Four new maps plus vehicles, weapons and characters are included in the DLC

Dec 2, 2011 23:31 GMT  ·  By

Battlefield 3 will finally get its Back to Karkand downloadable map pack next week, with DICE delivering the add-on onto the PlayStation 3 on December 6, and a week after that for the PC and Xbox 360 editions of the first person shooter.

Battlefield 3 delighted shooter fans back in October by delivering one of the most realistic and intense experiences in the genre, largely thanks to its addictive multiplayer mode.

Now, the team at DICE is getting ready to deliver a blast from the past with the Back to Karkand DLC for Battlefield 3, which takes four classic maps, including Strike at Karkand, Wake Island, Sharqi Peninsula, and Gulf of Oman, remasters them with the new Frosbite 2 engine, and adds a variety of new content.

While the DLC was announced very early during the game’s development, it’s now received a concrete release date of December 6, only on the PlayStation 3, as part of the exclusivity deal between Electronic Arts, its publisher, and Sony.

“I hope you are ready to go Back to Karkand, as we are releasing our first Battlefield 3 expansion pack Tuesday, December 6th on PlayStation 3 in America and Europe – a week early for PlayStation customers,” said DICE junior product manager, Tommy Rydling.

“To recap, Battlefield 3: Back to Karkand is a massive themed expansion pack featuring four legendary Battlefield maps reimagined in the Frostbite 2 engine. You also get three vehicles (the VSTOL fighter jet, Desert Buggy, and an APC), ten new weapons that you can bring back to the base game, a new layer of persistence with our all-new Assignments, plus five shiny Trophies.”

The DLC will be free to those who bought the Limited Edition of Battlefield 3, while costing regular players $14.99 (14.99 Euros).

In case you’re curious about the new trophies, check them out below.

Complete Warrior (Silver) - Get a kill with the following weapons in a single life: Rifle, Jet, Tank Third Tour (Bronze) - Get a kill with the new APC, Desert Buggy, and STOVL fighter jet Gunslinger (Bronze) - Get 10 kills with all B2K weapons Like a Boss! (Silver) - Get a kill with the skid loader Jaws (Bronze) - Take a swim in the pool at the Oman hotel Battlefield 3 Back to Karkand DLC is out on December 6 for the PlayStation 3 and will appear for the PC and Xbox 360 in a couple of weeks.