Battlefieldis steadily approaching the full reveal and subsequent release of its next installment, unofficially dubbedBattlefield 6, but I can’t help being reminded of 2019’sCall of Duty: Modern Warfaresoft reboot whenever I see new leaked footage. The initiative calledBattlefield Labs– a series of playtests hoping to bring strong fan feedback into the development of the nextBattlefield– has been plagued with leaks.It seems like every day I see new and sometimes interesting clipsofBattlefield 6gameplay before it’s supposed to be publicly available.
SomeBattlefield 6detailshave been concerning, like thelack of class-locked weaponsand a rumored battle royale mode being tacked on again, but the actual leaked footage has been almost singularly compelling.Battlefield 4is a personal favorite, and it seems like the new game is in its direct lineage. But there are a few things that keep reminding me (and some otherBattlefieldfans online) ofModern Warfare(2019), andI have mixed feelings about the similarities.
Battlefield 6 Seems A Lot Like Modern Warfare 2019
Gameplay Similarities Might Be Worrying
The points of comparison betweenBattlefield 6andModern Warfarethat immediately strike me revolve around the weapons.Modern Warfarewas a concerted effort to giveCall of Duty’s guns a greater tactile feeling: reload animations are slick, and they make satisfying sounds. ButCoDhasn’t abandoned its signature arcade gameplay, so very little of that translates to changes in shooting mechanics, like recoil.
CoD’s now-staple Gunsmith system lets you retool attachments and affect recoil in a variety of ways, but most guns in the series from 2019 and beyond still providevery little issue with recoil control. Similarly accurate weapons have been a consistent sticking point inBattlefield 6’s leaked clips. Recoil control doesn’t seem to be as big a part of the learning curve as in previous installments.
This particular comparison goes both ways, though. Much likeModern Warfareand everyCoDsince,Battlefield’s new reload and weapon animations are great. They’re not necessarily as important as the mechanics of gunplay, but great animations can go a long way in determining how good playing an FPS feels.
I also worry aboutBattlefield 6’s map sizes.Modern Warfarehelped reassert the classic three-lane map that has dominated arcade FPS games for decades. I like thatBattlefield’s new maps seem to have plenty of room for vehicles, but the overall size feels like it contributes to a game that’s trying to keep the misguided pace ofBattlefield 2042. The series hasn’t tried to be a military sim, butits best games toe the line of realism with their consistent lines of conflict and tightly designed squad play, both of which help keep a measured pace in gameplay.
Call Of Duty & Battlefield Have Different Strengths
We Don’t Need A CoD Killer
I try to keep in mind that the leaks are all alpha footage ofBattlefield 6, and thatthe final release is likely to have lots of small tweaks, but after some small missteps inBattlefield 5and the disappointment of2042– not to mention how long it takes to develop these games now – it feels like there’s a lot of pressure for this game to keep the series alive.
Even these small comparisons toModern Warfarefeel like a loss of series identity, even though the lastBattlefieldgame was clearly the most glaring example of its diminishing novelty. We’re thankfully past the era ofBattlefieldbeing viewed as a potentialCoDkiller, but ifModern Warfare’s revitalization ofCall of Dutyhas been used as a template forBattlefield 6, there’s a chance it’s gone too far andcontinued the series' trend away from the modicum of realism it once had.
Battlefield 6 Could Still Build On MW2019’s Foundation
How To Rejuvenate An Aging Series
The difficult part is finding the right balance, because 2019’sModern Warfareis an extremely strong reference point – just not as a gameplay inspiration necessarily.Modern Warfarehas impressed me since its release becauseit somehow feels more different than it should. It plays exactly like manyCall of Dutytitles before it, arguably all the way back toCoD 4, the originalModern Warfare, but it miraculously feels like a large leap ahead for the series.
It can serve as a perfect informant for how a substantial coat of paint can revitalize a series that only innovates incrementally.Battlefieldgames may be released more sparingly thanCall of Duty, butmany longtime fans, including myself, hope6can be a direct successor to the classic experience ofBattlefield3and4. I don’t necessarily need the next evolution ofBattlefield, I just want a classically goodBattlefieldgame again.
I very much hope I’m reading too much into leaked footage, and I likely am, but it’s been nearly a decade, sinceBattlefield 1, that the series truly dug its hooks into me. IfBattlefield 6is Battlefield Studios' concerted effort to win back disillusioned fans, then it can’t hew too close toModern Warfarein its gameplay.Battlefield’s leaked footage is mostly promising for looking like a return to form, but minor details can spell doom for a series that has struggled to maintain its identity.
