Battlefield V is going back to its roots. Set during the second world war and taking inspiration from real-world stories, the flagship title from EA Dice was unveiled this evening (May 23) with a selection of hi-resolution screenshots and a new trailer showing the chaotic shooter in action.
The game, scheduled for release in October, will be more interconnected and immersive than ever, studio executives said during a press briefing in London prior to the big reveal. It was confirmed that the decision has been made to drop the Premium Pass meaning that all levels will now become available for everyone at the same, no longer locked behind a paywall, while a new "live service" called "Tides of War" is being billed as an always-evolving way to enjoy long-term Battlefield V content.
The much-anticipated multiplayer sections are set to be discussed in greater detail during next month's EA Play event. But for now, Dice has acknowledged that a number of new cooperative gameplay modes in a selection of fresh locations will accompany the tried and tested "Rush" and "Conquest" missions.
For the first time, users will be able to create and personalize their soldier's avatar—right down to gender, hair type, clothing and abilities. The studio confirmed that a new online mode—"Grand Operations"—will combine missions and maps as players fight through a series of WW2-era set pieces to the main objective: last team standing. It was described as "the first chapter in our multiplayer service." Confirmed locations included Norway, France, the city of Rotterdam and the North Africa.
Another mode, "Combined Arms", lies somewhere between single and multiplayer, with up to four players cooperating to complete "dynamic" objectives. The fantasy, EA said, is to experience what it would be like to go behind enemy lines and lurk around undetected, explained Lars Gustavsson, creative director at Dice. "It's about playing together and leaving no man behind," he added.
In total, there are three core gameplay sections: War Stories, Combined Arms and Multiplayer. The live-service "Tides of War" appears to be the overarching system that connects it all. For the micro-transaction critics out there, especially following the Battlefront 2 debacle, Dice assured fans that progression cannot be bought. Instead, levelling up players, weapons and vehicles revolves around time played and effort. With such a huge focus on cosmetic upgrades, however, its easy to envision EA eventually rolling out different charges for some of them, be it new weapon skins, hairstyles or apparel.
Old Dog, New Tricks
Player movement has been refined: users will now be able to quickly slide into a prone position and shoot their weapons while on their back, and the world's environments will also react in real-time to the soldiers movements. A sniper's position will easily be given away by moving grass, for example. There is a new spotting system that will force players to seek out enemies more precisely than previous titles and some major gameplay changes have been made in terms of scarcity and health packs, EA said. Soldiers' health will no longer go back to 100 percent without the help of a medic and Dice claimed there will be a very real chance that without the help of a support class, you will run out of ammunition.
"Buddy revives" have been introduced so that all classes can boost some health into their teammates and bodies can now be dragged into a safe position on the map to administer first aid. Destruction, a long-time staple in the Battlefield franchise, will reportedly be more explosive than ever.
Speaking of environments, players will now be able to build fortifications and military assets onto the map. Large guns can also be moved to new positions during matches and the respawn process has been altered to let a deceased team member continue to watch—and chat—with remaining squad members. The changes to the game may not seem like a giant leap forward to an outsider looking in but the updates are mainly quality of life, and should pay dividends to the flow of the multiplayer battles.
Unlike its main rival, Call of Duty, EA did not discuss a battle royale mode. One executive told Newsweek that the possibility had been discussed but there are were plans to implement the game type popularised by Fortnite and PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. The immediate destination of the title, at least for EA, is seemingly the games-as-a-service model. "This is the tip of the iceberg," said Ryan McArthur, senior development director at Dice, during the press event. "Right now, when we look at a live service, I am really excited about this because it is going to be the future of Battlefield."
Release date confirmed
Battlefield V will release on PlayStation 4 and Xbox consoles in October.
A first trial for the shooter begins on October 11, while the deluxe edition will come out October 16 and the standard edition on October 19. Additionally, previous downloadable content for Battlefield 4 (Final Stand) and Battlefield 1 (In the Name of the Tsar) are currently being offered to all users for free.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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