E3 2011: Battlefield 3 firing up October 25

LOS ANGELES--The core Battlefield series has been dormant since 2005's well-reviewed PC-exclusive Battlefield 2. Now, after years of development, Battlefield 3 finally has a release date.

Battlefield 3 will ship for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC on October 25. In addition to the standard version of the game, Battlefield 3 will be available in a special edition, which includes the Back to Karkand expansion, an add-on with updated Battlefield 2 multiplayer maps.

On top of nailing down a release date for Battlefield 3, EA noted that the multiplatform multiplayer beta for the game will commence in September. Currently, the only way to enlist in the beta is to have purchased a copy of the Medal of Honor Limited Edition. However, DICE said during the Electronic Arts media briefing that the beta would be "open," though it did not offer any other information on how gamers can enlist.

As for the game, Battlefield 3--which EA says has been in development for three years-- will sport both a single-player campaign and an online component, which can be played with up to 64 players (for the PC version only). Battlefield 3 will support co-op play for its campaign and will let gamers pilot jets, among other vehicles. Additionally, Battlefield 3 will run on DICE's updated Frostbite 2 engine.

For more on the modern-day first-person shooter, check out GameSpot's most recent hands-on preview with Battlefield 3.