October 27th will see the release of Battlefield 3 - and it’s been a long time coming. Apart from the distraction of Bad Company and the retro Battlefield 1943 offerings, the last 'proper' game in the series was Battlefield 2 back in 2005 (and yes I’m ignoring Battlefield 2142, and trying to forget it).

Battlefield 2 was the last of the old school shooters, with a somewhat ethereal crosshair floating in front of a soldier whose steady movement suggested that he was wearing roller-skates. Visceral at the time, BF2 is somewhat innocent by today’s standards. Battlefield 3 is set to shake things up a bit

The game will be accompanied by a Battlefield 3 paperback novel, due for release on November 1. Whilst details are thin on the ground at the moment, it is reported that the book has been written by the game’s executive producer, Patrick Bach, and Andy McNab, the pen name and alias of the ex-British SAS operative and bestselling author.

McNab is probably most famous for his non-fiction book, Bravo Two Zero, recounting his experiences on the SAS patrol that nearly cost him his life during the first Gulf War.

Having Andy McNab involved in the Battlefield 3 project – he is also acting as the game’s military consultant – certainly gives the game a lot more credibility. It is quite possible that McNab could also bring his own fan-base to the Battlefield 3 party.

Battlefield 3 is the weapon that EA Games hopes will blow Activision’s Call of Duty franchise from the first person shooter top spot. Both publishers have been engaging in a bitter war of words regarding how each of their respective combat games stands up to one another.

This season’s Battlefield 3 vs. Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 promises to be one hell of a grudge match. Especially with both titles looking so damn good.

Check out the Battlefield 3 trailer below.