14 DAY TRIAL // Video game publisher Electronic Arts and Virgin Gaming have announced that they are launching the Battlefield 3 Worldwide Conquest Tournament, which comes complete with a prize chest of 1.6 million dollars, in order to celebrate the launch of the DICE developed first person shooter.
The first stage of the competition will take place online in early 2012 and those who demonstrate their skills will be able to then travel to a physical location and face off live against opponents for a shot at the big prize.
Zachary Zeldin, who is the co-founder of Virgin Gaming, stated, “We’re always looking to raise the bar for our members, to give them truly epic gaming experiences they won’t find anywhere else and Battlefield 3 hits the mark. This partnership with EA and DICE is exactly the kind of relationship it takes to deliver on that goal, and we can’t be more excited to be working with them to host the greatest competitive gaming event I’ve ever seen.”
Virgin Gaming has not yet revealed where the finals will be played but judging from the other collaboration between EA and Virgin Gaming, linked to FIFA 12, London might be a good bet.
Karl Magnus Troedsson, the general manager at DICE, added, “The Battlefield series has always been a very social experience with its best-in-class multiplayer gameplay and we’re honored to have such passionate and loyal fans. We want to give them the best Battlefield experience we’ve ever created with Battlefield 3. The Worldwide Conquest Tournament with Virgin Gaming is a great way to celebrate the gameplay and reward our fans.”
Battlefield 3 has impressed so far with its use of the Frostbite 2 engine and the new environmental destruction options that it offers.
The game will be launched in late October and can be played on the PlayStation 3, the Xbox 360 and the PC.