Karl-Magnus Troedsson, CEO of Battlefield developer DICE, announced at an Electronic Arts event last night that customizable servers would be available for consoles in the future.

"All active players out there playing on consoles today will now have the opportunity to customize their servers and set them up exactly how they want them to play," said Troedsson. "Now this is a feature that in Battlefield on PC we've had for some time, but it's an absolute first on console. So, we're pretty excited about this."

So are we! No more Operation Metro is worth whatever DICE wants to charge. The developer currently has no details on pricing or timetable for availability.

Guildford, UK. – March 7, 2012 – The Battlefield™ army is over 12 Million strong and growing every day as Battlefield 3™ and its first expansion, Battlefield 3: Back to Karkand continues to recruit gamers around the world with its dynamic sandbox gameplay and state-of-the-art technology. Today, DICE, an Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) studio, demonstrates its ongoing commitment to fans by unveiling three new themed digital expansion packs* that will enhance the superior Battlefield experience with fresh and innovative gameplay, new modes, unique environments and more ways to wage all-out-war on the battlefield. Powered by the Frostbite™ 2 engine, the next expansion packs are: Battlefield 3: Close Quarters in June, Battlefield 3: Armored Kill in the fall, and Battlefield 3: End Game in the winter.
 
·         Battlefield 3: Close Quarters – In Battlefield 3: Close Quarters, players are dropped into a frantic, infantry-only theatre of war. Frostbite 2 high definition destruction makes the environment come alive as everything from furniture to plaster gets shot to pieces. Players will feel the intensity of the world exploding around them as rubble and broken pieces pile up on the floor, while tight level design and vertical gameplay create a highly competitive environment. Battlefield 3: Close Quarters also introduces new weapons, assignments and unique dog tags to bring back to the base game.
 
·         Battlefield 3: Armored Kill– Following the tight infantry gameplay of Battlefield 3: Close Quarters, DICE will release Battlefield 3: Armored Kill that ups the ante for vehicular mayhem as only Battlefield can do. Featuring new driveable tanks, ATVs, mobile artillery and more, Battlefield 3: Armored Kill also delivers huge battlefields for an all-out vehicle assault, including the biggest map in Battlefield history.
 
·         Battlefield 3: End Game – The fourth expansion pack will ship in the winter but details remain tightly guarded.  
 
·         Battlefield 3: Back to Karkand –Battlefield 3: Back to Karkand is available now for download for £11.99 or 1200 Microsoft points and features four of the most beloved Battlefield 2™ maps (Strike at Karkand, Gulf of Oman, Wake Island and Sharqi Peninsula), all fully re-imagined utilizing the power of the Frostbite 2 engine.
 
Patrick Bach, Executive Producer, Battlefield 3 said, “Instead of delivering piecemeal map packs, we’re giving players a completely new experience with every themed expansion pack to keep the action fresh. Our expansions are designed to excite our large and active fan base while attracting new recruits with gameplay that is dynamic and unpredictable every time.”  
 
Battlefield 3 is supported by a robust, and completely free social platform called Battlelog that invites players to compete, communicate and play with friends. Gamers track personal stats, compare against other players and join a platoon in an effort to dominate the battlefield. To add to the competitive fervor, a fully integrated rent-a-server program for console players will be available for gamers to play online with friends the way they want to play in either private, public, ranked or unranked matches. For more information about these enhancements and future plans for Battlelog, please visit www.battlefield.com.
 
Since its launch on Oct. 28th, Battlefield 3 has quickly become the fastest selling title in EA’s 20+ year history selling more than 12 Million units since release. Lauded by game critics worldwide for its compelling single player campaign, intense co-op missions and its addictive and world class multiplayer, Battlefield 3 has won more than 120 awards including IGN.com’s “Best Multiplayer Game of 2011.”
 
Battlefield 3 is available now in North America and Europe for the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment and PC.
 
For the latest news on Battlefield please visit http://www.facebook.com/battlefield, follow us on Twitter® at www.twitter.com/battlefield or sign up for the official Battlefield newsletter at www.battlefield.com. Press assets for Battlefield 3 are available at www.eagames.co.uk/press.
Content and release dates subject to change. Expansion pack prices to be announced when released.

Players: 2-16