Despite barely being confirmed in any official capacity, the next Battlefield entry had received a steady stream of leaks and rumors over the last year or so. Many of these came courtesy of Insider Gaming's Tom Henderson. One of Henderson's reports from February of this year claimed that the next Battlefield would ship with a standalone, Ripple Effect-developed Battle Royale mode, following a similar strategy to Call of Duty and its standalone Warzone BR mode.
About a month ago, Vince Zampella finally spilled the beans on some of the next Battlefield's features, confirming a modern-day setting, showing some concept art of a map set in Gibraltar, and citing Battlefield 3 and 4 as major points of inspiration for the team. Shortly after, Insider Gaming posted another report claiming once again that Ripple Effect is making a standalone Battle Royale experience for the game. If this is true, Ripple Effect's Battlefield Battle Royale mode can't just follow in its competition's footsteps.
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Battlefield's Battle Royale Mode Needs to Break the Mold
Battlefield Hasn't Had The Best Luck With Battle Royale Modes
Released in March 2019, around four months after the main game's launch, Battlefield V received the franchise's first Battle Royale mode. Called 'Firestorm,' Battlefield V's BR mode saw 64 players drop onto the Norwegian map, Halvøy. Firestorm followed its competition's shared formula closely, having players pick up weapons from the ground and tasking them with surviving the eponymous enclosing ring of fire.
While Battlefield V's Firestorm mode released a year before Call of Duty: Warzone, it was beaten to the punch by Apex Legends and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4's Blackout mode. As such, Firestorm was seen as a competent but lackluster Battle Royale mode, offering a fun but overly familiar experience. It also didn't help that, unlike most of its free-to-play competition, Firestorm was locked behind Battlefield V's paywall.
The Battle Royale Market Is Full
The Battle Royale market has only grown more crowded since Firestorm's launch in 2019. Fortnite, Apex Legends, and Call of Duty: Warzone still hold dominion over the BR market, and though countless contenders have tried to dethrone them over the years, few have stood the test of time. If a Battle Royale game is going to succeed in this crowded market, it needs to offer players something unique, a distinct hook that sets it apart from the juggernauts of the genre. Naturally, this is much easier said than done.
Ripple Effect's Battlefield Battle Royale Mode Needs to Forge Its Own Path
While Battlefield has brand recognition on its side, Ripple Effect's rumored Battle Royale mode won't be able to rely on that alone to succeed. Instead, it needs to deliver a BR experience that's distinct from its contemporaries, and honing in on Battlefield's biggest strengths is a great place to start.
Battlefield has often been viewed as a slightly more tactical game than titles like Call of Duty, and the next entry's Battle Royale mode could stand out by focusing on that. While most Battle Royale games have a maximum squad size of four, Ripple Effect's mode could increase that size to six, encouraging more communication and teamwork. Letting players select a class at the beginning of each match would further reinforce this tactical focus, encouraging players to synergize their abilities with their teammates.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 79 /100 Critics Rec: 73%
- Released
- November 20, 2018
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- DICE
- Publisher(s)
- Electronic Arts
- Engine
- Frostbite
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Franchise
- Battlefield
WHERE TO PLAY
Enter mankind’s greatest conflict with Battlefield™ V as the series goes back to its roots in a never-before-seen portrayal of World War 2. Take on physical, all-out multiplayer with your squad in modes like the vast Grand Operations and the cooperative Combined Arms, or witness human drama set against global combat in the single player War Stories. As you fight in epic, unexpected locations across the globe, enjoy the richest and most immersive Battlefield yet. Now also includes Firestorm – Battle Royale, reimagined for Battlefield.
Firestorm – Battle Royale, reimagined for Battlefield. Dominate on the largest Battlefield map ever with epic weapons and combat vehicles as a deadly ring of fire closes in. Scavenge, fight, and survive to become the last squad standing.
World War 2 as You’ve Never Seen It Before – Take the fight to unexpected but crucial moments of the war, as Battlefield goes back to where it all began.
64-Player Multiplayer in the Chaos of All-Out War – Lead your Company in all-out multiplayer with new experiences like the massive Grand Operations mode. Take on classic modes like Conquest or squad up with friends in the cooperative Combined Arms.
The Most Immersive Battlefield Yet – Maneuver through the battlefield using a new soldier move set, fortifications, and mobile tools of destruction.
Play Untold War Stories – Witness human drama set against global combat in the single player War Stories. Ski down Norwegian mountains as you battle for control of nuclear weapon supply lines, join the frontline with the French colonial troops, or go behind enemy lines in North Africa with a band of misfits sent to create mayhem.
Tides of War – Embark on a journey where new content drops continuously transport you and your Company to a huge variety of key WW2 locations, where new battlefields and gear await.
