Wallpaper shared by a member in this thread.
Battlefield 3 is the seventh mainline Battlefield game, a modern military first-person shooter developed by DICE and published by Electronic Arts on 25 October 2011 for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It introduced the Frostbite 2 engine, the Battlelog web companion and the series’ modern template of 64-player Conquest on PC, and it received five expansions through 2013. Official servers were still online in 2026.
Last verified: November 2026 · Game: Battlefield 3 · Type: game
| Field | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Developer / publisher | DICE / Electronic Arts | Box, credits |
| Engine | Frostbite 2 | DICE |
| Release | 25 Oct 2011 (NA); 28 Oct 2011 (EU) | EA |
| Setting | 2014: the United States and Russia against the PLR in Iran and elsewhere | Game |
| Max players | 64 on PC; 24 on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 | DICE |
| Classes | Assault, Engineer, Support, Recon | Game |
| Launch maps | Caspian Border, Damavand Peak, Grand Bazaar, Kharg Island, Noshahr Canals, Operation Firestorm, Operation Métro, Seine Crossing, Tehran Highway | Game |
| Expansions | Back to Karkand (Dec 2011), Close Quarters (Jun 2012), Armored Kill (Sep 2012), Aftermath (Dec 2012), End Game (Mar 2013) | EA |
| Premium | Battlefield 3 Premium, Jun 2012: all five expansions | EA |
Link to section: What it isWhat it is
Battlefield 3 was the series’ return to a numbered mainline game after six years, and the one that set the template Battlefield 4, 1 and V refined: four classes, suppression, Frostbite destruction, jets back after their absence from Bad Company 2, and a browser-based server browser and stats system called Battlelog. Its launch maps include some of the most-played in the series’ history: Operation Métro for infantry, Caspian Border for combined arms, Operation Firestorm for vehicles. A six-hour campaign and a co-op mode shipped alongside.
The Battlelog-era discussion is partly preserved on this site in the Battlefield 3 forum and the Battlelog and Origin category.
Link to section: How it playsHow it plays
Faster and more lethal than Bad Company 2, with suppression that blurs a target’s vision, a spotting system that marks enemies for the team, and vehicles unlocked through progression. Conquest on the PC’s 64-player servers is the mode the game is remembered for; Rush is strong on the launch maps; Team Deathmatch and Squad Deathmatch fill out the small-mode list. The expansions added Conquest Assault, Gun Master, Tank Superiority, Scavenger, Capture the Flag and Air Superiority.
Link to section: Maps at launchMaps at launch
Caspian Border · Damavand Peak · Grand Bazaar · Kharg Island · Noshahr Canals · Operation Firestorm · Operation Métro · Seine Crossing · Tehran Highway
Link to section: ExpansionsExpansions
Back to Karkand · Close Quarters · Armored Kill · Aftermath · End Game
Link to section: Changes by patchChanges by patch
| Date | Update | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2011 | Back to Karkand | Four Battlefield 2 maps; Conquest Assault | EA |
| Jun 2012 | Close Quarters | Four infantry maps; Gun Master, Conquest Domination | EA |
| Sep 2012 | Armored Kill | Four vehicle maps; Tank Superiority; AC-130 | EA |
| Dec 2012 | Aftermath | Four earthquake maps; Scavenger; crossbow | EA |
| Mar 2013 | End Game | Four maps; Capture the Flag, Air Superiority; dirt bikes | EA |
Link to section: SourcesSources
- Battlefield 3 forum on this site
- Battlelog and Origin help, 2011 to 2016 on this site
- Original Battlefield 3 HD wallpaper thread
Link to section: FAQFAQ
Is Battlefield 3 still active in 2026?
Official servers remain online on PC, with a small but steady population on Operation Métro and Caspian Border; console populations are minimal.
How many players does Battlefield 3 support?
64 on PC; 24 on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
Which Battlefield 3 expansions exist?
Back to Karkand, Close Quarters, Armored Kill, Aftermath and End Game, all bundled in Premium.
Which Battlefield 3 maps returned in later games?
Operation Métro, Caspian Border, Operation Firestorm and Gulf of Oman in Battlefield 4’s Second Assault; Caspian Border and Noshahr Canals in Battlefield 2042’s Portal; Operation Firestorm in Battlefield 6.
What came before and after Battlefield 3?
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (2010) before it, Battlefield 4 (2013) after it. See every Battlefield game in order.
Discuss the game in the Battlefield 3 forum. This page is part of the Battlefield Wiki.