Battlefield 3 beta has 12 million players, is based on month old build

A new post on the Battlefield blog via VG247 , reveals that 12 million people have joined the Battlefield 3 beta, six times the numbers DICE had testing Battlefield: Bad Company 2.

He also mentions that the code being tested is a relatively early version, designed to stress test servers as well as highlight bugs that need fixing.

"The Battlefield 3 Open Beta is based on software that is more than one month old." writes Trodsson. "We need to test the new back end dedicated server structure we've built. Not only have we built a new game engine, but an entirely new back end system so that everyone can enjoy the benefits of dedicated servers on all platforms.

"Just like normal procedure when releasing a game, the Open Beta has had long lead times due to testing, certification, and setting up. This means that the code you are now playing is actually quite early and not representative of the final game.

"The final game will look, play and sound better than the Open Beta. You have helped making sure of that."

This is good news for anyone who's tried to have a lie down on the opening section of the Operation Metro map, only to phase bodily through the floor into the infinite grey netherworld below. DICE only have three weeks to polish up the latest build they have tucked away at DICE HQ. Battlefield 3 is set to hit the US on October 25, and Europe on October 26.

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Part of the UK team, Tom was with PC Gamer at the very beginning of the website's launch—first as a news writer, and then as online editor until his departure in 2020. His specialties are strategy games, action RPGs, hack ‘n slash games, digital card games… basically anything that he can fit on a hard drive. His final boss form is Deckard Cain.