Arma 3 'Bootcamp' update will explain the game's complexities to new players

As promised in May , Bohemia Interactive will release a substantial Arma 3 update imminently. The Bootcamp update will introduce a range of modes and features designed to ease new players into the notoriously complicated military sim, and to prove that “Arma is far from impenetrable”. These include a Bootcamp campaign, a special Bootcamp multiplayer mode, Virtual Training and a Virtual Arsenal.

The Bootcamp campaign is the most significant addition, and is the factor most likely to sway nervous Arma 3 newcomers. According to creative director Jay Crowe writing on the Arma 3 website, the mode will introduce “the basic principles of infantry combat - actions, navigation, and weapon handling.” The mode will feature gameplay which “informs, supports and challenges players to complete real objectives.”

Meanwhile, the Bootcamp multiplayer mode will team new players up with veteran 'Instructors'. “Instructors, taking on the role of a 'Zeus' game master, teach Recruits with a set of predefined objectives. Recruits are led and supported by their Instructor as they fulfil the tasks given to them on-the-fly.”

These will be supplemented by a Virtual Arsenal, which allows new players to explore the full extent of the game's customisation, and a special Virtual Training arena. The latter is an austere grey environment where the player is free to learn the game's mechanics without being shot at. “Three principles are central to its premise,” Crowe writes. “Simple tasks, instant restart, and progressive difficulty. At any point, recruits can 'reset', clearing and respawning the topic content.”

Aside from welcoming new players, the Bootcamp Update will also bring good news to the modding community. "Essentially, Workshop support for addons involves handling the discovery, installation and maintenance of all kinds of community content – vehicles, mechanics, total conversions, etc. – akin to the way custom scenarios are currently accessed via Steam.

"We're also set to publish the first iteration of our Game Launcher. Alongside useful basic functionality - such as command-line parameters - this separate executable helps to organise, maintain and load mods."

No specific release date for the Bootcamp Update was confirmed. The military sim has managed to sell over a million copies since its launch last year, which is pretty impressive. Oh, and if you prefer karting to warfare, Arma 3 has you covered .

Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years experience covering the games industry, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald, and more. Specific interests include indie games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time classic that will receive its due critical reappraisal one day.