"Battlefield 1943" is the upcoming downloadable game releasing on PSN and XBLA later this summer. It's a throwback to the original "Battlefield 1942," stripping out the more complex classes and character advancement in favor of an arcade-style, easy-to-jump-in experience.
The game will launch with 3 maps (Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal, and Wake Island), but there's a fourth map planned as free DLC after launch. How long after launch? Well that all depends on you! Coral Sea, the fourth map, will unlock for all players once the total number of online kills hits 43 million. Consider, though, that this is console specific. If the 360 version hits 43 million kills by June, but the PS3 version doesn't hit it until, say, September, PS3 owners will have to wait that much longer to play the new map.
It's a clever idea and a good way to get people talking (example: this blog) but it's also a pretty good way to antagonize the PS3 fanbase. Lets face it, the install base for the PS3 is well shy of where the 360 is right now, and the percentage of those PS3 owners who actually play online games has gotta be comparatively slim, as well. I guess all the PS3 1943ers could band together, but with numbers as high as 43 million it seems unlikely that it would make a big difference.
So, EA, take pity. If you see this becoming a blowout, just give the PS3 owners their extra map. They're gonna pay 15 bucks like everyone else, they might as well not feel inferior in the process.