Call of Duty and Battlefield have been going head-to-head for nearly two decades, but CoD has had the edge for a long time, despite both franchises exploring similar kinds of conflicts. The last game in the franchise, Battlefield 2042, wasn’t really successful with a mixed response.
There are several projects currently in development focusing on a brand-new Battlefield universe, and it is now reported that the next game in the franchise that will be coming in 2025 will have a free-to-play Battle Royale mode similar to Call of Duty‘s popular Warzone.
Battlefield 2025 to Feature Call of Duty Like Free-to-Play Battle Royale
According to an exclusive report by Insider Gaming, the 2025 installment in the franchise will feature a “new experience” in the form of a free-to-play Battle Royale that is being developed by Ripple Effect Studios. This new Battle Royale experience will follow a similar strategy to CoD: Warzone and work in tandem with its usual premium release.
The next game is said to be taking a “back to its roots approach” and will feature 64-player matches, unlike the previous title, 2042. The title will also see the return of the popular 4-class system and an overhaul of its destruction system. The setting of the game is said to be in the modern day, possibly around 2025 to 2030, and will heavily focus on modern-day technology that is used in the war.
Battlefield 2025 is said to be the “brainchild” of Byron Beede, the general manager of the franchise, who has previously worked on the CoD live service games. There are two game modes currently under development for the next installment, including the Battle Royale experience and a Gauntlet mode where players will have to form teams and will be required to complete objectives. The team with the lowest score after each objective would be removed until there was only one left.
The Next Game in the Franchise Is Reportedly Coming in October 2025
Insider Gaming also reported that the next installment is targeting the October 2025 release window, which is in line with the past launches in the series. This corresponds to the news that came from EA’s Q3 2024 earnings report conference call, where the company said it is planning non-sports titles with “iconic new releases” in FY 2025.
It also makes sense for the franchise to skip a release in 2024 after the relative failure of Battlefield 2042, which players touted as an incomplete game with numerous issues and no proper features such as scoreboards and VOIP systems. The game made unnecessary changes, which backfired, driving the longtime fans away.
Publisher Electronic Arts itself admitted that it made a mistake with the game, saying that it did not go deep enough and did not cater to different player segments. However, it is now looking to take a new approach that may give the franchise the boost it needs.
What are your thoughts about Battlefield 2025 having a free-to-play Battle Royale? Let us know in the comment section below.
