New details on Battlefield 3 surface

Just days after DICE formally confirmed the 2011 fall release of Battlefield 3, the media is abuzz with reports on leaked details and speculations. While the majority of the gaming press is busy interpreting the remarks of Battefield 3′s executive producer, Patrick Bach in a recent interview, other reports throw light on new details on the limited edition of the new shooter.

In an interview with Game Informer, which carries an in-depth feature on Battlefield 3, DICE executive producer Patrick Bach reportedly revealed that the team rewrote the game's engine from scratch. The engine, Frostbite 2.0 boasts of impressive features like real-time radiosity and a quantum leap in environmental destruction.

Frostbite 2 is, I would argue, the best piece of technology on the market, when it comes to building games, Bach is quoted as saying.

You shouldn't have to wait for the Xbox 720 or PlayStation 4. We have to deliver this to you now, and we wanted to do it on all the platforms.

However, on the negative side, due to the complexity of the engine DICE has not plans of releasing any mod tools alongside the game, which is scheduled for launch on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 this Fall.

Meanwhile, Gamespot has reported that the limited edition of the game will come bundled with the Back to Karkand expansion, which will contain a large amount of Battlefield 2 content, including weapons, vehicles, and four multiplayer environments.

The report sourced to a leaked ad for the limited edition of Battlefield 3 posted on Battlefield fansite EnterBF3. The ad, however, did not reveal which four maps will be included with the pack.

Strike at Karkand was a popular multiplayer environment in Battlefield 2 and would seem a likely fit for the Back to Karkand expansion, Gamespot noted.

While the ad only shows the PC version of the title, there are indications that the premium edition, which will include additional trophies and achievements for players to unlock, is coming to consoles.

Details on price and exact release date are still awaited.

DICE has announced that it will unveil the limited edition at the Game Developers Conference at the end of the month.