Summary

  • Battlefield 3, 4, and Hardline to be delisted on Xbox 360 and PS3 on July 31, 2024.
  • Single-player component still playable after delisting, but online components shut down on November 7, 2024.
  • Now is the perfect time for a Battlefield 3 remaster due to its high rating and limited accessibility on modern devices.

July 31, 2024, will be a sad day for Battlefield players, as Electronic Arts is delisting Battlefield 3, Battlefield 4, and Battlefield: Hardline from the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 digital storefronts. While Battlefield: Hardline tried something different with its detective-driven story, it wasn't as well received as the other titles being delisted, with Battlefield 3 and 4 often held up as two of the better entries in the series, making their removal disappointing.

EA took to X via the BattlefieldComms to announce the delisting, stating that while the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions will no longer be available for purchase digitally alongside their DLCs, Battlefield 3 will still be available on PC, and Battlefield 4 and Battlefield: Hardline will still be available for play on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. This seems to be in preparation for the servers for all three games being shut down for Xbox 360 and PS3 on November 7, 2024.

While the online components will shut down on Xbox 360 and PS3, those who have already purchased the game physically or digitally will still be able to play the single-player component.

Artwork of two soldiers with slightly futuristic gear in Battlefield 2042.
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Although Battlefield 4 and Battlefield: Hardline had native Xbox One and PS4 console versions that make them easily accessible to console players, the same can't be said for Battlefield 3, which is arguably the best title of the three being delisted. While the PS3 version of Battlefield 3 hasn't been made available on newer consoles, the Xbox 360 version is still currently available on Xbox One and Xbox Series S/X via Xbox's backwards compatibility scheme. It was even available on Xbox Game Ultimate via its partnership with EA Play.

While those who already own Battlefield 3 on Xbox will still be able to play the single-player campaign after November 7, 2024, its digital delisting on July 31 means that those who have yet to pick it up or were playing it through a subscription, such as EA Play, will only be able to acquire it physically, and it's likely the price of a physical copy will only increase after this date. Therefore, now would be the perfect time for a remaster or remake of the 2011 title, considering how highly regarded it is, along with some of the other highly rated titles in the series, which aren't as easily accessible on modern devices.

Battlefield 3 is currently the t second-highest-rated game in the series on Battlefield 1942 on PC, being one point ahead of fellow Xbox 360 title Battlefield: Bad Company 2, and only beaten by 2005's Battlefield 2 on PC, which has a score of 91.

With a new Battlefield game in the works that recently saw the Dead Space Remake project leads ing development and assembling a team at Motive Studio to work on its campaign, a project like remastering or remaking Battlefield 3 may not be an immediate priority for EA. Once the title is delisted and the servers are shut down, however, the company should definitely consider bringing its acclaimed campaign and multiplayer up to modern standards with regard to resolution and performance in some capacity and make it more accessible to modern console players again.

Sources: BattlefieldComms/X, Metacritic

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    Battlefield 3
    FPS
    Released
    October 25, 2011
    ESRB
    M for Mature: Blood, Intense Violence, Strong Language
    Developer(s)
    DICE
    Publisher(s)
    Electronic Arts
    Engine
    frostbite
    Multiplayer
    Online Multiplayer
    Franchise
    Battlefield
  • mixcollage-05-dec-2024-07-33-pm-8932.jpg

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    Battlefield 4
    Shooter
    Released
    October 29, 2013
    ESRB
    M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
    Developer(s)
    DICE
    Publisher(s)
    Electronic Arts
    Engine
    Frostbite
    Multiplayer
    Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer
    Franchise
    Battlefield
  • Battlefield Hardline
    FPS
    Released
    March 17, 2015
    ESRB
    m
    Developer(s)
    Visceral Games
    Publisher(s)
    Electronic Arts
    Engine
    Frostbite
    Multiplayer
    Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer
    Franchise
    Battlefield