Summary
- Battlefield 5's Firestorm mode showed that the series' strengths can work in a Battle Royale game, but bugs and pricing issues held it back.
- The next Battlefield should have a free-to-play Battle Royale mode, offer a wider selection of vehicles and weapons, and eliminate bugs before launch.
- Bringing back Battlefield 4's Levolution system, with even more dynamic destruction, would set the new Battlefield Battle Royale apart and keep gameplay fresh.
With work reportedly underway on the next entry in the Battlefield franchise, EA is undoubtedly looking for ways to keep the series relevant in today's gaming landscape. While the next Battlefield game will assuredly have plenty of new features, EA shouldn't be afraid to also look to the series’ past for inspiration. Rather than sticking with what has worked before, though, it should consider revisiting one of the biggest missteps in Battlefield history. While it may not have won gamers over at the time of release, Battlefield 5’s Firestorm mode could provide a template for a Battle Royale mode that could reinvigorate the franchise.
Although success in the Battle Royale market has been elusive for many developers, with Fortnite and Apex Legends continuing to dominate the genre, Battlefield could carve out a space for itself by embracing the series’ strengths. From large-scale environmental destruction to the adept way it handles its mix of infantry and vehicular combat, leaning into what the Battlefield franchise does best could be a boon for a Firestorm successor. By learning from Firestorm’s missteps and including a refined version of Battlefield 4's Levolution system, the next Battlefield game could move the Battle Royale genre forward and become a serious competitor.
The Next Battlefield Can Learn from Firestorm’s Missteps
Battlefield 5’s Firestorm mode may have failed to catch on when it was released in 2019, but it proved that the series’ most iconic elements could work in a Battle Royale title. The ultimately ill-fated mode let players battle either on foot or with a variety of vehicles across what was then the largest map in franchise history, creating a unique Battle Royale experience that still felt like Battlefield at its core. Although Firestorm had plenty of potential, reports of numerous bugs and the need to purchase the full version of Battlefield 5 kept many would-be players away.
One of the biggest lessons EA can learn from Firestorm’s failure has to do with pricing. Rather than requiring gamers to purchase a full copy of the new Battlefield, EA should follow in Call of Duty: Warzone’s footsteps and make the mode free-to-play. Combined with a wider selection of vehicles and weapons, and enough development time to ensure the most egregious bugs are eliminated before launch, this would let Battlefield stay competitive in the crowded Battle Royale market. Finally, bringing back one of Battlefield 4's best features could be the thing that ties it all together.
Battlefield 4’s Levolution Should Come Back in a Big Way
Doubling down on what worked in Battlefield’s first foray into Battle Royale would be a good start, but EA shouldn't stop there. One feature that would make the new mode stand out from the crowd would be bringing back the Levolution system from Battlefield 4. Building upon Battlefield: Bad Company’s destruction mechanics, Levolution let players alter multiplayer maps in a variety of ways. From destroying buildings to flooding the streets of a city, the system led to matches and maps that could feel truly dynamic.
Modern gaming hardware would let EA go even further with Levolution, allowing for even more mayhem in matches. Introducing these sorts of dynamic, fully destructible environments to the Battle Royale genre would let Battlefield stand out from the competition and keep gameplay fresh as players alter their strategies from round to round while the map changes around them. If done right, this could be a defining feature that other Battle Royales would be hard-pressed to replicate.
EA has shown a willingness to reinvent Battlefield over the years, even if those attempts haven’t always been successful, and this should continue with the series’ next entry. By having another go at one of the franchise’s biggest missteps while simultaneously reviving one of its most innovative features, a new Battlefield Battle Royale mode could ignite players’ passions in a way Firestorm never did.
Battlefield 2042
- Released
- November 19, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- DICE, Criterion Games, Ripple Effect
- Publisher(s)
- Electronic Arts
- Franchise
- Battlefield
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter
- How Long To Beat
- N/A
- File Size Xbox Series
- 84 GB (June 2023)
- Platforms That Support Crossplay
- PC, PS5 & Xbox Series X|S and PS4 & Xbox One
