EA has announced the US release date for its upcoming shooter, Battlefield: Bad Company - June 23. EA will be treading lightly with the release of the game after gamers found some little nasty surprises in the online beta in the form of microtransactions.

Along with this announcement comes the news that, for a limited period, gamers will be able to purchase a Gold Edition of Battlefield: Bad Company. Featuring exclusive content with behind-the-scenes footage and strategy videos, the Gold Edition also gives gamers early access to five unique weapons that players can take into battle. These weapons can also be unlocked after the launch of the game by ranking up to the highest level in multiplayer mode.

EA recently started a multiplayer beta on Xbox LIVE. If you lucked out by not getting access to the beta yourself, you can read up on our impressions here or here.

[See also: Battlefield: Bad Company gallery]