This is the first expansion pack for Battlefield 3, requiring the base game to play. It enhances the multiplayer experience by remastering four classic maps—Strike at Karkand, Wake Island, Gulf of Oman, and Sharqi Peninsula—utilizing the Frostbite 2 engine for improved environmental destruction. As a shooter expansion, it focuses solely on adding these new battlegrounds to the existing competitive modes without introducing new story elements.
This product is classified as an Expansion pack, meaning it integrates directly into the existing framework of the base game. The core gameplay loop remains centered on large-scale, objective-based shooter combat. The primary contribution of this expansion is the revitalization of established multiplayer environments.
The expansion package brings back four highly regarded multiplayer maps, rebuilt from the ground up using the advanced Frostbite 2 game engine. This ensures they benefit from the modern graphical fidelity and physics systems present in the main title.
Players gain access to the following remastered locations:
A key feature of this remastering process is the application of enhanced environmental destruction capabilities to these classic layouts. Leveraging the power of the underlying engine, players can now experience these familiar battle spaces with increased levels of physical destruction, fundamentally altering sightlines and cover dynamics compared to their original appearances.
Since this is a multiplayer-focused expansion, it does not introduce new story elements or single-player content. Instead, it broadens the tactical variety available in online matches. The inclusion of these specific map designs—each known for unique flow and combat pacing—provides fresh strategic challenges within the established game modes.
This content is designed as a direct, non-standalone addition to the primary game installation. The scope of the package is concentrated on map content; it does not introduce new primary gameplay mechanics, weapons, or character classes outside of what is inherent to playing on the newly added battlegrounds.