EA: Battlefield 3 Premium subscription goes live today

EA has ramped up the pressure on Activision with a new Battlefield Premium membership service.

The subscription service gives gamers access to all five expansion packs and lets them access it two weeks early before general release. It ties in with the Battlefield Battlelog service, and features extra events, strategy videos and additional features.

The service is clearly inspired by Activision’s impressive Call of Duty Elite service.

Battlefield Premium goes live right now for $49.99 on PS3, and is available to Xbox 360 and PS3 next week.

The subscription was announced at EA’s E3 press conference today.

"Battlefield 3 is the most physical, dynamic and progressive shooter experience on the market. At DICE, we are dedicated to connecting our fans around the world, nurturing their competitive spirit and delivering new content that exceeds their every expectation. That is what Battlefield 3 Premium is designed to do," said Battlefield 3 producer Patrick Bach.

"Battlefield 3 Premium gives our fans a massive amount of gameplay, early access and exclusive offerings at an incredible price. The sheer amount of brand new themed content available in Battlefield 3 Premium is staggering. We’re rolling out the red carpet and giving Battlefield 3 gamers the VIP treatment they deserve."

The five Battlefield 3 expansion packs include Back to Karkand, Close Quarters, Armored Kill, Aftermath and End Game.