During a financial call for the first quarter of the 2022 fiscal year, Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson told investors to think of Battlefield 2042, and the brand in general, as a service that will receive ongoing support. Previous entries in the series have received long-term support from developer DICE in the past. 2018's Battlefield 5 counts as one such installment, as its post-launch content updates didn't conclude until June 2020.
The newest title seems even more suited for the live-service model that has overtaken gaming in recent years. For one, Battlefield 2042 is skipping the traditional single-player campaign to focus entirely on the multiplayer experience. Upon release, players can expect to experience three different modes, All-Out Warfare, complete with Conquest and Breakthrough, Battlefield Hardzone, and the recently unveiled Battlefield Portal. The latter should prove amongst the most exciting gameplay options, giving users access to a sandbox wherein they can create their own fun based on reimagined maps, weapons, and vehicles across various Battlefield eras.
In a Q1 earnings call for fiscal year 2022 (via IGN), Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson explained to investors that Battlefield as a whole will embrace a service-style model. Wilson said in part, "I think that is our orientation. But more [importantly], I think you should think of Battlefield as a service." The executive's statement implies Battlefield 2042 and future releases will regularly receive updates over a long span of time. How often new titles in the series may release remains unclear, but Wilson said the likes of this year's Battlefield will "reinvent what [EA's] epic-scale games are."
The service-oriented focus "forms the foundation for what we think the future of Battlefield is," the CEO continued, referring to the brand's different incarnations - including a mobile Battlefield game - as a way to "change the nature of what happens from launch to launch." Wilson added that EA's goals additionally center on "365 day engagement on a platform level.”
Again, this doesn't seem too off the mark from how EA and DICE have supported Battlefield in the past, though Battlefield 2042's multiplayer-only release will likely result in some notable differences. How exactly it may all play out remains unknown to the public as of yet. Still, Wilson's comments indicate the upcoming shooter will lay the groundwork for the publisher's future live-service endeavors.
After months of rumors and leaks, EA officially unveiled Battlefield 2042 in early June. The online-exclusive nature of the experience continues to serve as a point of contention amongst fans, yet we'll have to wait and see if such an effort on DICE's part is worth it in the end.
Battlefield 2042 comes to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S on October 22.
Source: Electronic Arts via IGN