DICE has made no secret that their efforts have been focused on making Battlefield 3 a great PC game, with high-end graphics and a slew of features geared toward PC players. After playing the game on PS3 during PAX 2011, the results of their PC efforts are immediately evident. It looks better. Controls better. Feels better.

Activating my pre-ordered copy on Origin, I jumped into the game's single-player mode. While I will jump into the online multiplayer as well for my upcoming review, my initial impressions have me worried.

Read more: Looping cutscenes and broken scripted events »

Battlefield 3 is launching today across all platforms, and already EA is popping the champagne. The game has racked up roughly three million pre-orders, guaranteeing an impressive start for its sales figures. But, even with the impressive feat, the game will have to work all the harder to catch up with Call of Duty's mean sales record.

Read more: Tough competition ahead »

As EA's answer to the blockbuster Call of Duty franchise, Battlefield 3 was bound to invite some comparisons. Electronic Arts made no effort to hide the fact, even using "Above and Beyond the Call" as the slogan for the upcoming shooter. Now as the game is on the verge of release, executive producer Patrick Bach has explained some of the philosophy that went into building a new entry in the series.

Read more: How inspired is too inspired? »

Because not all Xbox 360s come equipped with hard drives, Battlefield 3 features an optional HD texture installation. The game is entirely playable without the installation... but a new video shows how drastic the drop in visual fidelity is.

The HD texture pack requires 1.5GB of hard drive space, on top of the 7GB demanded by installing the disc onto the console. If you hsven't invested in a large hard drive for your Xbox 360, watch the video to see exactly why it's not really optional for Battlefield 3.

Watch: Is that an N64 game? »

The PC edition of Battlefield 3 certainly seems the version to play, so, to prepare for its launch on Tuesday, you may well want to install the beta graphics card drivers Nvidia and AMD have tuned for DICE's war game.

Both of these drivers are also recommended for Rage, if you fancy a little boost there too.

Read more: Performance boosts all around! »

With Battlefield 3 releasing next week, it's time for what's likely to be its final trailer. Well, at least until the inevitable DLC starts pouring in.

While many of the videos released thus far have focused on multiplayer, this launch trailer provides an extensive look into the single player campaign. According to EA, the narrative will have Marine Sergent "Black" discover "how far he would go to defend his country."

Watch: 'You can't just walk away from the threat!' »

Battlefield 3 is very centered on the social networking Battlelog, so much so that the PC version relies on it. And while the service shares some passing similarities to the Autolog from EA's line of racing titles, DICE producer Patrick Loving says the team took cues from social networks and even their shooter competition.

Read more: 'I looked at all the social networks' »

Generally speaking, if you own an Xbox 360 with a hard drive, it's smart to install games to cut down on load times. In the case of Battlefield 3, the game's visuals will take a significant hit if you don't install on your 360. A second disc will include HD textures to install, without which the game is "standard-def."

Read more: Texture install 'absolutely' makes a difference »

EA has been releasing a new video of Battlefield 3 every few days now. The last two featured destruction and vehicles. What happens when you combine the two? You get a trailer for the game's multiplayer mode, obviously.

You'll see tons of new footage of the nine maps announced for the game at launch. Stay tuned towards the end, and you'll also see footage of the upcoming Back to Karkand expansion pack.

Watch: 99 problems, but having pre-order exclusive DLC ain't one »

Do you like large numbers, and do you like Battlefield 3? If so, you'll love this collection of Battlefield 3 statistics from the recent multiplayer open beta, which come complete with inane and ludicrous comparisons.

Read more: 8 million players, or one New York, took part »

Why does Battlefield 3 feature the multiplayer maps it does? "Creating levels at DICE is a democratic affair, and a process that is ruled in equal amounts by art and gameplay design," DICE's David McDonagh said. At the start of the design process, DICE's artists and level designers mocked a few potential levels. Then, the team votes on which maps would make "the most compelling and diverse package."

Ultimately, the team whittled down the list of maps down to nine. These maps are the ones "that combined bring out everything we want both veteran and new Battlefield players to experience in Battlefield 3 multiplayer."

Read more: The complete Battlefield 3 multiplayer map list »

A short new Battlefield 3 trailer shows off the game's itinerary of vehicles. Set in the "near-future," BF3 features jets, tanks, and helicopters. EA calls them "the most advanced combat vehicles out there." We think they're just trying to show off.

"Since its inception, vehicles have been one of the signature hallmarks of the Battlefield series," EA added.

Watch: 99 problems, but having vehicles ain't one »

A short new Battlefield 3 trailer shows off the impressive destructive capabilities of the Frostbite 2 engine. EA says that "Battlefield 3 does it better than anyone else," and the explosive nature of this trailer makes it hard to argue. You'll see a lot of things explode, and a lot of buildings crumble. You'll also see an earthquake, a tantalizing tease of exactly what DICE's new graphics engine can really do.

Watch: 99 problems, but destructive physics ain't one »

You may recall the "No Russian" mission in Modern Warfare 2 kicked up a bit of a kerfuffle. While you didn't have to gun down civilians, you could, and that didn't sit well with some people. EA may have found a way to top that moral ambiguity in Battlefield 3, as outed by the Electronic Software Ratings Board (ESRB).

Be warned, this may contain Battlefield 3 campaign spoilers.

Read more: EA's response to almost-certain controversy »

Battlefield 3 PC open beta players are in for a treat this weekend, as developer DICE has unlocked the map Caspian Border for everyone--but only on PC. While the beta's first map, Paris Metro, is a close-quarters affair, Caspian Border is a wide, open battlefield living up to the game's nickname of 'JetProne64.'

Read more: Jets, tanks and choppers amassing along the Border »