Electronic Arts and developer DICE brought Battlefield V to Gamescom 2018 where they unveiled the Devastation of Rotterdam gameplay trailer and more details about the game. Specifically, we now have our first look at how the customization and progression systems work in the WWII themed shooter.
First introduced to us by developers at DICE the day before Battlefield V was unveiled, this game includes what's dubbed the "The Company" system - a place where players earn and collect customization option and upgrades for their weapons, soldiers, and vehicles. The new trailer up top offers a quick overview of what this looks like and how it's implemented across the game's modes. Unlocks from challenges in the single-player War Stories, the co-op mode, and multiplayer - and other events as part of the game's "Tide of War" live service can be found and applied here.
Related: Is This Our First Look at Battlefield V's Battle Royale Mode?
At launch, Battlefield V has two factions: the British and the German armies. Each of course, have their own vehicles and weapons. The four main classes (Recon, Support, Assault, and Medic) return as well, but now they can be further customized into one of two "Combat Roles" (think Archetypes) per class. Expect more combat roles, perhaps even more classes, as more content is added via Tides of War.
Your Battlefield V accolades and achievements are forever etched in your Company. From each Chapter in Tides of War to every multiplayer mode, your time spent playing Battlefield V contributes to the growth of your Company. Soldiers, weapons, and vehicles can be unlocked and then advanced through deep feature customization, thanks to the five progression ranks: Career, Class, Weapon, Vehicle and Chapter.
This is what will keep players playing. Since players can customize how their weapons look and how they function, there are multiple layers of progression for players to constantly seek.
And more will always be added with new daily and weekly challenges, alongside new content and events that come with each new chapter of Tides of War - the first of which is the "Fall of Europe" campaign a few weeks after launch which brings with it Battlefield V's flagship "Grand Operations" mode.
In "The Company" system, players can customize everything from mesh layers and camo patterns on their tanks, to war paint, outfits, and other cosmetic changes of their actual soldiers by class and role. Of course, similar patterns along with mods for their weapons can be collected and set here as well allowing players to build the perfect Assault-type soldier for fighting off vehicles, or taking on large amounts of infantry in close-quarters combat.
The more you use your weapon in battle, the more you open additional customization options such as receivers, stocks, barrels, muzzles, and others.
As for the vehicles, while we've seen this teased and discussed on multiple fronts, vehicle customization oddly will not be available at launch. Vehicles however, can still be unlocked through in-game currency and by using them more, can be upgraded. In the new future, DICE promises to explain the game's economy and progression systems in more detail. They've already promised to have no loot boxes or pay-to-win microtransactions but there will be a premium currency for cosmetics.