UPDATE 4/2: Battlefield 4 Naval Strike will be available on April 15 for all non-Premium members. We want to give all Premium members their two-week early access regardless of what platform they play on. Thanks for your patience and we’ll see you on the Battlefield. Learn more: http://bit.ly/OdeM53

UPDATE 3/31: Battlefield 4 Naval Strike is starting to roll out for Premium members on PC today. We look forward to seeing you on the Battlefield!

UPDATE 3/27: Battlefield 4 Naval Strike is starting to roll out for Premium members on Xbox One today. We look forward to seeing you on the Battlefield!

UPDATE: We wanted to provide more detail about the delay of Battlefield 4 Naval Strike. We have delayed the PC version of Naval Strike because we are concerned that the combination of the pack and planned PC updates would increase performance issues on mid-range to high-end PCs. We are working hard to resolve that issue now. Additionally, we have decided to delay the Xbox One version of Naval Strike because we want to address issues in the animation system that hinder players from engaging targets in set circumstances using popular weapon configurations.

We know that many Battlefield 4 Premium owners wanted to play Naval Strike today. However, we didn’t want to release the new content until we believed it was quality content.

We are trying to resolve these problems as quickly as possible and hope to release the update in early April for Xbox One and PC. We also want to remind Xbox One and PC owners of Battlefield 4 Premium that they will have two weeks early access for Naval Strike once it’s released. Thanks for your continued patience and passion for our games.

On March 25, Battlefield 4 Premium members on PS4, PS3 and Xbox 360 will be able to experience the ultimate sea-to-sea warfare in the third expansion pack for Battlefield 4. Battlefield 4 Naval Strike takes the intense and dramatic water-based combat introduced in Battlefield 4 to four all-new maps set in the South China Sea while introducing a new game mode and vehicle.

However, we are delaying the launch of Battlefield 4 Naval Strike on PC. We’ve detected an issue and it needs to be solved. Quality is our number one priority and we will not release Battlefield 4 Naval Strike on PC until we feel it meets the highest quality level possible. Once we have a confirmed date for PC, we’ll be sure to update those players on our official channels. We appreciate your patience and look forward to seeing everyone on the Battlefield.

Four all-new maps:

• Lost Islands: Blow open a crashed passenger plane and capture fishing villages across these tropical islands.
• Wave Breaker: Drop a submarine on your foes as you infiltrate a naval base or rush between shipping docks and rocky islands on this massive map.
• Nansha Strike: Wage war across stormy seas in the largest ocean stretch in a Battlefield map yet.
• Operation Mortar: Storm an abandoned cliff-side resort, or get lost in the breathtaking vistas in this map.

Battlefield 4 Naval Strike also lets you re-live the classic Titan Mode of Battlefield 2142, with the new Carrier Assault game mode. Your objective is to destroy the enemy team’s carrier before they infiltrate and destroy yours. You start out fighting a big-scale war with sea, land, and air vehicles controlling the map, and then everything evolves into an infantry-focused, close quarter fight inside both carriers at the same time! Learn more about Carrier Assault in this blog post on Battlefield.com.

Water-based combat has always been a vital part of the all-out war in Battlefield, and with the introduction of the amphibious hovercraft vehicle, your possibilities to dominate the sea will be even greater. Additionally, you can wreak havoc with five new weapons, two additional gadgets and ten assignments.

Get a head start with Battlefield 4 Naval Strike by becoming a Battlefield 4 Premium member. This will grant you early access to the upcoming Battlefield 4 expansion packs, new weekly content, and exclusive personalization options. Learn more at http://www.battlefield.com/battlefield-4/premium.

Four all-new maps focused on intense naval warfare await you in Battlefield 4 Naval Strike. To give you a detailed tour of these wet and wild vistas, we hand over to lead gameplay designer Gustav Halling.

The four all-new maps in Battlefield 4 Naval Strike were designed with a simple premise in mind: to expand on what players loved with the naval warfare from Battlefield 4. It’s our hope you’ll enjoy the new maps immensely, whether you’re trying out the new Carrier Assault mode or piloting the new Hovercraft. Naturally, we have also crafted the surroundings with infantry and non-naval vehicles in mind. So without further ado, let’s go through the four maps of Naval Strike.

Lost Islands
Starting with Lost Islands, this map focuses around a crashed airplane located near the center of the map. The map itself contains several small islands surrounding the crash site that can be traversed using quad bikes around the whole map, or by using boats (including the new hovercraft) to take shortcuts across it. The key to master this map is to control the plane at the crash site, which can be blown open to give infantry some much needed cover. Another special area of this map is the cave blanketed by a waterfall, as it provides visual cover for patrolling boats and helicopters.

You can now take a unique first glimpse at the gameplay of Battlefield 4 Naval Strike in the full trailer for the expansion. The Carrier Assault mode, all-new naval environments, the Hovercraft vehicle, and much more await you in Battlefield 4 Naval Strike.

Prepare for the ultimate sea-to-sea warfare as you’ll be taking the intense and dramatic water-based combat introduced in Battlefield 4 to the next level. Pilot the new amphibious hovercraft vehicle through four all-new maps set in the South China Sea including Lost Islands, Nansha Strike, Wave Breaker and Operation Mortar.

Gear up for battle with 5 all-new weapons and 2 additional gadgets, the 3GL (3 grenade launcher) and the Anti-Heli Mine. You’re going to need all the firepower you can harness if you seek to master the Carrier Assault game mode – a re-imagining of the classic Battlefield 2142 Titan Mode.

Battlefield 4 Naval Strike is releasing two weeks early for Premium members on March 25th.

Get Battlefield 4 Premium

As the release of Battlefield 4 Naval Strike approaches, we have received several questions from the Battlefield community about the expansion. To answer these questions, we hand over to lead gameplay designer Gustav Halling.

What was the main design goal you set out with Battlefield 4 Naval Strike?
The design philosophy behind Battlefield 4 Naval Strike was to expand on what makes naval warfare and water-based vehicles fun in Battlefield 4. We know that there are many fans of Paracel Storm in our community, and with this expansion we wanted to give players who love that map more variations in the naval gameplay.

What’s the biggest challenge when designing naval-focused maps?
As always when working with water-based maps the challenge is to give naval units a prominent role on the Battlefield, and at the same time give infantry players enough areas to fight around – and also create space for fast transport vehicles. That is why we focused on making a wide variation of vehicle- and infantry-focused bases on all the maps in Battlefield 4 Naval Strike.

What are the four new maps of Battlefield 4 Naval Strike?
You will get to wage war in the tropical Lost Islands map, in the massive level Wave Breaker, through the stormy weather of Nansha Strike, and by the breathtaking vistas in Operation Mortar. Stay tuned for an in-depth breakdown of all four maps here on Battlelog!

What kind of Levolution can we expect in Naval Strike? Will there be storms like the one in Paracel Storm?
In Naval Strike we have been focusing on how the player can interact within the levels to create and block paths for vehicles, or make other strategic use of the environments. For example, you will be able to close flood doors to stop vehicles from entering a submarine base and capturing the objective inside. You can also blow up part of a crashed airplane to create new cover for infantry.

As for storms, instead of copying what has already been done in Paracel Storm, you can expect different visual styles and weather on all four Naval Strike maps. There’ll be calm seas, stormy weather and many other weather effects. For instance, on the Mortar Strike map, you’ll start fighting at dawn and the map will be lit up by the resort lights. As the fight rages on, the sunrise will drench the tropical island in beautiful sunlight.

What can we expect for the new Hovercraft and how will the vehicle affect gameplay?
The new hovercraft, or ACV, is a very fast transport vehicle with a driver and a passenger position that travels seamless between water and land. This unique ability has many advantages; you can for instance maneuver away from boats by short cutting through an island instead of going around it. These new abilities are exciting for us to bring to our players and I can’t wait to see what crazy stuff we will see from this vehicle in the game!

What new gadgets will there be in Battlefield 4 Naval Strike?
First off, we have the new M320 3GL gadget that will give the players the possibility to fire three grenades without reloading. With smaller explosives, the M320 3GL will be great for tight corridors, but it will also require accurate shots to get the kill.

If you play as Engineer, you will be able to use the new Anti-Heli Mine, an aircraft disabling projectile. This will provide a way to block off small paths for air vehicles and could for example be used to cover a certain area behind the player in order to avoid surprises from low flying helicopters. It is however a challenge to get kills with the Anti-Heli Mines, since pilots can use countermeasures and flare them off, like with any other lock-on weapon.

With naval maps only, how do you balance the gameplay so that, for instance, land units still are important?
Battlefield 4 Naval Strike is focusing on naval warfare. Some land vehicles will be there, but they are very limited to give way for vehicles like attack boats, PWC’s, and the new ACV. There will of course also be air vehicles. But as mentioned: with Naval Strike focusing on water-based fights, there will be a limited pool of land vehicles.

What is the Carrier Assault game mode?
Carrier Assault is our homage to the classic Titan mode in Battlefield 2142, where two teams fight over control over each other’s massive aircraft carriers, by using missiles and infantry attacks. Learn more about Carrier Assault in this Battlefield Blog post.

What will make Battlefield 4 Naval Strike an awesome expansion?
All that you’ve come to love with naval warfare in Battlefield 4 will be even more intense and fast-paced in Battlefield 4 Naval Strike. Whether you’ll be taking insane shortcuts with your Hovercraft or securing a narrow win in Carrier Assault, it’s our ambition that you’ll truly enjoy the all-out war in the South China Sea.

Battlefield 4 Naval Strike is releasing first for Battlefield 4 Premium members late March. Get Battlefield 4 Premium.

One exciting feature of the upcoming Battlefield 4 Naval Strike expansion is the Carrier Assault game mode, where two opposing teams launch attacks on each others aircraft carriers. To explain the ins and outs of Carrier Assault, we hand over to lead gameplay designer Gustav Halling. 

Carrier Assault is an homage to the Titan game mode of Battlefield 2142, but this time the all-out war rages in the South Chinese Sea, and your objective is to destroy the enemy team’s carrier before they infiltrate and destroy yours. Our goal has been to make Carrier Assault a really engaging game mode, and we truly believe the amount of variety present each round will assure this. You start out fighting a big-scale war with sea, land, and air vehicles controlling the map, and then everything evolves into an infantry-focused, close quarter fight inside both carriers at the same time!

Carrier Assault Explained
So how is a match of Carrier Assault played out? There are two ways of destroying the enemy carrier: either by full map control or assaulting the carrier as infantry. Each round is divided into 2 stages, starting with map control and ending with carrier attack. Both teams start on their own carrier and race to control the missile launchers placed on the map, by capturing the control points near them. This will automatically launch missiles towards the enemy carrier throughout the round, eventually destroying its hull and making it open for infantry attacks.

When this happens for one or both teams, the carrier assault state is started. The team can then either drive a boat out to the carrier and climb aboard, or use the parachute spawn points above it. Once inside, the team must destroy two M-COM stations, which will open up new areas to the carrier, with the engine room being the final one.

Destroying the two M-COM’s, or bringing down the carrier hull’s health to 0%, will win the match for your team. See the video below for a quick tutorial.

An Hommage to a Classic Game Mode
Battlefield 2142 and Titan mode veterans will feel right at home with Carrier Assault, with the unique focus of giving players several options to win the match – either through map control or close quarter fighting inside the enemy HQ. The differences in setting and time period do however make Carrier Assault a fresh experience, and we hope you will get the same thrill out of parachute-spawning down to a carrier as you did when blasting off in a rocket pod towards a Titan.

Challenges Along the Way
Carrier Assault has been a fun challenge to develop, with many important aspects to be aware of. As fans of the old Titan mode, we really wanted to nail the end game part of the game mode, where both teams are attacking each other’s carriers. From a design point of view, it was important to create that special feeling of excitement that the potential different outcomes of a match generates.

We also wanted to keep control of the map important, so a team which is having trouble pushing through inside the enemies’ carrier can still win the level by defending their own carrier while controlling the missile launchers.

Coming Late March
We hope you will have fun with Carrier Assault when it launches later this month. Please share your thoughts on this game mode in the comments below, and make sure to keep Battlefield 4 Naval Strike on your radar the following weeks. Thanks for reading!

Carrier Assault will be playable in Battlefield 4 Naval Strike, releasing first for Battlefield 4 Premium members late March. Get Battlefield 4 Premium.