The Battlefield series is returning with a few changes in Battlefield V, the only-just revealed next game in the long-running FPS franchise. Set to release on Oct. 19th on PS4, Xbox One and PC, we’re taking another trip through history as the massive conquest battles the series is known for return to a familiar setting — with a few twists. This isn’t just a retro Battlefield reboot, this is a full-on sequel with all the changes that implies.
And publisher EA Games is earning itself positive headlines for some changes (and negative headlines for others, we are talking about EA here) — most especially the way they’re changing loot boxes and season passes. Loot boxes are gone. That’s just one out of eight ways the Battlefield series is changing for the better.
#1: No Season Pass, No Loot Boxes
The biggest, most exciting change is right there in the headline. There will be no loot boxes and no season pass — post-release maps will be free for all players. There will be microtransactions and premium currency, but representatives of EA say that you can only purchase cosmetics with real money.
We’re hoping that’s the case, but other EA games like Star Wars: Battlefront 2 came under fire for some ridiculous pay-to-win tactics and insane in-game unlock requirements, essentially forcing players to shell out dough if they wanted to play Darth Vader. There are no heroes in Battlefield V, but it’s always best to keep a healthy level of skepticism about any decision EA makes. Here’s hoping the end of the season pass model is as positive as it sounds.
#2: Battlefield Is Going Back To WW2
The most obvious change is the return to WW2. The series began with Battlefield 1942, and like the Call of Duty franchise, slowly moved into the modern era in its sequels, dabbled in sci-fi, and finally swung back to the original setting. The weapons, the tanks, the airplanes — I have to admit, I’m nostalgic for Battlefield 1942, so it’s great seeing how that game’s setting has evolved on new technology.
#3: Campaign Focuses On Lesser Known Conflicts
While Battlefield 1942 presented well-worn conflict areas like the Western Europe and North Africa theaters, Battlefield V takes aim at conflict areas many players might not know about — or, at the very least, have never experienced in a video game. You’ll visit Norway and struggle to rescue your family in the Arctic Circle, or fight street-to-street in the bombed ruins of Rotterdam, Netherlands.
The campaign continues in the same style as Battlefield 1. Each chapter is a mini-campaign, with a beginning, middle and end for that particular protagonist before you move on to the next story. It’s a good approach, even if there is no overarching narrative.
#4: Even More Persistent Destruction
Back to multiplayer, destruction is even more important. Buildings are modeled to crumble realistically, depending on your methods of attack. A tank shell might punch straight through a building, or burst out the back walls — or even destroy the whole thing if the shell explodes in the center. Destruction is modeled to stay persistent, and crumbling buildings (or empty vehicle shells) will block streets, forcing you to change your tactics on the fly. Luckily, all that destruction doesn’t simply leave a barren wasteland.
#5: You Can Rebuild & Fortify Your Positions
Normally, after buildings are destroyed in a Battlefield game, the infantry are left without any cover or advantage in combat. They’re stuck out in the open — not so in Battlefield V. Positions can be fortified, sandbag emplacements set, and mounted weapons constructed to help stem the tide of invaders.
While we don’t know a lot about fortifying positions, this feature will hopefully help that feeling of emptiness that comes after too many buildings are totally leveled in a map. You’ll be able to place (and defend) your points better than before.
#6: Grand Operations Adds Even More To Multiplayer
Grand Operations, based on Operations mode from Battlefield 1, adds even more to multiplayer. In Grand Operations, you’ll play multiple maps and different modes, all in a series, and there are unique rewards to earn if you succeed at defeating the enemy.
We don’t know exactly how Grand Operations will work, or how they’re different than Operations, but here’s hoping the scope has been upped even further than before.
#7: Customize Everything About Your Character
This is where microtransaction come into play. You can customize every part of your soldier in Battlefield V. That includes gender, race, facial tattoos, arms, legs, head, torso — it’s a deep customization system that doesn’t limit itself to pure historical accuracy, which might be a turn-off for players looking for more verisimilitude in their WW2 shooters. From the trailer, we can already see that you can change facial hair, outfits, paint your own unique tattoos, or replace limbs with prosthetics.
Customization options can be purchased in the premium store. Presumably, you’ll be able to unlock them somehow in the main game, too.
#8: All The Little Things | Dragging Wounded Solders, Shooting Grenades
Too many little things are changing to count, so I’m going to focus on only the most exciting changes for long-time players. Little things that I always wanted.
- Not only can you throw back grenades, you can also shoot grenades out of the sky, or shoot downed grenades before they explode.
- You can crawl on your back while prone and shoot. You can also slide, and shoot while sliding. Prone movement is far more elaborate this time around — you’ll have full 360 degree movement and can move in any direction.
- You can even fire your weapon while mantling small walls, or while clambering up structures. If your gun is raised, you’ll be able to fire.
- You can drag friendly players to safety before reviving them. If a player dies out in the open, there’s still a chance to save them.
There’s even more we know that’s hopefully going to improve the game — a new Airborne mode where you drop into combat from the sky sounds pretty awesome.
What do you think of Battlefield V? Excited? Disappointed? Let us know what you think in the comments section below!
