Battlefield 3 to drop support for Windows XP

DICE rendering architect Johan Andersson has laid down the law regarding Battlefield 3's system requirements, and those final pockets of Windows XP resistance are faced with an ultimatum: upgrade, or forget about playing one of the biggest shooters of the decade.

According to Andersson, the series's new engine is heavily reliant on newer tech.

"Frostbite 2 is primarily developed for DX11. XP & DX9 is _not_ supported, 64-bit OS is recommended," he tweeted.

This bald statement of fact confirms rumours from way back in 2007, when the prospect of dropping XP seemed much more onerous.

Battlefield 3 is expected whenever the notoriously perfectionist DICE think its finished with it, although EA is aiming for the third or fourth quarter this year.

Thanks, Blues News.