from 2002 to 2008, creating seven consecutive yearly updates. Those included NFS Underground and our personal favourite: NFS Most Wanted.

“EA Black Box will spend more than two years of development time on The Run to make sure this is the most action packed and finest cinematic racing experience in NFS history,” EA said.

Intriguingly, The Run will use DICE’s new Frostbite 2.0 engine. That’s the same one that’s going to be used in upcoming FPS Battlefield 3. Criterion’s social competition service Autolog from Hot Pursuit will also be making an appearance.

With the Collective Bargaining Agreement still looking no closer to being resolved and the possibility of a there being no season come August 2011 NFL fans are dealt yet another blow as EA have today announced that their latest installment of Madden, 2012, will be pushed back by three weeks.

No reason has been cited as to why this has happened and it does mean the game will be released closer to the start of the NFL regular season, if there is one. It also gives Maddens sister game, NCAA, three weeks to rack up some sales before it’s bigger brother comes crashing onto the scene.

EA are keeping tight lipped about the reasons of this delay, it could be to do in part with the unresolved CBA situation or perhaps is something to do with a number of EA staff recently leaving the company, but all we know is that all you Madden fans will have to bite your lips three extra weeks before getting your hands on 2012.

Dragon Age: Origins was a game a long time in the making, with five years between its initial announcement in 2004 and eventual release in 2009. Billed as a spiritual successor to the seminal RPG series Baldur’s Gate, it was a big hit for Bioware and EA, successfully marrying old school fantasy adventuring with the blood, sex and brutal combat expected of a modern day release. Dragon Age II, on the other hand, comes to us little more than a year later and those expecting more of the same may be a little surprised.

Many elements of the game at first glance seem watered down, or streamlined if you prefer. Gone is that joyful (laborious?) process of equipping each of your party members in a selection of armours, with each now being limited to a single piece that can be upgraded, except for our hero Hawke, whose wardrobe we retain full control over. Gone is the world map, that saw us trek across the nation of Fereldan, seeking out it’s wonders and braving the perilous dungeons and hideouts that littered its terrain. Instead, here we are confined to a single city, Kirkwall and some of the outlying caverns and coasts. Gone is the overarching, epic (if formulaic) plot, that saw us saving the world, in favour of something a little more personal. There is no Darkspawn uprising to contend with here, more of a series of events that Hawke and co end up getting wound up in, as fate conspires to draw our hero into the many many problems facing the people of Kirkwall.

All of the above may sound horrible to you, you may want to set the internet on fire now, consumed by a burning rage that will not be sated until you post a snarky comment on Bioware’s forums, or a User Review on Metacritic that uses the phrases ‘dumbed down’ and ‘consolized’ four hundred million times. Or maybe it sounds great, a move away from tired old RPG mechanics that have no place in gaming today. The thing with Dragon Age II is, it’s divisive. Some people will love that they no longer have to spend so much time constantly fiddling around in their inventory, deciding which minor statistical bonus is better. Some people will be delighted that mages can throw in fireballs and area of effect spells with gleeful abandon, without having to worry about setting their companions on fire. Others will find both of these points leave a bitter taste in their mouths.

The changes to the combat are likely to be one of the areas where the complaints are outweighed by the positive aspects. Battles are faster and more fluid now, on easier difficulties you’ll find yourself ploughing through scores of enemies and feeling awesome in the process. On Hard difficulty and above, things get a bit tougher. You’ll need to utilise cross-class combos that replace the mage spell combinations of Origins, to try and take down foes as quickly as possible before reinforcements arrive.

Speaking of reinforcements, that’s another bone of contention, enemies appear in waves, often spawning behind or around your characters, which can potentially leave your ranged characters in a spot of bother. Your mage, who was casually tossing lightning bolts from the back might be somewhat concerned to find that three demons have suddenly appeared from out of thin air and are now looking at him hungrily. Fortunately there is enough utility in all of the class skill trees to be able to turn any situation to your advantage, the spawns can be annoying, but you’re rarely left in a situation where things are hopeless because of them.

Verdict: Overall, compared to Origins, Dragon Age II feels a little rushed, endlessly repeating areas and a limited scale are likely to disappoint fans of the original. The fact that decisions you make as Hawke seemingly have little consequence other than a line or two of dialogue pales in comparison to Origins, where the fate of a nation is significantly altered by your choices. But there is, for those who are willing to look past the games deficiencies, a solid RPG here, with some good writing, satisfying progression and entertaining combat.

We’ve got a few new trailers for you coming up today. The first being a new Battlefield 3 trailer coming from EA and DICE. This new trailer focuses on a sniper compromising your position on top of a skyscraper in the city. You and your team move into cover to draw him out and take him out.

Battlefield 3 will release on Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC this Fall.

EA has announced that a PC version of the Crysis 2 multiplayer demo will be released on 1st March. The demo will be available from the Crysis 2 website and includes two maps and two modes. Both modes offer six versus six matches. The two maps are Skyline and Pier 17, which were in the 360 demo. The two modes are Team Instant Action and Crash Site.