DICE today announced that fans can download a free PC copy of Battlefield 1942 exclusively on Origin, in celebration of the ten year anniversary of the Battlefield series and Battlefield 3 Premium surpassing 2 million members worldwide since its debut in June.

BF3’s Premium press release is hilarious. According to it, Battlefield 3 Premium delivers new game changing content with five themed digital expansion packs that introduce a massive amount of gameplay including 20 new maps, new weapons and vehicles, four new game modes and more for a one-time fee of £49.99. With over 5.2 million active Battlefield 3 players a month, fans are actively looking for new original content to extend the life of the game and they’re finding it in Battlefield 3 Premium. What a bummer that the mod tools could offer this very same thing for free, right?

Karl Magnus Troedsson, Vice President and General Manager of DICE said:

“When we launched Battlefield 1942 ten years ago, we had lofty ambitions to create a first-person shooter that would push the boundaries of innovation, creativity and design. We evolved the FPS gameplay formula by introducing the world to all-out warfare via land, air and sea. Since the beginning, the reception to the Battlefield series has been incredible thanks to our amazing fans. Every day, we strive to provide our community with great games and new ways to play as evident with Battlefield 3 Premium. We wanted to thank our fans who have supported us throughout the years by restoring Battlefield 1942 for a digital re-release and give everyone a chance to play the game that started it all.”

Since its launch in October 2011, Battlefield 3 fans have spent countless hours on the multiplayer battlefield achieving impressive in-game milestones:

· 95 billion total heals
· 4 billion total revives
· 3 billion vehicles destroyed
· 2 trillion bullets fired

Troedsson added:

“Today, we’re equally as proud with the success of Battlefield 3 Premium. This has been an ambitious way to give our fans fresh, high-quality content at a great value. This achievement is helping us define the new standard by which all other shooters deliver content and exclusive bonuses to their player communities.”

According to its press release, Battlefield 3 has quickly become the fastest selling title in EA’s 20+ year history selling 17 million units since release and has been lauded by game critics worldwide for its compelling single player campaign, intense co-op missions and its world class multiplayer. Making its debut in June of this year, Battlefield 3 Premium delivers five massive, themed digital expansion packs including Battlefield 3: Back to Karkand, Battlefield 3: Close Quarters, Battlefield 3: Armored Kill, the upcoming Battlefield 3: Aftermath coming this December and Battlefield 3: End Game hitting March 2013.

The next digital expansion, Battlefield 3: Aftermath, is set in the shattered districts, streets and cities of a post-earthquake Iran. With operational capacity severely compromised, players will fight through the dust and rubble in a vertical and horizontal urban combat setting.

In Battlefield 3: Aftermath, players will have additional support in the form of heavily modified troop transport and civilian vehicles adapted to deliver deadly force. Also making its debut in Battlefield 3 Aftermath is the deadly crossbow, a new weapon to help players deliver silent kills on the battlefield.

Battlefield 3: Aftermath will become available on December 4th to all BF3 Premium players and on December 18th to all BF3 players.