Battlefield 3 retailer-exclusive pre-order bonuses revealed

It's standard practice for nearly all AAA (and not-so-AAA) games to come with a variety of retailer-exclusive pre-order bonuses. Battlefield 3, however, outdoes most with a number of offers. Some offers, like the Physical Warfare DLC pack, will be made available for purchase later on. Others, however, seem to be genuinely exclusive to the retailer.

So far, three retailers have outed their pre-order offerings for DICE's upcoming military shooter.

All pre-orders of the game will include the Back to Karkand expansion pack for free--regardless of which retailer you buy the game from. The expansion includes classic Battlefield maps from throughout the franchise, and will be available after the game launches. A voucher included in the box will entitle you to a free download once the DLC releases.

Retailers will be offering specific bonuses on top of the Back to Karkand expansion:

• Gamestop is offering the Physical Warfare pack, which unlocks these weapons for use in multiplayer: DAO-12 Shotgun, Flash Suppressor, Type 88 LMG, and Flachette Ammo. In addition, Battlefield 3 Blog reports that PowerUp Rewards members will get a Prima strategy guide for free, as well.
• Amazon is offering an exclusive "Dog Tag Pack," for use in multiplayer.
• Best Buy is offering the "SPECACT Kit," a package that offers eight multiplayer weapons and uniform skins.
• Finally, EA's Origin store is offering the Physical Warfare pack, bonus items for Battlefield Play4Free, and access to the Battlefield 3 open beta.

Other retailers, like Direct2Drive, are simply offering the game at a discount, instead of offering a pre-order bonus. Make sure you think about exactly what bonus you want to take advantage of before making a deposit.