Battlefield 3 preorders hit a 'couple million' - EA

Battlefield 3 is just a week away, and Electronic Arts is providing a quick update on the state of preorders in the run-up to release. Early last month EA announced that preorders were in the 1.25 million range, and EA project manager Kevin O'Leary told Fox News today that figure has jumped to "a couple million."

In July, EA said that Battlefield 3 preorders were tracking 10 times higher than those of Battlefield Bad Company 2 at the same point in development. Bad Company 2 launched in March 2010 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, and it has gone on to ship more than 9 million units.

Those preorder figures came as part of Fox's "3 Days in the Valley" video segment spotlighting various Silicon Valley tech companies. As part of that feature, the news organization also sat down with EA CEO John Riccitiello, who spoke about the evolving nature of the company's business and highlighted its big franchises.

When questioned about EA's hiring plans, Riccitiello said that the company is currently looking to fill "approximately 1,400" positions in the US. This number is substantial, but it follows a string of layoffs over the past few years.

Following dismal earnings, the publisher announced in February 2009 plans to cut its workforce by 11 percent, or 1,100 employees, as well as close 12 facilities, "narrow its product portfolio," and eliminate certain other costs. That November, EA announced it would be cutting an additional 1,500 positions, canceling a dozen or so games in the process.