**Arma 3** is a military simulation game set in a fictional world. Players can participate in tactical shooting and explore an open world environment. The game takes place on a group of islands in the Mediterranean Sea and also includes expansions set in other fictional and real-life places. It has singleplayer and co-op modes, and the landscapes and water in the game are designed to look realistic. The game was released in 2013 and has received mostly positive reviews. However, some people have said that it is too hard for new players and doesn't have enough singleplayer content. The game has continued to be updated and expanded by its developer and has a large playerbase and a community of people who create custom content for the game.

Gameplay
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Arma 3 is set in a realistic world. It has a variety of weapons that are very accurate and deadly, and players need to be careful when using them because they can kill in just a few shots. The game is set on large maps with realistic land and water environments. Players can take part in different types of missions, such as infiltration and reconnaissance, or commanding large military operations. The game has a lot of different vehicles that players can use, including boats and planes. It also has a feature called diving, which allows players to go underwater and use special equipment and weapons. Players can choose their own approach to completing missions and can use different resources, such as drones, to help them. There are over 50 unique weapons in the game, including assault rifles, machine guns, and rocket launchers. Players can customize their equipment and clothing, and they need to be careful about how much they carry because it can affect their movement and stamina. The game has a multiplayer mode where players can join servers and play with or against each other in different modes, such as player vs player or player vs environment.

Synopsis
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In Arma 3, the plot is set in the near future of the 2030s and takes place on the fictional island nation of the Republic of Altis and Stratis. The main factions in the game are NATO and the Canton Protocol Strategic Alliance Treaty (CSAT). There are several other teams as well, including the Altis Armed Forces (AAF), the Freedom and Independence Army (FIA), the International Development and Aid Project (IDAP), the Combat Technology Research Group (CTRG), the Gendarmerie, Syndikat, and the Livonian Defense Force. The game's story is told through six campaigns: The East Wind, Remnants of War, Apex Protocol, Old Man, Tac-Ops, and First Contact. These campaigns follow different characters and groups as they go through fights on the islands and in other locations. The plot has themes of peacekeeping, humanitarian aid, espionage, and extraterrestrial phenomena.

Development
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Arma 3 was developed by Bohemia Interactive and announced in 2011. In 2012, an alpha version of the game was shown at an event called E3. In 2013, Bohemia said that they would give out three extra downloadable content packs for free after the game was released. An alpha version of the game was released in March 2013 and a beta version was released in June 2013. The final version of the game was released on September 12, 2013. It included more showcase missions and the large island of Altis. Arma 3 uses a new version of Bohemia Interactive's Real Virtuality game engine and the SQF Syntax scripting language.

Downloadable Content
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In Arma 3, there are two different kinds of extra content that can be added to the game: "platform content" and "expansion content". Platform content is already included in the game and can be tried before you buy it. Expansion content must be bought and added to the game to be used. There are many different types of platform content, such as Zeus, which lets you control a character that can change the battlefield; Karts, which adds go-karts and racing to the game; Helicopters, which adds new helicopters and missions; Marksmen, which makes sniping gameplay better; Apex, which adds a new island and new things to the game; Jets, which adds new fighter jets and objects; and Laws of War, which adds new things about helping people during a war. There are also expansion content packs like Contact, Tac-Ops, and Tanks, which add new weapons, vehicles, and missions.

Controversies
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The game has been involved in several controversies, including two employees who were arrested for spying on the military while on vacation in Greece, a ban on the game in Iran, and the game's footage being mistaken for real combat footage and used in propaganda.