Summary
Once one of the fiercest competitors in the FPS market,Battlefieldhas fallen from grace somewhat over the last few years, fumbling the bag withBattlefield V’s pre-release marketing and post-launch support, and doing the same withBattlefield 2042’s unnecessary live-service approach. ButBattlefieldisn’t down for the count just yet.
Over the course of the last few years,Battlefield 2042has slowly become the game it should have always been. While its bevy of new maps, weapons, and returning features doesn’t quite make up for the state of the game on its 2021 launch, it does ignite a spark of hope that theBattlefieldseries could be better. But there needs to be some big changes next time round, and with there being a strong desire to seeBattlefieldreturn to its roots, one genuinely innovative2042feature seems doomed to go extinct before its time.
Removing Weapon Plus from The Next Battlefield Would Be a Double-Edged Sword
Weapon Plus Was a Big Innovation for Battlefield 2042
WhenBattlefield 2042first launched in November 2021, it was heavily criticized for its lack of content, and for its removal of staple franchise features. In place of those features,Battlefield 2042delivered a handful of new mechanics and features, many of which were shunned by the community, such asBattlefield 2042’s controversial Specialist system. But among the disappointing changes and bizarre removals, there was oneBattlefield 2042feature that actually felt genuinely new and even innovative.
From its earliest days, theBattlefieldfranchise has let players customize their weapons to a certain degree, often letting them add various attachments that help the performance of the weapon. While these weapon customization systems have never been as thorough asCall of Duty’s Gunsmith system, they’ve usually offered enough customization to keep fans happy.Battlefield 2042elevated this customization to the next level, introducing the ‘Plus System’ that allows players to select a range of different attachments and swap them out on the fly during combat.
In most military shooters, players can only swap weapon attachments between lives, using custom loadout slots to create an ideal class for every occasion.Battlefield 2042’s Plus Systemallows players to cycle through attachments at any point during a match. This means that players could initially have their weapon kitted out for close-quarters combat, but if they found themselves at a long distance from the enemy, they could swap their attachments to create a weapon that’s better suited to long-range combat.
This Plus System encourages players to experiment with all ofBattlefield 2042’s weapons and attachments, as opposed to just finding the optimal loadout early on and sticking with it. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a genuine point of innovation for the series and one that deserves to be refined over the next few entries.
Removing Weapon Plus Would Bring Battlefield Back to its Roots
However, there’s one inevitable issue standing in the way ofBattlefield 2042’s Plus System’s potential return. More so than ever before, fans desperately wantthe nextBattlefieldentry to return to the series' more grounded, immersive roots. Unfortunately, Weapon Plus just doesn’t really fit a more grounded, traditional approach, and that’ll likely mean that the feature will meet an untimely end, despite it still offering something that evenBattlefield’s best competitors don’t.
Battlefield 2042
WHERE TO PLAY
Battlefield 2042 is a first-person shooter that marks the return to the iconic all-out warfare of the franchise. With the help of a cutting-edge arsenal, engage in intense, immersive multiplayer battles.Lead your team to victory in both large all-out warfare and close-quarters combat on maps from the world of 2042 and classic Battlefield titles. Find your playstyle in class-based gameplay and take on several experiences comprising elevated versions of Conquest and Breakthrough. Explore Battlefield Portal, a platform where players can discover, create, and share unexpected battles from Battlefield’s past and present.This game includes optional in-game purchases of virtual currency that can be used to acquire virtual in-game items.
