Battlefield 2042 is slowly inching its way into becoming a complete game. But, even when Electronic Arts accomplishes what it initially set out to do with the latest Battlefield game, it still will not have a single-player campaign.
EA has responded to player feedback about Battlefield 2042's lack of a story campaign and it looks like fans will be getting what they want.
In an open letter to Battlefield fans, EA General Manager Byron Beede addressed the importance of player feedback, saying that it has been "instrumental in evolving Battlefield." He then assured fans that the Battlefield team is working towards making BF2042 the game they envisioned.
Beede also reiterates that EA is committed to the Battlefield franchise and that the company will apply the experience they had with BF2042 to future games.
We're all in on the future of Battlefield! We're continuing to support #BF2042, and welcome our new studio, @RidgelineGames, who will be focusing on a narrative campaign.
Read more from GM Byron Beede 👇https://t.co/RHcHYe0opc pic.twitter.com/fO7eCHNDAB
— Battlefield (@Battlefield) September 8, 2022
Battlefield 2042 has been controversial during its launch and in the following months. The lack of a single-player campaign, divisive gameplay, and persistent bugs have driven players away from the game. The tide has only recently turned after EA and DICE have made many enhancements to the game based on the feedback and criticism it has received.
The game is far from what was promised at launch but the recent improvements in Season 1 and 2 and the return of the class system for Season 3 have been a welcome development for Battlefield 2042.
The future of Battlefield
In his letter, Byron Beede shares that the company is doubling its commitment to the future of the franchise. He revealed plans not only for BF2042 but a long-term vision for the series. Beede mentions that Marcus Lehto, co-creator of the Halo Series, will lead the new studio, Ridgeline Games. The studio will be responsible for creating a new narrative campaign set in the Battlefield Universe - to be clear, not in Battlefield 2042. EA hopes that Lehto brings his wealth of experience in "creating fascinating worlds and gripping narratives to Battlefield".
It appears that EA wants three studios working on the Battlefield games: Rebecka Coutaz’s DICE, Christian Grass’ Ripple Effect, and Lehto’s Ridgeline Games.
According to Beede, DICE will be in charge of creating the multiplayer experience of Battlefield while Ripple Effect works on "creating an entirely new Battlefield experience that will complement and build upon the series’ foundations." Ridgeline Game's story campaign will be tied into the multiplayer experience.
By the looks of things, EA is imitating the formula that the Call of Duty series has been implementing for the past several years with COD: Warzone and the mainline Call of Duty titles. Warzone is being handled by Raven Software while Infinity Ward is the lead developer for the narrative campaign.
Having three major studios collaborate on the Battlefield series further debunks the rumors that only a handful of devs are left to manage the embattled BF2042. Most Battlefield fans will welcome the recent news as it proves EA's continued investment in the franchise.
