Summary
The rivalry that spans well over a decade continues.Battlefield6is finally on the horizonto take onCall Of Duty, and many players are excited yet reserved to see what’s next for the franchise. But enemies can learn from one another. EA can fix a lot of the mistakes made by theCODfranchise, whilst also getting plenty of good ideas to use in their own game.
From system changes to gameplay variety, such a long-term competition is a great way for multiple games to improve and innovate over time. It is more important now than ever forBF6to come out with a bang and demonstrate that it still has what it takes to sit at the top of the shooter genre.
7Over-Reliance On Live Service Models
Updates That Engage In The Short Term Rather Than Long Term
One of the most divisive changes made not only in recentCODgames, but also in many other titles has been the focal shift towards live-service-style content and updates. This approach uses features such as battle passes and short-term events to incentivize players to engage with the game for rewards and bonuses, rather than focusing on the gameplay itself.
The hope is that withthe nextBattlefieldtitle, the update content will feel more like an enhancement to the game as opposed to being the main reason players jump in. A successful game can stand on its own with regular balance updates and meaningful systematic improvements, while shifting away from grindy events and drops that undermine the core identity of the franchise.
6Choosing Trends Over Identity
Carving Out A Real Niche In The Market
When a new title in a series comes out, the developers often attempt to follow genre trends or popular pieces of media as a way of gauging how to add content and what direction things should go. WithCOD,this has taken the form of game modes and content drops that revolve around popular shows, games, musicians, or general culture. This often fills the game with things that are irrelevant to the core story or themes.
Thankfully, with the latestBattlefield,it has already been mentioned that the content drops will focus on things tied to the setting, i.e., the modern military. While having a few funny skins and items can shake things up, it is much better for the game to feel like its own product, rather than requiring the influence of others to remain relevant.
5Monetizing Everything
Actual Content Over Money-Making
Monetization has been a big topic of debate in theCODcommunity ever since microtransactions first hit the scene. The shift away from DLC packs to in-game currencies and skins quickly made the games feel more crowded with monetized items and content, rather than giving players larger additions that relate closely to the actual combat or core gameplay.
Having currencies or an in-game store isn’t inherently bad, but it would be great to see the developers push for a more consumer-friendly approach that offers good value and high-quality products. Meanwhile, free-to-play players should still get plenty of opportunities to still get in on the new drops with missions or objectives.
4Map Design
Interesting Environments That Don’t Feel Repetitive
A criticism that has been discussed at length is the level and map design of theCODmultiplayer modes. Many people describe the maps as simplistic arenas that follow the lane format of splitting fights into segments on the map, without introducing anything too innovative to the traversal or combat in terms of the interactions with the map.
ButBattlefieldis known for being the king of destructionand map design, with entire structures collapsing and large segments becoming covered in rubble in a matter of seconds. Aside from the explosions, it would be great to see some maps that feel distinct from one another and ones that the players actually want to play, rather than having a few high-quality ones and the rest being filler.
3Stale Modes
Innovating The Genre
Game modes are an important part of any multiplayer title. When it comes to shooters likeCOD, the modes tend to fall into one of two categories: classic modes like Team Deathmatch or Search and Destroy, and for-fun modes like Prop Hunt. The trouble is, shooting players to a score limit over and over can get pretty stale. If there isn’t enough variety, then the player base can drop off very quickly.
The hope is that withBF6, players will have plenty of modes for players to enjoy that function just as well, regardless of what map is being played. With eight modes confirmed, only time will tell if that is enough to keep players invested or whether more variety is needed to keep that hunger sated.
2Poor Communication
A Real Sense Of Community
An important part of any game development is a good line of communication between players and devs.CODhas had a few ups and downs in terms of player-to-dev discourse, ranging from full-length Q&As to radio silence, which becomes particularly problematic with issues like cheaters and game-breaking bugs.
There has already been a decent amount ofinformation released regarding future plansand how the devs will be working with players to improve the experience. Hopefully, that level of involvement will continue throughout the game’s lifecycle so that players don’t need to worry about not being heard.
1The Gap Between Multiplayer & Campaign
More Than Just A Crossover
Campaigns inCODhave existed since the start of the franchise. Although a few entries have omitted the single-player experience, many of the best games in the series have a great storyline to complement the PvP elements. But it can be confusing when locations and themes are ignored that were discussed during the campaign, or when the continuity feels off. This can become even more troublesome with comedic skins and cosmetics.
WithBF6slated to haveits own full-length campaign at launch, the hope is that the story will align closely with the locations and the environments that players engage with during multiplayer. Also, it is important that the cinematic moments seen in the story are as possible during regular multiplayer matches, to make players feel like they are playing on a real, living battlefield.
