DICE responds to Battlefield 3 pre-order bonus outrage

In the wake of a boycott effort against Battlefield 3's pre-order bonus content, DICE has said none of the extra content will unbalance the game.

It's not clear why the Physical Warfare pack, which was announced towards the end of May, is suddenly causing a stir, but DICE is taking criticism seriously enough to respond with an FAQ on the Battlefield Blog.

According to DICE, the bonus items were "specifically chosen not to be overpowered or imbalance or break the game in any way", and will provide variety but "not give you a significant advantage on the battlefield".

"We believe in rewarding our core fanbase with special offers - such as giving them the Back to Karkand expansion pack at no extra charge," DICE wrote of the incentive scheme.

The pre-order bonus content includes the Back to Karkand expansion pack, which features a number of maps, and a collection of weaponry and equipment which varies from territory to territory. The Back to Karkand portion will also be made available as premium DLC, but current intel pegs the bonus equipment as exclusives.

A bit of Internet rage may seem unimpressive, but as MTV Multiplayer points out, a similar movement against Battlefield: Bad Company saw EA drop bonus content plans like a hot potato.

Battlefield 3 is due out on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Thanks, Blue's News.