The multiplayer shooter genre has evolved a great deal in the last few decades, growing more complex and content-rich with each subsequent console generation. The genre has gone from earlyarena shooters likeQuakethat focused primarily on getting kills, to modern shooters likeBattlefieldandCall of Dutythat blend multiple sub-genres and contain a wealth of modes, weapons, and progression systems, and evolve over time with free content updates.
As shooters continue to grow more complex, fan expectations continue to rise. There are a handful of features that many fans now simply expect to be present in a modern multiplayer shooter, and customization is one such feature. From nameplates to emblems to skins, customization has become a key element of keeping players invested in a multiplayer shooter, and it’s an element thatBattlefieldhas often struggled to balance with its more realistic tone. But a decade-oldCall of Dutyentry might hold the key toBattlefield’s success.
One Call of Duty Game Should Inspire Battlefield 6’s Customization
Battlefield 2042’s Specialists Were a Step Too Far for Some Fans
2018’sBattlefield Vdidn’t land all of the shots it took, but its customization showed some promise. Named “The Company,“Battlefield V’s customization systemallowed players to choose from a selection of pre-made characters, who they could then adorn with a variety of different cosmetics for their torso, head, legs, and face.Battlefield Valso introduced special Elite characters that players could pay for, equipped with a unique, non-customizable outfit.
Battlefield 2042took this Elite character premise and pushed it a few steps too far, introducing the much-derided Specialists. Replacing the traditionalBattlefieldclasses,Battlefield 2042had 10 Specialists at launch, all of whom came equipped with a distinct ability and passive trait.
Battlefield 2042’s Specialists quickly became a major point of criticism for many long-timeBattlefieldfans for a variety of reasons. One reason was that it ironically made players feel less ‘special’, as the giant128-playerBattlefieldmatcheswould be dominated by the same five or six Specialists, leading to players seeing the same character models repeatedly during the course of a match, breaking immersion and causing gameplay issues as players would find it difficult to immediately recognize who was on their team and who was an enemy.
Another immersion-breaking element was the Specialists' voice lines. At launch, many ofBattlefield 2042’s Specialistshad some rather cheesy lines of dialogue that played both before and during a match. A few of the best examples come from Specialist Webster Mackay, who had pre-match lines such as “Couldn’t imagine a better line-up of ass-kickers than this,” and “Hey, I’ve already had five cups of coffee, let’s go!”
Though these voice lines were eventually removed in futureupdates forBattlefield 2042and replaced with much more generic sayings like “Let’s give them hell,”, the general tone of2042’s Specialists couldn’t be changed entirely, and it’s a tone that fans didn’t feel was appropriate forBattlefield’s usually more grounded atmosphere.
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Could Hold The Key to Battlefield 6’s Customization
ButBattlefield 6can’t abandon character customization altogether. Instead, it might want to look to2014’sCall of Duty: Advanced Warfare, which delivered a surprisingly extensive customization system that struck a nice balance between allowing player-expression and maintaining a grounded tone.
In a similar vein toBattlefield V, but much more expansive,Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare’s character customization system allowed players to unlock and equip a wealth of cosmetics divided into nine categories, those being Eyewear, Helmets, Tops, Loadouts, Gloves, Pants, Knee Guards, Boots, and Exos. This high level of customization allowed players to create a fairly unique character, all without jeopardizing the game’s tone.
Battlefield 2042
WHERE TO PLAY
Battlefield 2042 is a first-person shooter that marks the return to the iconic all-out warfare of the franchise. With the help of a cutting-edge arsenal, engage in intense, immersive multiplayer battles.Lead your team to victory in both large all-out warfare and close-quarters combat on maps from the world of 2042 and classic Battlefield titles. Find your playstyle in class-based gameplay and take on several experiences comprising elevated versions of Conquest and Breakthrough. Explore Battlefield Portal, a platform where players can discover, create, and share unexpected battles from Battlefield’s past and present.This game includes optional in-game purchases of virtual currency that can be used to acquire virtual in-game items.
