Update: An EA spokesperson told IndustryGamers that there was "confusion" around EA intent to include 1943 with the title. Apparently, the plan was not set in stone. "There seems to be some confusion around the Battlefield 1943 offer and we’d like to clarify. We had originally planned to include Battlefield 1943 on the disk but decided to replace that offer with new content that PlayStation fans can enjoy. Thanks to an exclusive Sony partnership, PS3 players will have one-week early access to Battlefield 3 Expansion Packs, starting with the post-launch Back to Karkand digital expansion pack. Back to Karkand is included in the Battlefield 3 Limited Edition at no extra charge," the rep stated.
Original story:
Gamers who took advantage of pre-ordering Battfield 3 for the PS3 have something of a problem on their hands; the promised copy of Battlefield 1943 has not been included with the game. Some might remember back in June when Sony and EA took it upon themselves to trump the fact that pre-orders for BF3 would earn gamers a free copy of the popular downloadable title from DICE. Unfortunately, that offer was quietly done away with in favor of offering DLC packs early.
According to the official Battlefield Twitter account, 1943 was dropped in favor of offering DLC content a week early to PS3 owners. “In lieu of 1943 being available on disk for PS3 customers, EA has made all BF3 expansions available early to PS3 customers."
It has been rough goings for EA and DICE it seems for the Battlefield 3 launch. Spotty service on Xbox 360 and now this issue has contributed to slightly angry responses from customers. Regardless of this fact, EA has done a rather good job keeping PR active and on the case. With a great Metacritic score, controlled review outlets and strong marketing, the game seems to be doing fine despite a campaign rife with technical issues and bland storytelling.
Of course, gamers want to get into multiplayer, and criticism for the mode has been extremely sparse. This could definitely be construed as a good thing for the folks at EA and DICE, considering the marketing strategy behind the title.
