The Fastest-Selling Game in EA History Propelled by Great
Reception from Critics and Player Word-of-Mouth
REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced that based on
internal estimates, Battlefield 3™ has sold through five million
units in the first week globally, making it the fastest-selling game in
EA's history. The outstanding retail performance is driven by critic's
reviews averaging above 85 on console and above 90 on PC.* Word-of-mouth
from gamers is also driving sales — Battlefield 3 now has more
than 2.5 Million "likes" on Facebook®. Following the tradition of all
games in this storied franchise; Battlefield 3 includes a
superior multi-player experience. Consumers have logged-on in
unprecedented numbers to team up and join the battle. Server stability
was solid in the first weekend, delivering EA's highest-ever usage
rates. While some players experienced intermittent disruption of online
services due to high volume, internal estimates show that servers and
service uptime stabilized to roughly 98.9% throughout the weekend,
ensuring that players were connected and enjoying the game. With a
commitment to support the game as a software service, EA is listening to
consumer feedback and is making daily updates and improvements to ensure
an optimal online experience for all.
Battlefield 3 continues to set new EA records this weekend**:
-
2.5 Million Facebook "likes" with hundreds of thousands of fans
actively engaged
-
Over 200K followers on Twitter®
-
Battlefield 3 fans executed 73M savior kills, 48M revives and
destroyed 67M vehicles
"From Tokyo to Los Angeles, Sydney to London, millions of fans have been
playing all weekend long -- we are overwhelmed by the global response to Battlefield
3," said Patrick Soderlund, Executive Vice President of the EA Games
Label. "It is extremely gratifying to deliver an entertainment
experience that delights our fans, and to have the opportunity to
introduce new people to the franchise. Already, we are seeing
unprecedented play times and online activity which is very rewarding.
This launch solidifies Battlefield as a leading entertainment
brand."
Battlefield 3 employs the state-of-the-art Frostbite™ 2
game engine that creates a massive sense of scale, completely
destructible environments and enables players to pilot a range of
vehicles from jets and tanks to choppers and jeeps. With the addition of
Battlelog, the Battlefield social network service, fans can stay
connected as they rise to the challenge to become one of the world's
best soldiers. To accompany the game, Orion Publishing released a novel
called Battlefield 3: The Russian written by the highly decorated
ex-SAS operator and best-selling author of Bravo Two Zero, Andy
McNab, with co-author Peter Grimsdale. McNab worked with the creative
team at DICE to ensure the authenticity of today's warfare is
experienced in the single player, co-op and multiplayer campaigns.
The Battlefield franchise began in 2002 and has risen to
international acclaim over the last decade. Developed by DICE in
Stockholm, Sweden, the series has sold 50M units life-to-date. Since the
launch of the first title, Battlefield 1942™, DICE has
released 17 games and expansion packs in the Battlefield
franchise; all with the series' signature open sandbox gameplay, vast
array of military vehicles and an emphasis on social multiplayer with
friends. With the release of Battlefield 3, DICE takes the
franchise — and the shooter category — to new heights with the
introduction of the advanced Frostbite 2 game engine technology
and the Battlelog social network.
Battlefield 3 is available now in North America and Europe for
the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, PlayStation®3 computer
entertainment system and PC. Battlefield 3 is rated "M" for
Mature by the ESRB. Fans of the game and DICE can purchase merchandise
online at the all-new DICE store at www.store.dice.se.
For more information on Battlefield 3, please visit www.battlefield.com,
and for the latest news on Battlefield please visit http://www.facebook.com/battlefield
or follow us on Twitter® at www.twitter.com/battlefield.
* According to Metacritic as of October 31, 2011.
** As of October 30, 2011.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS) is a global leader in digital interactive
entertainment. The Company's game franchises are offered as both
packaged goods products and online services delivered through
Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones and
tablets. EA has more than 100 million registered players and operates in
75 countries.
In fiscal 2011, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.6 billion.
Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for
critically acclaimed, high-quality blockbuster franchises such as The
Sims™, Madden NFL, FIFA Soccer, Need for Speed™, Battlefield, and Mass
Effect™. More information about EA is available at http://info.ea.com.
The Sims and Need for Speed are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc.
Battlefield 3, Battlefield 1942 and Frostbite are trademarks of EA
Digital Illusions CE AB. Mass Effect is a trademark of EA International
(Studio and Publishing) Ltd. PlayStation is a registered trademark of
Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Xbox and Xbox 360 are trademarks of the
Microsoft group of companies. Twitter is a registered trademark of
Twitter, Inc. Facebook is a registered trademark of Facebook, Inc. John
Madden, NFL and FIFA are trademarks of their respective owners and used
with permission. All other trademarks are the property of their
respective owners.
Electronic Arts Inc.
Peter Nguyen, 650-628-3607
PR Director
pnguyen@ea.com
Tammy Levine,
650-628-7223
VP of PR
tlevine@ea.com
Source: Electronic Arts Inc.
News Provided by Acquire Media