Apparently somebody pulled one Hell of an April Fool's prank on those guys at Epic, and convinced them that Christmas has been moved to that latter part of March. How else can we explain the love that's been raining down on us from above recently, in the form of Unreal Tournament III updates?

Just last week, we were treated to a patch, that among other things, fixed some sound issues, and made it a heck of a lot easier to download mods for the game via the PS3. Sign in today, and you'll find yet another update, but this time of Epic proportions -- 3 new maps: Morbias, Facing Worlds, and Searchlight. Longtime fans are sure to recognize the first two, while Searchlight is new in town, and made especially for those who like to go for rounds of capture the flag gameplay. Best of all, they are all free for the taking. Take that, microtransactions!

The maps are available for PC users as well, and can be found here. For those of you who wish to join us online, Destructoid's own MrSadistic and Sadie are more than willing to welcome challengers and help them cultivate some of that personal humility that some would say is missing in today's youth. Rumor has it that at least one them has a penchant for "shooting you in the face," so be careful. Who knows? Playing as Master Chief  just might help turn the tide in your favor. Brace yourselves, as we'll be waiting for you to show up at the next PS3 slaughterhouse meeting.

Catch the press release, after the jump.

PlayStation 3 and PC Gamers Can Get Their Frag On With Three New Maps
for Unreal Tournament 3

Today, Midway and Epic Games announce that downloadable content for
the award-winning first-person shooter, Unreal Tournament 3, is now
available for PlayStation 3 and PC. The downloadable content consists
of three deadly arenas: Morbias, Facing Worlds and Searchlight. PC
users can find the new content at www.unrealtournament3.com, while PS3
users can download it directly from the PlayStation Network.
These downloads, which are free to all owners of Unreal Tournament 3,
mark the latest achievement in providing the gaming community with
unrivaled mods and superior experiences through the most recent
installment in the Unreal Tournament franchise. While Unreal
Tournament 3 shipped with 40 maps, and hundreds of user-created mods
have been published since the game's release, Midway and Epic are
committed to providing fans with even more official content to further
extend enjoyment of the game.

Morbias is the deathmatch arena that started it all, perfectly suited
for anything from small intense duels to chaotic free-for-all matches.
 The Unreal Tournament classic, Facing Worlds was one of the most
played maps in gaming history.  This beloved sniper map makes its
return alongside an intricate new capture the flag map, Searchlight,
designed for both z-axis rooftop runs and strategic indoor gameplay.
Returning classics and fresh new designs let you experience Unreal
gaming like never before.

Unreal Tournament 3 is rated "M" for mature by the ESRB.

About Unreal Tournament 3
Unreal Tournament 3 (www.unrealtournament3.com) marks the return of
the world's premiere first-person shooter to the PC, and its debut on
the PLAYSTATION(R)3 system. Unreal Tournament 3 unleashes the full
power of Unreal Engine 3, taking graphics, gameplay, and challenge to
a whole new level. Players engage in intense battles with other human
players online, or against Unreal artificial intelligence that sets
the industry standard. With the most powerful futuristic weapons and
vehicles available, this is FPS action at its best!
Unreal and Unreal Tournament are trademarks or registered trademarks
of Epic Games, Inc.