Arma 3[a] is an open world tactical shooter simulation video game developed and published by Bohemia Interactive exclusively through the Steam distribution platform.

[10] Gameplay is set on expansive maps (officially "terrains") featuring photorealistic land and water environments that can cover hundreds of square kilometers of ground.

[10] Though most missions have specific objectives, for the most part, players are encouraged to choose their own approach to achieving them where possible, ranging from silently eliminating targets as a lone marksman to commanding a multirole squad into battle from multiple flanks.

Other plot events occur as early as 2026 and as late as 2039 in various other locations such as the Horizon Islands Republic, Malden (returning from Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis), Livonia, and Argana.

The story is primarily told across eight campaigns: Prologue, The East Wind, Remnants of War, Apex Protocol, Tac-Ops, Altis Requiem, Old Man, and First Contact.

They link up with the northern cell of the FIA, led by former government agent Kostas Stavrou, and perform guerilla raids against the AAF and CSAT to supply themselves as their arms dealer, Nikos Panagopoulous, is missing.

Kerry proves his loyalty by detecting and repelling an attempted CSAT landing operation, and is eventually authorized to command NATO forces, though Armstrong orders him to cut all ties with Miller.

Two endings are possible, depending on whether the player chooses to respond to James' distress call: In August 2035, a massive tsunami in Southeast Asia known as the Pacific Disaster devastates the Horizon Islands.

Following the operation, NATO quietly leaks redacted Apex Protocol documents to the press, prompting global condemnation of CSAT's expansionism and damaging the alliance.

Days after the end of the Altis Incident, civilian Markos Kouris returns to his ruined hometown of Oreokastro after learning his missing brother Alexis was seen at the town's church during a battle, but he is killed after accidentally triggering a landmine.

Several days later, the circumstances of his death are retold by IDAP unexploded ordnance (UXO) disposal expert Nathan MacDade during an interview with AAN News journalist Katherine Bishop.

In April 2035, Captain Kyros Kalogeros of the AAF's 1st Mechanized Division delivers materiel to an outpost in his AWC Nyx light tank, but finds it deserted with its commanding officer killed.

Issued CSAT T-140 Angara main battle tanks, the 1st manage to defeat NATO armor and push them away from the towns, achieving the AAF's first victory against the invasion.

The ending of Old Man depends on who Santiago gives the counteragent to, though none are confirmed as canon: In 2039, NATO and the LDF conduct a training exercise at a Livonian factory when a live fire drone strike inexplicably goes off target, killing several soldiers.

Rudwell, Stype, Kesson, Čapek, and NATO forces regroup to investigate the extraterrestrials, while the LDF attempts to destroy the AFO and the roots; both are hounded by looters and deserters as order breaks down in Livonia.

[citation needed] On September 10, 2012, Martin Pezlar and Ivan Buchta, both Czech nationals and Bohemia Interactive employees,[21] were arrested by the Hellenic Police on Lemnos and charged with espionage.

[31] On May 15, 2017, a Lesbos court rejected the claim that the two men's interest in the island was limited to the images used in Arma 3 and convicted them of espionage—handing down a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence suspended for three years to each of them.

Using an interface similar to the Eden Editor, Zeus can place, delete, and modify soldiers, vehicles, static assets, and game logic in real time.

Centered around fixed-wing aircraft, the DLC added three new fighter jets—NATO's F/A-181 Black Wasp II (F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and F-35C Lightning II), CSAT's To-201 Shikra (Su-35 and Su-57), and the AAF's A-149 Gryphon (JAS 39 Gripen)—the UCAV Sentinel (X-47B) stealth drone for NATO, a new radar display interface, a static Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier named the USS Freedom with automated defense turrets, and new clothing and assets.

The DLC adds three mini-campaign scenarios—Beyond Hope, Stepping Stone, and Steel Pegasus—that are set before and during The East Wind and are designed to challenge the player's tactical skills, with unique after action reports from Bohemia's military consultants giving insight about the missions and Arma 3 in general.

It was released alongside a free update that added Steam achievements and introduced a major overhaul to the game's SQF scripting system to provide greater freedom to scenario developers.

It was released alongside the free Tanks Update, which added new anti-tank weapons, an improved vehicle handling and damage system, and the "Vanguard" multiplayer game mode, among other content.

Taking an alternate timeline science fiction approach to Arma's setting, the DLC includes the 163 km2 (63 sq mi) terrain "Livonia",[54] the non-canon First Contact campaign, three factions,[55] and new weapons, equipment, clothing, vehicles, and objects.

[64][65] The release of CSLA Iron Curtain was met with criticism from the community, who claimed the DLC was unfinished, of a poor quality, and lacked enough content to justify its price.

Set during Operation Cobra in July 1944, the DLC includes the 150 km2 (58 sq mi) "Normandy" terrain, two showcases, a multiplayer game mode, five factions, and new weapons, equipment, clothing, vehicles, and objects.

It is set during the latter portion of The East Wind campaign, centered around a Marine Joint Task Force responsible for invading the western coast of Altis.

[92][93] Following the announcement of the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan in April 2021, a Facebook post claiming to show the Taliban shooting down an American military transport plane received millions of views; however, the video was actually taken from a demonstration of a Phalanx CIWS mod for Arma 3.

[95] In September 2021, Republic TV broadcast footage purportedly showing a Pakistani anti-aircraft tank supporting the Taliban by firing at an American A-10 Thunderbolt II.

Several sources, including journalist Mohammed Zubair, noticed the clip was from Arma 3; Republic TV promptly deleted their online posts of the video.

[99][100] Arma 3 has been used to produce hoax videos claiming to depict events in the Russo-Ukrainian War since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, when a video of a Ukrainian anti-aircraft gun shooting down a Russian military jet received hundreds of thousands of views before being exposed as a hoax made in Arma 3;[101][102][103] parts of the clip were previously used in January 2020, under the similarly false claim that it was an American anti-aircraft weapon destroying an Iranian missile.