Battlefield 6 is EA's Chance To Course Correct. Here's What They Should Do Instead of Annualizing

The release of Battlefield 6 is getting ever closer, and both longtime fans and newcomers have their eyes on it. The Battlefield series has been in a rough patch for quite some time, but after two successful beta tests and EA seemingly listening to fan feedback, the game has the potential to be the franchise's return to form. However, with rumors of EA hoping to annualize the series moving forward, many of the same players looking forward to Battlefield 6 are now concerned about the future.

Will Battlefield fall into the same trap as Call of Duty? Is everyone's hard work and countless hours of playtime going to waste? And would annually released Battlefield titles even be able to keep up their quality, or will the series fall even further than its lowest of lows?

All of these are valid concerns among fans, but at this moment, we have no way of knowing how things will go. Even EA themselves may change their plans in the future, so any discussion of the series becoming annualized is just that—a discussion. 

But what if a yearly Battlefield is in the cards? It would mean a new Battlefield title each year (obviously), and it would also greatly stretch out the fanbase. While some fans will stick to their favorite titles as they always have, there's no denying that a large chunk of players will migrate to the newest release. Eventually, older games will see their service cut short, and by the time that happens, multiple other Battlefield titles will have come and gone as well.

The series would follow the same path as its "rival" series, and this isn't necessarily what fans are looking for. Instead, fans want a solid entry they can continue playing for years, and that is exactly what EA now has the chance to do.

The Release of Battlefield 6 and Extended Support:

With the release of Battlefield 6, we already know that EA is planning to support it for quite some time. There will be free updates that add additional maps, gameplay modes, weapons, and more, as well as special events throughout the game's life. This will all kick off with the game's first season and will see follow-up seasons for an unspecified amount of time. Patches and bug fixes will continue to be released to improve the game, and other general support and updates will be provided until the day the game closes shop.

This is how EA has handled Battlefield for a while now, and it gives players a reason to keep returning long after its initial release. By following this same pattern, Battlefield 6 has the potential to stick around for quite some time and possibly even develop into one of the best entries the series has seen to date. Of course, some fans are still going to prefer older entries like Bad Company 2, Battlefield 3, Battlefield 4, or Battlefield 1, but it doesn't change the fact that 6 could become a top contender for the franchise.

So instead of throwing it to the sidelines to release a Battlefield every year, here is what could be done instead.

The Battlefield Portal:

The Battlefield Portal is a unique feature that allows players to create their own customized experiences and make use of Battlefield titles from days gone by. This feature was introduced in 2042 and allowed players to jump into "old" Battlefield titles that have been recreated for 2042. Ultimately, this feature ended up being pretty limited back then, as only a handful of Battlefield games were included, with a limited selection of maps, guns, and game modes to pick from. There is no denying that it was a good idea, however, and the Portal is returning as an expanded version in Battlefield 6. Currently, we do not know the extent of the content that will be included, but this could be a better option than doing annual releases—or rather, it could be used for the annual releases.

Instead of restarting each time, new Battlefield titles could be released via the Portal as paid expansions. These could be full Battlefield sequels but also remain connected to the previously released titles. With the release of Battlefield 7, the entirety of Battlefield 6 could remain within the Portal, while Battlefield 7 introduces new maps, guns, game modes, etc. Players who own both titles would then have access to the entirety of both entries and would have the ability to mix and match the games together. On the other hand, it could be possible to limit your play to the specific title you are interested in, allowing you to continue playing your favorite Battlefield just the way it was when it first released. Again, this is what 2042 seemed to be aiming for when it allowed players to jump into games like Battlefield 1942, but it never became fully fleshed out before development was shifted to Battlefield 6.

The Issues and Limitations:

Although the Portal could theoretically be used for many years to come and support countless Battlefield titles, there are limitations and issues that could come into play.

First of all, to allow for compatibility between all Battlefield titles featured in the Portal, games would need to be updated and ported forward into the latest and greatest version of the game. New features will come and go, and there are sure to be core changes that cannot simply be applied to old versions of the game. Players would most likely need to download new clients or complete overhaul updates that bring previous releases up to today's standards. It isn't impossible to do, but it isn't as simple as releasing an entirely new game. There is also the fact that PC requirements and console generations may shift, making it so older devices may not be able to handle the changes. This is a challenge other online games face as expansions and major updates are applied, and Battlefield would be no exception.

Another issue with this setup is once again the split in the player base. Releasing a completely new Battlefield will cause a much larger split as it would be a new game, but releasing any type of paid DLC or expansions will always break players up as well. In the old days of Battlefield, it was often easier to find servers only running the base game maps as not everyone owned the multiple map packs or expansions. Dedicated servers often popped up for packs such as Battlefield 3: Back to Karkand, but a large group of players never did purchase the DLC. This is why free additional maps have been ideal in recent years, as it keeps all players together without the worry of being kicked for not owning something.

New Battlefield titles releasing via the Portal would still run into the same problem of not every player owning the same content, but it would still keep all players in the same "hub" without forcing players to abandon their previously owned games or unlockables.

Will it happen?

At this time, it's impossible to know what the future of Battlefield holds, but EA does seem to have some big plans for the Battlefield Portal. It's one of the main features they've advertised since the announcement, and this time around, EA is giving players the ability to create their own content.

While details are still limited, the Portal will allow players to create their own maps by customizing the environment, developing unique game modes, and even script NPCs. EA is also interested in turning user-created content into official parts of Battlefield 6 if it catches their eye, which opens up a lot of opportunities for all the creators out there.

That being said, no previous Battlefield titles have been announced to be included in the Portal, as the new focus seems to be on the creation tool to allow for unlimited possibilities. It will be home to fan-made custom Battlefield games within Battlefield 6 itself, but possibly not official recreations of the past. But that can always change as the Portal itself expands.

Even so, the future is uncertain, and everything we just discussed is fully a "what-if" scenario. It's a possibility and an answer many fans may prefer over having their progress and Battlefield Portal-created content deleted every year, but it's ultimately up to EA to decide what to do. If they choose to switch to an annual release, then that is exactly what's going to happen.