Battlefield 3 "Back To Karkand" DLC Maps Revealed

So, in the grand tradition of the latest EA games, EA DICE’s Battlefield 3 is poised to ship with downloadable content available. As revealed in the latest trailer, every Limited Edition copy of the shooter will include the “Back to Karkand” map pack, which includes four older Battlefield maps that have been re-worked and re-tooled in the Frostbite 2 engine. Until the other day, though, we weren’t sure what maps would be “re-imagined,” but a recent post on the Battlefield 3 forums, according to Joystiq, has cleared up the confusion.

Included in the map pack are the original Wake Island, Strike at Karkand, Gulf of Oman, and the Sharqi Peninsula. That’s quite a spread of Battlefield history! Wake Island, for example, has appeared in Battlefield 1942, Battlefield 1943, Battlefield: Vietnam, Battlefield 2, and Battlefield 2142.  

so soon!
 
edit: BOOM BABY 
  
Edit edit : damn. wake motherfucking island. they actually found something that might get me to pre-order. 

Wah? How many BF games have Wake Island now?

so the game doesnt have a solid release date but they are showing the dlc already?
that is classy

GULF OF OMAN, YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

I don't mind throwbacks to other Battlefields of the past, but I prefer new stuff.

the game looks AMAZING, more maps to experience is always good in this case

" so the game doesnt have a solid release date but they are showing the dlc already? that is classy "

Meh Island. 
 
But Yay Peninsula!

Good map choices.  Sharqi = best.

KARKAND WOOOOOOOO 64 man streetz battlez! was the best gunnin foos down in an alley

 Hahah Wake! I've been really wondering if they were going to keep the tradition. I'm glad but at the same time it's kinda funny how we're fucking chained to this map. Be 80 years old with your grandson, we gotta save Wake Island sonny!

I hope the new maps in 3 are good because I can already see dozens of servers running Wake Island and Karkand non stop although at this point its sort of tradition.

The comments will become a shitstorm in 5, 4, 3, 2...

If I can still TV missile from the helipad in Sharqi, this is the best game ever.

the DICE god is a kind and generous deity 
also, wake island fapfapfap

Well, it's better than the VIP system from BC2.

Also, awesome maps.

Love how the trailers look like some underground cult grunge rock band thats about to release a new album or somethin.

" so the game doesnt have a solid release date but they are showing the dlc already? that is classy "

Can't wait to get this dlc it's going to be awesome, fuck the game, that shit's old, all about the dlc.

Can't wait to get this dlc it's going to be awesome, fuck the game, that shit's old, all about the dlc.

The exact wording is digital expansion pack, and it does come free if you buy the game new. This along with the EA Online Pass thing is probably part of EA's scheme to get people to buy the game new and within the first month. It kind of sucks that there is already purchase-required add-on content for a game that hasn't been released yet, but at least EA has given the courtesy of giving details beforehand and an opportunity to get it for free.

Starry eyed!

I was hoping that Dam map from BF2 would be ported
 
that map ruled!

Oh man. The graphics look awesome, the maps sound solid...now all I need to see is some awesome gameplay and classes and I will be fucking SOLD.

" so the game doesnt have a solid release date but they are showing the dlc already? that is classy "

Can't wait. I'm getting tired of Bad Company 2. Most of all I just want more hi-res graphics. Battlefield is better than CoD in every aspect except it's graphics, it's way too low res and blurry.    

Sometimes I wish the great technology in games like Battlefield and CoD would make its way into something other than a banal, constantly re-iteration of military shooters.

Hurray, DLC announced for a game just announced!

" Sometimes I wish the great technology in games like Battlefield and CoD would make its way into something other than a banal, constantly re-iteration of military shooters. "

Back to Zanarkand! Oh, wait...

You mean like Bad Company, or more like the multiplayer-only Battlefield? I've played a bit of both Bad Company games, Battlefield 2 and 1943 (Used to play 1942 on my PC a while back). They're all the same to me and just get old quickly. I was intrigued by the futuristic one they put out but the reviews and comments from friends put that to rest pretty quickly when it released. I'll admit Battlefield Bad Company was definitely more interesting to play, but my other problem is family-related; I have family in Afghanistan and Iraq and I just don't find this crap fun. 
 
Where is Battlefield 3 based? I haven't read up on it much.

Sharqui Peninsula + Karkand... im geting military!

Strike at Karkand Gulf of Oman Sharqi Peninsula.
MAN!
 
Also that trailer looked awesome, please please have the SAS.

" Hurray, DLC announced for a game just announced! "

Why the FUCK are people fine with them having DLC announced ages before the game's even released!? FUCKING games these days FUCK. FUCK off EA. DLC needs to die.

Hey guess what, just a heads up that we will be asking you for more money after you buy the game first.

How is it DLC if it ships with it and is part of the retail package? DLC is something you buy after a game has released that adds to the content of the game. This is something that comes by default and is only taken away from people who don't buy it brand new. It's kind of the OPPOSITE of DLC.

Not sure why people always freak out about DLC.   
 
Most of the time it costs about as much as a movie ticket, and 9 times out of 10 you'll get more entertainment hours out of DLC content than you would with a 2 hour movie.  I don't see anyone lambasting the existence of movie theaters.  Of course I have a job, and I also realize that just because a company offers something doesn't mean I have to buy it. 
 
I guess what I'm trying to say is, you need a change in perspective if this outrages you.

if its not worth it to pay full price for the game minus this DLC then don't!
 
If it is, then do!

Wake Island

I think this is kind of a terrible idea.  These are my favorite maps from Battlefield 2--some of my favorite maps from any FPS--and I really want to play the shit out of them in BF3.  So not including them in the main game or giving them out for free really bugs me, because it's only going to limit how many people will be available to play with. 
 
A year after the game is out, it'll be pretty depressing if only 40% of the people have these maps.  I have faith that DICE can create some good new maps, but damn if I don't want to just hop on a karkand server for a couple hours without pulling out my old BF2 dvd's.

Good business move. Most BF fans won't be able to resist these series-iconic maps.