The Battlefield 3 alpha test is not the same as the beta test, DICE has explained. Therefore, Medal of Honor: Limited Edition owners are not eligible to join the alpha test.

"The alpha is a closed test and by invitation only," wrote DICE on its website.

"If you'd like to have a chance to be called upon, make sure to register for our newsletter and ensure your Veteran status is up to date.

"We are also not giving away keys to the alpha trial on any of our social networking platforms."

DICE explained that the alpha trial will be a "highly tech focused test period" concentrating on "server related tests".

"The open beta will start in September," DICE went on to state. "The exact date for when Medal of Honor: Limited Edition players can join the Beta will be announced at a later date."

The newsletter that went out to MOH Limited Edition owners recently is notification of eligibility for the BF3 beta. "It is, however, not a ticket or a code," DICE wrote.

"If you purchased a copy of Medal of Honor with the Battlefield 3 beta sticker on it, you are eligible for the beta.

"If you have not received the newsletter, make sure you opt in on your EA Profile to receive them.

"Also, if you haven't received the newsletter and own a copy of Medal of Honor: Limited edition, you are eligible to play in the beta."

Note that second-hand copies of the MOH Limited Edition don't count.

Video: Battlefield 3 multiplayer.

A sequel to last year's Medal of Honor reboot is currently under development at Danger Close, the developer has confirmed.

The original game's executive producer Greg Goodrich announced the news in a blog post on the game's official site.

"Yes, Danger Close is currently working on the next Medal of Honor," he announced, before offering gratitude to fans for supporting the original game and helping it top five million sales.

Goodrich offered few details as to what the studio has planned for the sequel, other than promising "it's going to be a fun ride" for the franchise.

"Since our launch last October, we've studied, listened and absorbed much of your feedback and are very excited to be marching forward on the next title," he explained. "We can't wait to tell you more about it, so check back often to the website and the fan page on Facebook."

Elsewhere in the post, Goodrich paid homage to the soldiers whose work the franchise aims to depict.

"As you all know, our goal was to tell the story of today's soldier and to do so with the utmost respect and reverence. We've received many letters, emails and messages from active servicemen and women from around the world, along with veterans and their families, with appreciation for our recent depiction of their community.

"I can't tell you how important this is to everyone here at Danger Close Games. You are the heartbeat of this team and this franchise and we are privileged and honored to tell your story.

The 2010 FPS attracted plenty of controversy in the run up to release. It was forced to backtrack on plans to let users play as the Taliban in the game's multiplayer segment following widespread media uproar.

Even after the offending elements were removed, US military bases still refused to stock the game.

Then in October former US Marine and Iraq veteran Benjamin Busch told NPR, "I honestly don't like that Medal of Honor depicts the war in Afghanistan right now, because - even as fiction - it equates the war with the leisure of games."

Eurogamer's Tom Bramwell awarded the game a respectable 8/10, insisting "it's compelling and enjoyable to play on a visceral level, but it's a shame it lacks the creative bravery to match the courage of the heroes it so reveres."

DICE, the studio behind the multiplayer portion of the recently released Afghanistan shooter Medal of Honor, reckons reviews were affected by the controversy surrounding the game's setting.

Medal of Honor hit the headlines for being set in Afghanistan, touching on fresh in the memory battles, and allowing gamers to play as the Taliban in multiplayer - the faction was eventually changed to Opposing Force.

"The controversy did affect some reviews," DICE veteran Patrick Liu told Eurogamer.

"It stirs a lot of feelings, just the setting. And that does affect people's judgement. But otherwise, this is a reboot of a franchise. It's an investment for EA as a company. We need to build upon what we have achieved so far and improve and build up the franchise again from scratch, basically.

"In that sense, I think we're off to a very good start."

Liu's view tallies with EA's. This week the company announced two million units had been sold to consumers since launch.

The news followed an admission from Patrick Soderlund, the EA executive in charge of EA's shooters and driving games, that Medal of Honor "didn't meet quality expectations".

"In order to be successful in that space, we're going to have to have a game that is really, really strong," Soderlund said.

"Medal of Honor is to some extent judged harsher than it should be. The game is better than today's reviews are indicating."

Eurogamer awarded Medal of Honor 8/10 upon its release, and it's currently sitting on a 75/100 Metacritic review score average, but critics argued the game's "lukewarm" review scores failed to match up to those traditionally gained by Activision's Call of Duty series – a franchise EA's shooter is pitched squarely against.

Liu said another factor that played into Medal of Honor's supposed lukewarm reception was the competition.

"It's partly because we're in a very competitive genre," he explained. "We're also competing with ourselves. Obviously we're competing with Call of Duty. It's a very tricky situation to be squeezed in between those giants.

"Either the reviews are favourable, or they're not. There's nothing in between. It's polarised opinion about the game."

How did DICE feel about competing with its own Battlefield series?

" It can feel awkward sometimes," Liu admitted.

Whatever the case, EA confirmed this week that the game was successful enough to warrant a sequel, turning thoughts to the future.

While, according to Liu, "plans aren't set yet" for a MOH sequel, DICE is in the envious position of being able to pick and choose which game it creates next alongside Battlefield 3.

"Both yes and no," Liu replied when asked if DICE would like to work on MOH again.

"It would be cool to continue to develop the franchise. At the same time we have a lot of exciting stuff going on in DICE as well that we have been working on in parallel.

"I'm in a very good situation in that sense. I could pick and choose. It's a win win situation."

Despite middling review scores and analyst scepticism, Medal of Honor has been an unmitigated success story for EA, CEO John Riccitiello has insisted.

Speaking at an investor call earlier today, he said, "The game has exceeded our plan and expectations – sell-through and sell-in.

"It is an absolutely clear success on a business front. Consumer feedback has been strong, suggesting we've got a franchise now that we can successfully sequel in the future. I think it's the first step for this franchise back into the marketplace."

Yes, sequel is a verb now.

Riccitiello revealed that the FPS franchise reboot has now sold two million copies worldwide.

The game launched on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 last month. Eurogamer wasn't among the naysayers – we deemed it worthy of a very respectable 8/10.

EA's admitted Danger Close and DICE's recently released Medal of Honor reboot "didn't meet our quality expectations".

However, the gargantuan game maker denied the Afghanistan shooter was a failure, and promised gamers next time it'll make "something they appreciate more".

"I'm not going to comment on the sales because EA has an earnings report going out and we will unveil sales in that meeting," Patrick Soderlund, the executive in charge of EA's driving and shooting games, told Eurogamer.

"What I can say is the game didn't meet our quality expectations. In order to be successful in that space, we're going to have to have a game that is really, really strong.

"Medal of Honor is to some extent judged harsher than it should be. The game is better than today's reviews are indicating."

Eurogamer awarded Medal of Honor 8/10 upon its release, and it's currently sitting on a 75/100 Metacritic review score average, but critics have argued the game's "lukewarm" review scores failed to match up to those traditionally gained by Activision's Call of Duty series – a franchise EA's shooter is pitched squarely against.

While Soderlund refused to offer an appropriate review score of his own, he did insist that Medal of Honor was a successful reboot.

"I'm not going to say a specific number. I'm proud of what the game is and proud of what the team did. I just think the market is obviously telling us they think the game is X. We need to convince the market we can make something they appreciate more, particularly to be able to compete.

"We're looking at that clearly. We're taking that seriously. I'm not at all saying Medal of Honor is a failure. It is a successful reboot of that franchise. We're going to be strong in the future."

Soderlund confirmed Danger Close is "absolutely working on something", but declined to comment on the suggestion than another developer is hard at work on the next entry in the franchise.

Whatever the plan, developers will be given more than eight months to create entries in the series.

Could Battlefield: Bad Company and Medal of Honor be alternated year on year?

"I wouldn't say they're more similar than a COD game is from one year to another. They're shooters and they have multiplayer. There are similarities and there are differences," is all Soderlund would offer.

Video:

A new multiplayer DLC pack is on its way to Medal of Honor, publisher EA has announced.

Hot Zone adds a 'king of the hill' mode where teams scrap it out for a designated location. Two new maps - Hindukush Pass and Korengal Outpost – are also added, as well as redesigned versions of the popular Shahikot Valley and Helmand Valley layouts.

Unlike the recently announced Clean Sweep DLC, you'll have to open your wallets for this one. It's due on PC, PlayStation Network and Xbox Live on 2nd November, priced 800 MS Points or $9.99.

Medal of Honor has been picking up some impressive sales since launch. Eurogamer's Tom Bramwell deemed it worthy of 8/10 when it arrived on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 last month.

EA's attempt to muscle in on the mixed martial arts market with EA Sports MMA has been an unmitigated failure, according to industry analysts.

Doug Creutz of Cowan & Company told GamesIndustry.biz, "EA's recently released MMA appears to be more or less DOA at retail, while UFC recently announced an extension of its license with THQ, likely putting an end to EA's efforts to expand into the mixed martial arts genre."

Eurogamer's Matt Edwards awarded EA Sports MMA a respectable 7/10 but the game could only manage a number 23 debut on the UK all-formats chart this week.

Creutz then proceeded to twist the knife, hailing 2010 as a disappointing year for EA.

"Medal of Honor earned weak reviews, and we expect sales post the launch period to decline precipitously - particularly once Call of Duty: Black Ops hits retail."

To be fair, it's not performed too badly so far. EA recently announced its FPS had shifted 1.5 million copies worldwide in its first week on sale.

PC users are set to be the lucky recipients of a Medal of Honor patch, developer Danger Close has announced.

The studio made the announcement on its blog, stating, "We have been working on the feedback from the forums that you posted during the PC beta. We are listening to your major concerns and are pleased to show you the change/fix list."

The list, which you can see in full below, includes a number of weapon and control tweaks, as well as various bug fixes.

No announcement has yet been made regarding updates for the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 versions of the game.

However, publisher EA did recently reveal that free multiplayer DLC was incoming, off the back of impressive sales of the shooter. The franchise reboot apparently shifted 1.5 million copies in its first week on shelves.

Danger Close's patch hasn't been dated yet, but the multiplayer DLC goes live on 2nd November.

GENERAL

• Fixed the scenario when joining a friend on a password protected server caused a hang
• Ribbons and medals appear on unranked servers
• Jumping and shooting at the same time now affects the ability to be accurate with the weapons
• Added aiming spot in binoculars in hardcore mode
• Holding your breath and moving forward no longer takes you out of scope
• Increased the points needed to win a Domination/TDM game (Increased TDM score from 1200 to 1400 points; increased Sector Control score from 1800 to 2600 points)
• Decreased accuracy while shooting from the hip
• Cut points from score chain rewards in half
• Addressed the sniper rifle damage to bring the sniper rifle more in line with the other kits
• Increased the amount of recoil and spread
• Changed immortal time to 1.9 from 1.6 seconds after spawn to prevent the scenario of spawning in the open only to be shot on spawn in

WEAPONS

• Assault Rifles
• Increased recoil
• Deviation
• Increased deviation when not zooming
• Deviation bug fixed (increased while shooting)
• Lowered close range damage
• Jumping deviation increased
• Carbines
• Increased recoil
• Deviation
• Increased deviation when not zooming
• Deviation increses faster than assault rifles
• Deviation bug fixed (increased while shooting)
• Jumping deviation increased
• Sniper rifles
• Headshot does the most damage
• Less damage from bolt action
• 2 shots to kill on body from long range
• 1 shot on body from short range
• Normal: 8m
• Ammo 2: 10m
• Range: 9.6m
• Increased recoil on semi-automatic