Battlefield 3 rolls out retailer specific pre-order bonuses

by Richard Mitchell on Aug 1st 2011 8:05PM

It wouldn't be a new entry in a popular series without retailer specific pre-order bonuses. As previously revealed, all pre-orders will receive the limited edition of Battlefield 3 and, thus, the "Back to Karkand" map pack DLC, though each retailer will also have some different additional bonuses.

GameStop is offering the (timed exclusive) "Physical Warfare" DLC and PowerUp Rewards members will also snag a copy of the Prima strategy guide. Best Buy pre-orders will receive the "SPECACT Kit," a package of eight multiplayer skins. Finally, Amazon pre-orders include a pack of exclusive multiplayer dog tags.

Sadly not included with any of the pre-orders: Free time.

Via: Battlefield 3 Blog
Source: Amazon, GameStop, Best Buy

Tags: battlefield-3, dice, ea, microsoft, pc, playstation, ps3, xbox

Reader Comments (71)

I HATE THIS CRAP!!!

Why can't we all have the same game with the same amount of money we pay?

Errrrr!

@xiLeShadow Why? Unfortunately, because it works. I can understand your frustration with the developer in this one.

If you really want someone to get mad at, get mad at the people who pre-order for this stuff. As long as they keep buying, the companies will keep on selling it.

@omgJOHN - Your blame generally should be going to the retailers, Gamestop especially.

They're the ones that demand these types of incentives to get people to go to their store over purchasing it somewhere else. In return, they promise better shelf space/awareness/in store advertising/flyer advertising/online banners etc to help push sales of that game.

Don't play along & give them exclusive bonuses? You get none of that (unless it's a gigantic game like CoD that they know they'd be stupid not to advertise).

It sucks for us but it's great for the retailers (they can advertise exclusive content that you can only get from them) and it's great for the publishers (they do very little & the stores give them critical advertising).

While it's worse in gaming, it's far from just an issue there. You see the same things occasionally for DVDs where you see store specific versions that have extra bonuses.

Until everything goes digital, it's not likely going to end (and even then, there was a GameStop exclusive Halo: Reach Avatar helmet for pre-ordering one of the Reach map packs).

@Mcmax3000
Errr....digital has these kind of promotions as well there guy. Ever heard of iTunes exclusive tracks or Steam Editions....

@deftonesmx17 - Yes but in terms of consoles at least, there's only one "store" per console in terms of digital distribution so that won't be an issue. At that point, it gets into console exclusives, which are a completely different issue.

It could (and likely still will) be an issue on PC but not on consoles.

@xiLeShadow That's why I almost never pre-order. All it does is encourage this stupidity. And besides, I've been burned by enough "triple A" titles that only a handful of developers would get my money before I read the reviews.

@xiLeShadow

I don't know... the GameStop pre-order bonus looks to be the best one out there... yet.

If Amazon offers $20 future credit, then Amazon gets my money. But if it's just dog-tags, then there's really very little point to buying from them. More DLC for free is worth more than virtual dog-tags and weapon skins.

@xiLeShadow Um, if they didn't do these preorders, you wouldn't be able to get stuff like the DLC for free, you'd have to pay for it after the fact. Seems like a good deal to me. Don't like it? Go buy the game from KMart and you can purchase all of these extras seperately. Geeze, people complaining about free stuff, I just don't understand it.

@omgJOHN In actuality developers have nothing to do with the way their game is sold, that's the publisher part, in this case EA.

"all pre-orders will receive the limited edition of Battlefield 3 and, thus, the "Back to Karkand" map pack DLC"

Bout the only thing I want/need cause the rest of the stuff is crap.
Though I do wonder if..

"Best Buy pre-orders will receive the "SPECACT Kit," a package of eight multiplayer skins. " includes futureshop, since there technicly the same place.

@Faenix

"Bout the only thing I want/need cause the rest of the stuff is crap."

My thoughts exactly.

@Faenix - If you want the beta, it comes with the pre-order on Origin. If you bought MOH:LE, that obviously wouldn't be much of an incentive though.

Ugh, I know it doesn't affect gameplay (skins and dogtags) but I find this so annoying.

That's all for Amazon?

Oh well. At least I preordered.

@FlareSama Chances are they'll also give you money... Those jerks.

@FlareSama
I wonder what Steam is going to offer...

Oh, wait.

@FlareSama

We'll most likely get $20 though.

I see that fad hasn't died yet.

Oh well.

We can hope.

How about they just throw in all that stuff into one package no matter where you pre-order.

"Sadly not included with any of the pre-orders: Free time."

Damn. Haven't had any of that since back in my kindergarten days.

A free strategy guide? Okay Gamestop. Since my city's store is full of friendly staff, you've made the decision easy.

Shit! That's Whack!

I wish they'd make an actual "special edition" with like special packaging and extras (even tho they'd release it later as dlc). I hate how they call it a "special edition" just because it comes with the online pass.

@Rune2215 - It's not a special edition because it comes with the online pass... The early released copies are special edition.

Yes, the special edition content is usually activated with the online pass (which I'm sure is a ploy to get people to activate the code even if they're not going to be playing online so that copy is worth less used) but the two things are not linked (non-special edition copies get the online pass but it doesn't activate the special edition content).

@Rune2215

All new copies come with the Online Pass bro, special or not.

@Rune2215

The LE comes with a map pack, 2 weapons, and a vehicle unlock regardless of where you preorder it. Once the LE is sold out, there will only be regular editions, like with Bad Company 1 and 2.

I really hate this trend of these pre-order bonuses, abuse of DLC, DRM, etc.

I know the game industry is out to make money, but they are just getting flat-out greedy at this point! Very anti-consumer IMO.

I hope the next gen doesn't get any worse with all this, or I may have to go back to older games for good! Probably would be good to play old gems from the 90s anyways that I missed out on!

What I'm saying is I don't see this as a special edition at all. Sure it comes with free dlc, but that dlc WILL be available in a month or two after it's released.

Ooooh man, I'm gonna go home and play this!

But yea I do not like this vender-specific preorder BS.

@Marco le Polo

But think of the unnecessary capital to be made!

Multiplayer skins? Because I sure do love having a more difficult time figuring out who is what class at a glance.

You know what would be simply the best possible pre-order gift for this game??

Some actual Dogtags.

I wonder if the SPECACT Kit that includes the skins will be helpful...The skins in BC2 actually helped you blend in more in certain levels. Especially since the stupid bright red hat for the Russian medic was now a dark green. It was actually a disadvantage to have the original skin since you basically had a big flashy sign on top of your head saying "SHOOT HERE!"

Anybody remember that EA and Dr. Pepper promotion that was going on where they gave out free BC2 DLC (the new skins)? Their site never worked quite right so the PS3 version, which was the version I had, was never given a code to redeem the DLC so I missed out on the free codes. Apparently some people with a PS3 complained enough and EA just gave it to them for free, but never actually fixed the website. They ended up getting it for free and I missed my chance to get the DLC so if I wanted it, I had to pay for it. After that I always felt cheated whenever somebody in their new camo killed me. I was left with a bad taste in my mouth and eventually just gave up on the game. It gave an unfair advantage to the people who either complained or paid extra money and I didn't want to do either.

It might seem silly to everyone else that I quit playing the game because of that, but it's what made me eventually stop. I'm still really looking forward to BF3. I just hope they don't have any stupid red hats this time around...

@Ospov

Wasnt that Dr. pepper promotion only for Americans, and the xbox 360 version of the game?

@Faenix Nope. Well, maybe originally, but the SPECACT DLC was made available on all platforms, including PC. They did release it on 360 first, citing "technical issues" with other platforms - and that was after delaying it previously!

@Faenix

I'm not sure if it was America only or not, but they specifically said it was supposed to be on all platforms. Of course they never did anything about the PS3 version even though they knew it was broken which is what upset me the most.

That's cool and all but EA, please give me optimal specs! I want to know how much money I'm dropping on the perfect PC setup.

preorder bonuses are nice, but not when they change content within the game, even if just a skin. Things like posters and such are fine, but different DLC shouldn't be dependent on where you buy the game. I say boo to the publishers for letting stores play that game.

what does the spacecat stuff from bestbuy look like?

Because the pack for Gamestop will be free later, and I can pass on some dogtags, I'm going with Best Buy for the extra skins.

@The Cole Train
How do you know the skins wont be available later?

@The Cole Train
Physical warfare might just cost more than skins..

Stop doing this s***.

can't wait it's gonna be awesome, question is ps3 or 360?

@Wizardsofwaverly

I'm leaning towards 360 at the moment. Could always opt for the PS3 in the end. I was set on getting the PC version as well, but DICE said no mod tools. Which means no Project Reality Mod for BF3. That is a definite EA move, so people are more inclined to buy the PC DLC. Straight bullshit...considering DICE got a lot of ideas from mods for BF2. The suppressive fire feature is one of them, which came from PR Mod.

@Wizardsofwaverly

Im going PS3. Its my most used console, and I got more friends on it
Also, I recall IGN reported that PS3 version got Battlefield 1943 on disc.
http://ps3.ign.com/articles/117/1173222p1.html

I might of been swayed to get the PC version, but it wont be on steam so.. thats a no go for me.

Guess I better change my reserve...

I love how one of the exclusive dog tags is a dinosaur.

Don't like it? Don't pre-order. How hard is that?

so def Gamestop has the best day 1 preorder bonus right?

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Battlefield 3 rolls out retailer specific pre-order bonuses

Reader Comments (71)

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 8:09PM xiLeShadow said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 8:14PM omgJOHN said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 8:25PM Mcmax3000 said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 9:14PM deftonesmx17 said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 9:49PM Mcmax3000 said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 10:04PM 2late2die said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 10:19PM shadowj0 said

Posted: Aug 2nd 2011 2:12AM Hoops said

Posted: Aug 2nd 2011 5:17AM snack said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 8:10PM Faenix said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 8:23PM Apakal said

Posted: Aug 2nd 2011 6:25AM BananaBoat said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 8:11PM MonkeyHood said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 8:13PM FlareSama said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 9:59PM MarkHawk said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 11:00PM Special Agent Steve said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 11:49PM Bubbameister33 said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 8:17PM ailurus74 said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 8:18PM Hi iTs SlayeR said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 8:20PM The Harbinger of Pie said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 8:22PM Crimsic said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 8:22PM Token Black Guy said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 8:24PM Rune2215 said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 8:28PM Mcmax3000 said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 8:38PM Anticrawl said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 11:15PM SirUrza said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 8:26PM nerdydesi1 said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 9:14PM Rune2215 said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 8:28PM Marco le Polo said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 8:32PM Dooliss said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 8:35PM Ninjasoup said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 8:42PM Red Deer said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 8:47PM Ospov said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 8:55PM Faenix said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 9:23PM packy17 said

Posted: Aug 2nd 2011 3:57AM Ospov said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 8:49PM Dcmac said

Posted: Aug 1st 2011 9:00PM laserboyjc said

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Posted: Aug 1st 2011 9:17PM The Cole Train said

Posted: Aug 2nd 2011 1:34PM Klearwater Killer said

Posted: Aug 2nd 2011 2:15PM arucious said

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Posted: Aug 1st 2011 9:42PM Wizardsofwaverly said

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