If anything, BF3 will need to keep up with MW3 this year. I really despise the Modern Warfare brand, the first game was great the second was a sore disapointment, if third is anything like the second it will
a) Still sell bucketloads
b) Will be as casual as they come.
I like battlefield series and find them more teamwork orientated and just in general more about "fun" I guess, but in all seriousness, if EA really expects to beat MW3 in terms of sales they are seriously dilluded.
Gameplay wise BF3 will hopefully crap on MW3, unless they do pull some tricks out of their asses and actually improve the game drastically, but I really am not liking the hype train that EA are trying to start, when there is a hype train, there is bound to be disappointment.