Arma 3 campaign delayed due to development "difficulties"

UPDATE: Arma 3 will finally be released on 12th September, developer Bohemia Interactive has just announced.

The launch version will arrive after a lengthy alpha and beta testing period, and without the game's story campaign. As detailed below, that is due to arrive in three free DLC drops.

ORIGINAL STORY: Arma 3 developer Bohemia Interactive has said the game's story campaign will now be released after the title has launched.

The military sandbox's campaign mode will arrive in three free DLC episodes, the first of which will launch within a month of the main game's release.

The first episode will be named Survive, with later segments titled Adapt and Win.

Bohemia blamed the delay on the game's "eventful" development - which included two team members being arrested for espionage in Greece. The developer also struggled balancing parallel work on the game's alpha and beta versions.

"This was not a decision we made lightly," Arma 3 project lead Joris-Jan van 't Land said. "As game creators, we love developing and playing through campaigns so, to those awaiting ours, we say: sorry for the delay. After talking a lot about a focus on quality over the last year, it simply did not feel right to compromise now. Rather than pushing back the entire game, we launch this year with an awesome package - a splendid kick off for the Arma 3 experience."

The core Arma 3 package will still have plenty to offer, however - the 270km square island of Altis, the 20km square island of Stratis, 12 single-player showcase missions, faction showcases, multiplayer scenarios, firing challenges, a scenario editor and mod support.

Bohemia promised Arma 3 would be due sometime in "Q3 2013" - suggesting a release by the end of September.