EA Announces Battlefield 3 Novel Written by Consultant, Former SAS Operator Andy McNab

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DICE, an Electronic Arts Inc. studio (NASDAQ:ERTS), today announced the publication of a novel based on Battlefield 3™, one of the most anticipated games of 2011. Battlefield 3: The Russian novel is written by the highly decorated ex-SAS operator and best-selling author of Bravo Two Zero, Andy McNab, with co-author Peter Grimsdale. The book tells the back-story of RU Special Forces operator Dima, one of the hero soldiers featured in the Battlefield 3 single-player campaign narrative. Having first-hand experience of the drama and trauma of real war, McNab and co-author Grimsdale bring an authentic voice and heart-wrenching perspective to the story. Like the game, the novel is charged with documentary intensity, high octane action, and ripped-from-the-headlines incursions. Battlefield 3: The Russian paints a picture of a soldier struggling to do whatever it takes to keep himself, and his platoon, alive. The modern military novel will be released alongside the game on Oct. 25, 2011 and will be published by Orion Publishing in Europe and Grand Central Publishing in North America.

“Working with DICE has been a fantastic ride. Battlefield 3 is going to surprise people this autumn. The story, the characters, the world and the intense action come together to create a resonant, memorable experience.”

In the game, the single-player storyline is revealed through a series of flashbacks as Marine Staff Sergeant Henry Blackburn races to prevent an attack on New York City by a deadly force known as the PLR. As Blackburn recalls key events leading up to the attack, players take control of several characters in heart-pounding missions across land, sea and air. One of these characters is Dmitri “Dima” Mayakovsky, a legendary and pragmatic GRU operator in the twilight of his Special Forces career. Known as a “cleaner”, Dima is the sort of person that does whatever it takes to get the job done. The book picks up where the game leaves off, allowing McNab and Grimsdale to give a thrilling new perspective into Dima’s own personal quest as well as the events of Battlefield 3.

“It is impossible for any single medium to fully capture the emotion and intensity of war. The Battlefield 3: The Russian novel is one window into the experience, and the game is another. They complement each other perfectly,” said Andy McNab. “Working with DICE has been a fantastic ride. Battlefield 3 is going to surprise people this autumn. The story, the characters, the world and the intense action come together to create a resonant, memorable experience.”

McNab is also working with the team at DICE to ensure that the authenticity and grittiness of today’s warfare is fully realized in all three campaigns; singleplayer, co-op and multiplayer. Capturing the intense reality of modern warfare across the globe, from the densely populated city streets of Paris to the barren dustbowl of the Tehran desert, Battlefield 3 is the next installment in the internationally acclaimed Battlefield series. Battlefield 3 recently took home an unprecedented 47 industry awards at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) including Best Action Game and Best Online Multiplayer from the Game Critics Awards.

About Andy McNab

In 1984 McNab was 'badged' as a member of 22 SAS Regiment and was involved in both covert and overt special operations worldwide. During the Gulf War he commanded Bravo Two Zero, a patrol that, in the words of his commanding officer, 'will remain in regimental history for ever'. Awarded both the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) and Military Medal (MM) during his military career, McNab was the British Army's most highly decorated serving soldier when he finally left the SAS in February 1993.

He wrote about his experiences in three books: the phenomenal bestseller Bravo Two Zero, Immediate Action and Seven Troop. He is the author of the bestselling Nick Stone thrillers as well as a number of other fiction and nonfiction titles for adults and young adults. He has sold over thirty million books worldwide. Besides writing, he lectures to security and intelligence agencies in both the USA and UK. He is a patron of the Help for Heroes campaign and is a Director of ForceSelect and the ForceSelect Foundation, the charity providing help to British ex servicemen and women.

Battlefield 3 will be available Oct. 25, 2011 in North America for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Xbox 360® videogame entertainment system and the PC. For more information on Battlefield 3, please visit www.battlefield.com, and for the latest news on Battlefield please visit http://www.facebook.com/battlefield or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/battlefield.

All foreign rights enquiries regarding Battlefield 3: The Russian should be sent to [e-mail].

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company’s game franchises are offered as both packaged goods products and online services delivered through Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones and tablets. EA has more than 100 million registered players and operates in 75 countries.

In fiscal 2011, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.6 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for critically acclaimed, high-quality blockbuster franchises such as The Sims™, Madden NFL, FIFA Soccer, Need for Speed™, Battlefield, and Mass Effect™. More information about EA is available at http://info.ea.com.

About Orion Publishing

The Orion Publishing Group Limited was founded in 1991. Soon after, Orion acquired Weidenfeld & Nicolson. In 1998, a majority of the share capital of the Orion Publishing Group was sold to Hachette Livre, the French publishing arm of the Lagardere Group. In 2003 Hachette Livre became the sole owner of the group, now comprised of four hardback imprints, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, Orion, Swordfish and Gollancz, and a paperback division publishing on to the Orion and Phoenix lists. More information about Orion Books is available at: www.orionbooks.co.uk

Battlefield 3 is a trademark of EA Digital Illusions CE AB. The Sims and , Need for Speed are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. Mass Effect is a trademark of EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. John Madden, NFL and FIFA are the property of their respective owners and used with permission. PlayStation 3 is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Xbox and Xbox 360 are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and used with permission.