Soldiering On: Arma III Announced

UPDATE: It’s now official, I’ve added a fact sheet and quotes from BIS below.

Well, “announced” would usually imply us getting a barrel full of emails from BIS themselves, but it looks like their website update came before the press releases this time. I’ve been bombarded with links to this, and yes, it’s Arma III. It sounds fairly epic: “After years of intense warfare against Eastern armies, Europe has become the last stand for the battered NATO forces. On the verge of being driven into the sea, NATO command embarks upon a most desperate measure. In the hope of seizing what seems to be a well-guarded military secret, Operation Magnitude is launched. A small group of Special Forces and Researchers are sent to a Mediterranean island deep behind enemy lines.” No tech details as such, but there’s some minimum specs: Intel Core i5 or AMD Athlon Phenom X4 or faster, Shader 3 graphics card, DX10 support minimum.

Goodness! It’s also due “2012”. More information on this when we get it, and I’ve posted the “fact sheet” below.
Bohemia Interactive´s CEO, Marek Spanel, explains: ”We’re happy to bring the next generation of the Real Virtuality engine to life. The increased potential of the engine should allow Arma 3 to become our best-looking, most detailed and innovative military simulation game to date.”

Ivan Buchta, Creative Director of Arma 3, adds: ”Our ambition is not only to deliver the next generation of Arma with the improved engine, but also to fully exploit the potential of our new technology in the gameplay. You can look forward to the unique experience of blending sandbox-style combat with a rich story.”

INTRODUCTION

Arma 3, the latest installment of the tactical military simulation game from independent developers Bohemia Interactive, creators of the award-winning mil-sim series Arma.

STORYLINE

SURVIVE, ADAPT, WIN
After years of intense warfare against Eastern armies, Europe has become the last stand for the battered NATO forces. On the verge of being driven into the sea, NATO command embarks upon a most desperate measure. In the hope of seizing what seems to be a well-guarded military secret, Operation Magnitude is launched. A small group of Special Forces and Researchers are sent to a Mediterranean island deep behind enemy lines. However, the mission is compromised and the task force destroyed, leaving Cpt. Scott Miller washed ashore upon the hostile island. In his effort to carry out the mission, he will face the dangers of modern warfare, an unforgiving environment, and the consequences of his own decisions…

SURVIVE in the rich & authentic environment
ADAPT to the unsurpassed experience of modern ground combat
WIN the open-ended & story-driven campaign

Combining the strength of its predecessors with radical engine improvements, Arma 3 provides a unique experience of sandbox-oriented combat gameplay in the most detailed environment of the series.

KEY FEATURES

Single-Player Campaign – Evolve from a lone prey into a military commander in the open-ended & story-driven campaign.
Vehicles & Weapons – Control a multitude of aircraft, vehicles and ships with accurate simulation; shoot anything from pistols to sophisticated weapon platforms.
Physical Simulation & Improved Animations – Take advantage of PhysX™ supported vehicle simulation, in-game interactions and the revamped animation system.
Rich & Authentic Environment – Explore an unsurpassed military combat experience set on an authentic Mediterranean island modelled from real geographic data.
Multiplayer Gameplay – Experience both cooperative & competitive scenarios with the full support of dedicated servers for both Windows and Linux.
Completely Extensible & Moddable – Design & create countless customizable scenarios using the intuitive & easy-to-use mission editor.
Customizable Soldier Load – Choose your uniform; assemble your weapon kit; change your load-out; get loaded up.

PRODUCT INFO

Title – Arma 3
Developer – Bohemia Interactive
Target platform/Platform – PC
Publisher – Bohemia Interactive
Release date – Summer 2012
Website – www.arma3.com