Next Battlefield Reportedly Reverting to Pre-2042 Features
A new report claims the next Battlefield entry will abandon many of the features that were introduced in Battlefield 2042. It's no secret that Battlefield 2042 launched in a dismal state late last year. The online-only military shooter hit store shelves with a wide array of issues, including game-breaking glitches, server-side errors, and performance troubles. While DICE managed to fix a fair few problems, even the most veteran of Battlefield players found the futuristic shooter difficult to enjoy.
Longtime fans were especially dismayed by the advent of Specialist roles, characters who ultimately replaced the franchise's traditional class-based system. The lack of a story campaign did not sit well with Battlefield users, either. In addition, the 128-player matches, though they once seemed like a dream to some, also failed to hit the mark. Battlefield 2042's constantly dwindling player count suggests most users have long moved on to something else, though developers continue to work on post-launch improvements. Suffice it to say, EA and DICE will likely revisit the drawing board when deciding what's next for the long-running FPS series.
Inside sources who spoke to XFire allege the next Battlefield title is currently in pre-production. Reportedly, there exists a concerted effort to take the "valuable lessons" learned from Battlefield 2042's disastrous release and build a much-improved experience the next go around. One source told the publication the following: "I think we'll be reverting a lot of the changes we made in Battlefield 2042." Reputable Battlefield insider Tom Henderson speculates this particular quote could refer to widely disliked features such as Battlefield 2042's Specialists roles and 128-player matches.
According to Henderson, Electronic Arts and DICE initially planned for the most recent Battlefield installment to serve as a building block for future outings. Should the cited XFire report prove accurate, such plans may have already fallen to the cutting room floor following the failure of Battlefield 2042. But it seems safe to assume that much of the community would be pleased to see the shooter return to its tried and trusted content model.
The first-person shooter series debuted in 2002 with Battlefield 1942 on PC. In subsequent years, the brand made a name for itself with several sequels and spinoff entries, many of which proved to be seminal releases that had a long-lasting impact on the industry at-large. Though Battlefield 2042 launched as the worst-rated title in franchise history, some still hold out hope that Battlefield, in general, will one day return to its former glory.
Battlefield 2042 is out on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: XFire