By Christopher Groux
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Battlefield 2018 will be following in the successful footsteps of Call Of Duty: WWII, according to a new report from VentureBeat. The publication says the tentatively-titled Battlefield V will take the series back to its historical roots steeped in the grit and grime of World War II.
The information was offered to the publication via anonymous "sources familiar with EA's plans" for its 2018 games lineup. It arrives hot on the heels of two major successes in the first-person shooter space. On EA's end, Battlefield V will follow 2016's Battlefield 1. The title boasted 25 million players as of December 2016 and was the second best-selling game that year. In fact, the positive momentum has continued so strongly that the developer continued to support the game with new content; it's final piece of DLC is just a few days old. DICE took a gamble in developing one of the first shooters set in World War I, and the risk clearly paid off.
More recently, however, Battlefield 1 received some serious competition from Activision in the form of Call Of Duty: WWII. Despite releasing this past November, it was the best-selling game of 2017 and has the second-highest launch attach rate in franchise history. Now, it would appear DICE is ready to try its hand at bringing a slightly different flavor to this unparalleled conflict. The last Battlefield game to feature World War II was 2009's Battlefield 1943.
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Fans may look at this development as a quick way to capitalize on the success of the competition, but the report says a return to World War II had been in the cards for quite some time. Well aware that a 1940s Battlefield revival would likely be an instant success, DICE was allegedly hesitant to sacrifice its golden goose right away. As such, the decision was made to be a bit more experimental with Battlefield 1 instead. Studio heads felt safe taking that risk because they knew a World War II title could instantly get the series back on track if gamers weren't interested. Luckily, that worst-case scenario never came to pass.
While the report offers no specific details with regard to time periods, geography or features, it likely won't be long before DICE officially reveals that information. Assuming Battlefield V follows the promotional path of its predecessor, an announcement will likely happen in early May, with a more substantial blowout during EA Play on June 9. Barring any unforeseen leaks, that's when we'll truly learn how Battlefield V intends to separate itself from Call Of Duty.
That being said, even if these two games are set during the same era, there's plenty of room for both products to be very different. Because Call Of Duty: WWII focuses on the European theater, Battlefield V could easily find a home centered in the Pacific. Both titles also have different gameplay expectations as well. As a series, Battlefield generally focuses on more methodical squad-based combat. That shift alone would make Battlefield V feel different from WWII even if it looks somewhat similar.
As for Call Of Duty, recent rumors suggest 2018's title may be Call Of Duty: Black Ops IV, with an emphasis on modern-day combat. With that in mind, the two upcoming titles couldn't be more different.
Battlefield V is expected to release on Xbox One, PS4 and PC later this year.
Are you excited for Battlefield V based on these rumors? What will be the best shooter of 2018? Tell us in the comments section!
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