Dead Space 3 Release Date Targets Early February 2013

We already told you that Electronic Arts used its Gamescom press conference to reveal Battlefield 3 Premium Edition, but it was also there that the release date for Dead Space 3 was announced. The latest installment in the excellent Dead Space series will launch on February 5, 2013 in the US and February 8 in Europe, so get ready to go to war with the Necropmorphs all over again. Electronic Arts also announced that those who pre-order Dead Space 3 will be getting a free upgrade to the Limited Edition, which includes two DLC bundles.

The bundles in question have been dubbed "First Contact" and "Witness the Truth." First Contact grants players the First Contact suit of armor and the Negotiator weapon. Both sport a golden finish, with Negotiator capable of "bursting a man-sized organism into several pieces with a single shot." On the other hand, we have the Witness the Truth bundle, which comes the Witness armor and the Evangelizer weapon, a gun that is both a tactical shotgun and an AL-2g assault rifle.

To accompany the release date announcement, Electronic Arts also revealed Dead Space 3's new weapon crafting system. A first for the series, this system will allow players to craft and upgrade weapons using various components (obviously). We're told that the weapons included in the Limited Edition bundle packs can be used as blueprints in crafting mode, so it sounds like you'll be able to make those two weapons even more absurd if you wish.

Dead Space 3 has experienced its share of controversy among series fans, as this new games takes the conflict out of space and places it on the frozen planet Tau Volantis. It also introduces a new co-op mode, which is another first for the series, so there are some pretty significant changes this time around. Will Dead Space 3 still be able to muster the excellent review scores the series is known for? We'll find out on February 5.