It can be said that 2016’sBattlefield 1was one of the most ambitious and unique releases in the longstanding first-person shooter franchise. As a mainline entry, the title took the series to World War 1, with this particular war being significantly underrepresented in gaming media despite its massive scale and global importance.
Battlefield 1was received very well by most fans, especially when considering the risk that the title took with its setting. This positive reception has only been reinforced recently, with the game experiencing a surge in its Steam player count long after its initial release that indicates a guaranteed audience if the seires were to continue exploring the First World War.
RELATED:Anthem on Xbox One Has Fewer Players than Fallout 76, Battlefield 1
The Appeal of Battlefield 1
As well as delving into a relatively unexplored conflict, the risk of exploring WW1 in a franchise likeBattlefieldprimarily stems from the reduced technology of the time period, with the war lasting between 1914 and 1918. However, the massive scale of WW1’s battles and the huge variety in the fronts that it was fought on more than make up for this. This undoubtedly played a massive role inthe success ofBattlefield 1, with the title ultimately offering something that fans of the franchise simply had not seen before.
While not being able to showcase the same advanced gadgets and class-based equipment that more modern-set installments ofBattlefieldhad previously offered to fans,Battlefield 1had things like zeppelinsand warships that could dominate maps, as well as unique game mechanics such as horseback combat and bayonet charges. From Europe to the Middle East,Battlefield 1offered a fascinating insight into the gritty war of attrition that characterized WW1, showcasing the peculiar blend of archaic and more modern technology that made the conflict such a unique one.
The Recent Popularity of Battlefield 1 and Potential Future Games
Recently,Battlefield 1broke its all-time playercount on Steam, marking an unprecedented feat for a title that is now six years old. At its peak, the game amassed over 51,000 concurrent players, with even more players now being drawn to the title with news of its newfound popularity.
To contextualize just how impressive this achievement is, the mostrecent franchise installment ofBattlefield 2042only had a peak player count of just under 5,500 during this same time period. Given this comparative lack of popularity forBattlefield 2042and its near-future setting, the community of the franchise is perhaps indicating a preference for releases with older settings, and World War 1 is still the most underrepresented global conflict in the series.
Battlefieldhas often seesawed back and forth with its modern and archaic settings, with the series historically finding equal amounts of success within both time periods. Considering that the more recentBattlefield 5, which takes place during WW2, also has much higher playercounts than2042, it may be time for the series to delve once more into less modern time periods.
ThoughBattlefield 1did cover a variety of fronts, it remains that the two very notable sides of France and Russia were absent from the base-game, despite their influence within the First World War. It is true that these countries were eventually represented viaBattlefield 1’sDLC expansions, but a subsequentBattlefieldtitle set during WW1 could easily place much more focus on these particular countries. Given the scale and intensity of the fighting in WW1, the breadth of potential settings and narratives is utterly massive, and it is clear that anotherBattlefieldgame set during this conflict would be very popular with fans of the franchise.
Battlefield 1is currently available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
MORE:Battlefield 2042 Coming to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, EA Access in Season 3
