Details Emerge For Battlefield 3: Back To Karkand Expansion Pack
Battlefield 3 is quickly becoming one of the most anticipated games of the year. DICE has pleasantly surprised the the gaming world with most Battlefield 3 news so far — especially the 12 minute gameplay trailer, which allowed existing fans to see the new Frostbite 2 engine in all its glory, as well as encouraging interest from plenty of new fans.
That’s not to say DICE has forgotten about its core fan base. Some details have emerged about the Back To Karkand expansion pack over on the Battlefield Blog, which will see four classic Battlefield maps return, optimised for the powerful Frostbite 2 engine.  The four maps returning as part of the expansion pack — which is free to anyone that pre-orders the game —  are as follows: Strike at Karkand, Wake Island, Gulf of Oman, and Sharqi Peninsula.
In a short Q&A with Lead Designer Niklas Fegraeus and co-op Lead Designer David Spinnier, we learn about some changes made to bring the maps in line with the technology being used for Battlefield 3.
“These are evidently some of the very best maps we have ever built. We have unquestionable data and feedback from the community saying so.” Fegraeus commented. “From a gameplay perspective, destruction is the biggest addition compared to the original map in Battlefield 2 back in 2005. I remember this particular building by the square in the original where players could defend very effectively. Now, with the destructive power of Frostbite 2, someone can just RPG that building and expose the defenders within.”
David Spinnier, the person responsible for designing the original Strike at Karkand map in Battlefield 2, couldn’t be happier about its inclusion in Battlefield 3. “I’m super happy and proud that it became such a classic. I’m excited to see it remade with a whole new level of graphics and destruction and have given the developers of the expansion pack a few pointers on the map.”
Check out the Battlefield Blog for more information on the Back to Karkand expansion pack.
Battlefield 3 will be available to purchase this fall for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.
Terry Lucy
I'm 23, from London, UK. I am the co-host for a technology talk show and an all round nerd. Video games have been a huge part of my life. As soon as I was old enough to pick up a control pad, I was playing games. I split my spare time between pubs and arcades, two of my favourite places on Earth.
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