The open beta for Battlefield 3 has already been hacked to allow users to host their own servers and unlock alternate game modes and features. But take caution, as Dice has warned that users found playing on hacked servers could face harsh consequences.
A team of hackers has allegedly gotten their hands on the files needed to host your own Battlefield 3 beta server. Those hosting their own server can remove the player cap on one of the beta maps called Operation Metro. The user limit is set at 32 (16 per team) by default but hacked servers can push this limit up to 128 simultaneous players.
A Dice rep has apparently chimed in on the situation, stating that they are aware that a number of unauthorized servers are online. The rep recommends avoiding the temptation to play on these servers while the issue is being dealt with. Furthermore, anyone playing on these servers risks having their account banned by EA, says PC World.
Such a ban would not only mean you couldn't play Battlefield, but also any other EA title. As of writing it appears the original form post has gone missing, although several other news outlets are reporting on the story.
Battlefield 3 will be released in its entirety on October 25 for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360. It's probably best to play it safe and stick to official EA servers for now. Official servers are configured to run 32 players on the Operation Metro map under the Rush game type.