Developer DICE has responded through their FAQ saying the three items in the 'Physical Warfare Pack' were "specifically chosen not to be overpowered".
Those who pre-order Battlefield 3 get themselves the Back to Karkand expansion, adding maps for online play, but also the Physical Warfare Pack arming you with three exclusive weapons. This caused a stir among the community who say it's unfair.
EA and DICE aren't keeping quiet and hope to head off the boycott effort. "The three exclusive items in the Physical Warfare Pack were specifically chosen not to be overpowered or imbalance or break the game in any way," read their FAQ.
The Physical Warfare Pack pre-order bonus is also not exclusive to UK retailers, with "exact details for other countries and retailers will be announced at a later date."
"Owning these items will give you a more varied arsenal, but it will not give you a significant advantage on the battlefield," explained DICE. Why offer pre-order incentives? "Because we believe in rewarding our core fanbase with special offers -- such as giving them the Back to Karkand expansion pack at no extra charge," claimed the studio.
Battlefield 3 releases on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC October 25th in the US, 28th in Europe. A similar noise erupted around Bad Company's pre-order bonuses which EA ended up dropping. Do you think it 'unfair' for online shooters to offer exclusive weapons?
