Summary
Fans of theBattlefieldfranchise are finally starting to look towards the future, with the recently launched Season 7 ofBattlefield 2042being confirmed as the last major piece of post-launch support for the title. A lot of pressure is already being placed on the IP’s next project, with it having to contend with the controversial launch and eventual redemption of2042, and some reports are beginning to shed light on what the development process for this next title is looking like.
These reports stated that the nextBattlefieldtitle is set to be developed by a cooperative group of four EA-owned development studios, with Motive Studio being the latest to join. While this can be a positive for the nextBattlefieldproject, some of the most controversialCall of Dutytitles suffered from the inconsistencies caused by having multiple development studios, andBattlefieldruns the risk of facing the same fate if things do not run smoothly.
The Next Battlefield Game Might Suffer From Having Several Development Studios
These recent reports suggest that the nextBattlefieldgame will be spearheaded by a combined force of DICE, Criterion, Ripple Effect, and now Motive. Of course, Motive has a lot of experience working under EA and the Frostbite engine, being responsible forStar Wars: Squadronsandthe 2023 remake of the originalDead Space. While this experience could be put to good use on the nextBattlefieldrelease, Motive is also currently developing the upcomingIron Mangame alongside Marvel, meaning the studio’s attention may be spread too thin during the vital periods of this next project’s development.
A multi-studio approach to development is something thatCall of Dutyhas employed over the years, to varying levels of success. 2021’sCall of Duty: Vanguardfamously used this approach, with Sledgehammer Games developing the campaign and multiplayer of the title whileTreyarch handled the game’s Zombies mode. This joint approach led to crossed wires and inconsistencies in the quality of different gameplay areas, with 2023’sModern Warfare 3suffering from a similar fate.
Sledgehammer, Infinity Ward, and Treyarch all played large roles in the development of 2023’sMW3, which itself suffered criticisms of inconsistency, especially towardsMW3’s infamously short campaign. Perhaps the most glaring downside of this multi-studio approach is how it takes away from a solid sense of identity for a title, and this is something thatBattlefieldcannot afford to fall victim to.
Multiple Studios Might Make the Next Battlefield Too Complex for Its Own Good
The nextBattlefieldgame still needs to repair a lot of the damage that2042created, despite the game doing well to redeem itself in recent months. A lot of the criticism surrounding2042concerned how it felt too far removed fromthe identity of the greatest pastBattlefieldtitles, with the launch absence of things like a campaign, leaderboards, and the four-class system going against what had made the franchise so great in the past.
It seems wise in this way thatthe nextBattlefieldgame should go back to basics, and adding a new studio to the game’s development that has no priorBattlefieldexperience may go against this. While Motive could easily provide a massive positive boost to whatever comes next forBattlefield, the franchise should pay attention to how this approach has worked to the detriment of theCall of Dutyseries in the past.
The nextBattlefieldtitle is currently aiming for a release window of 2025.
