Though the one-year postponement will wreak havoc with gamers' holiday wish lists, EA Partners general manager Greg Richardson feels it is worth the wait. "Adding more time to the development cycle of the game will result in a more expansive feature set and a more compelling product," he said. "We are confident that this decision will result in a stronger title and continue the advancement of the Battlefield brand."

While the only reason it gave for the additions was "consumer feedback," the EA release did say the delay will also allow developer Digital Illusions to add additional multiplayer refinements, such as new maps and unspecified "additional features."