Today DICE plans to release another map pack for Bad Company 2, however, as usual, there aren’t new maps, only different variations of existing maps. This time, it’s White Pass as rush and Nelson Bay as conquest. The map pack will be released free of charge.

According to the Bad Company 2 page on the PlayStation Store, a “Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Map Pack 4″ is listed next to the previous map packs, and is listed for a July 7 release. The new map pack includes Atacama Desert Rush and Port Valdez Conquest as new variations of the existing maps, but DICE never provided a release date on the new content. It looks like we’ll know for sure tomorrow.

[UPDATE] Map Pack 4 has now been released on all platforms.

DICE has released the trailer for the upcoming VIP Map Pack 3 DLC. There are no “new” maps, just the Laguna Alta map in Squad Rush mode and the Nelson Bay map in Squad Deathmatch mode. The new update is free for those who purchased BC2 as new in retail. For PC gamers, the new DLC will simply be as part of the regular game updates.

DICE has released the second map pack for Bad Company 2, which includes a Conquest mode for Africa Harbor and a Rush mode for Laguna Presa.

For server owners, add the following commands to add the maps: levels/mp_009gr (Laguna Presa) and levels/mp_006cq (Africa Harbor).

A few players on the EA UK forums spotted the new Rush maps Laguna Presa (which was previously available as conquest) on Russian servers. The maps are set for release on March 30, and appear that they were already part of the game files, which leads us to believe that the maps were already present in the retail version of the game, but were locked out.

Game publishers — including EA — have been doing this for a while, locking out content already available and then offering it as DLC, or rather, unlock codes. We previously reported that there were a number of map files which didn’t correspond to DICE’s official map count, which further adds to the notion that some content was locked out.

On a lighter note, the upcoming DLC doesn’t include completely new maps, but rather, includes variations of two already available maps. Also, keep in mind that the DLC will be for free for those who purchased a new copy of the game, while those who bought it used will have to pony up.

Having said that, the DLC still doesn’t appear as “DLC”, but rather, just an unlock for content already present.

On the same day that Modern Warfare 2 is set to receive a map pack DLC, DICE has announced that Bad Company 2 will be receiving a “VIP map pack 2″ on the same day. Or actually, it’s not really a map pack, since both maps are already available, instead, the Conquest mode will be added to the map Africa Harbor and a Rush mode to the map Laguna Presa.

The “map pack” will be released for free to all who bought the game at retail, those who purchased it used will have to pay.

We’ve been tipped off by a reader who knows someone, who knows someone (etc.) who has details about a possible free DLC for Bad Company 2, which would include the famous Strike at Karkand map — by far the most played and popular map not only in BF2, but online shooters in general. The map will allegedly have the same outlines and proportions of the BF2 map, but will be limited to the 32 player version, as seen on the screenshot above. Likewise, it will include the same vehicles (the LAV-25 and BRT-90 APCs are apparently set to return), and spawn points.

All we can say is: bring it! Nothing Would be as awesome as a remake of Karkand with destruction 2.0. Of course, this isn’t official and DICE hasn’t said anything about it. If the map is to be released, it’ll certainly be a while after launch, as otherwise, most players would simply ignore the original maps in BC2 and go straight to Karkand.

We sure as hell would.