EA Battlefield Annual Rival Call of Duty
- What: EA is considering an annual release schedule for the Battlefield franchise.
- Where: Discussions originated from industry analyst Michael Pachter's podcast, the Pacht Factor Show.
- When: EA aims to achieve annual releases within 5-6 years, starting with a three-studio development cycle.
Battlefield Could Go Annual: EA’s Plans and Fan Backlash
The Annual Battlefield: A Potential Future
Following the largely positive reception to the two Open Beta weekends for the latest Battlefield title, EA appears to have revitalized the franchise. While not without its issues, the core gameplay experience is being lauded as chaotic and satisfying – a welcome change from the frequently enough-exhausting, annualized release cycle of Call of Duty. Though, industry analyst Michael Pachter suggests that battlefield itself could be heading down a similar path.
Details come from the Pacht Factor show, where Pachter claimed that Byron beede, General Manager of the Battlefield Franchise, revealed EA’s plans to adopt an annual release model in five to six years.
I talked to EA, Byron Beede, who’s running the Battlefield franchise, and their goal is three studios making Battlefield on a three-year basis so they can get battlefield annually. He said it’s going to take five or six years before they get two in a row,so we’re not going to get there for a while. So that’s their plan.
Pachter further added, By the way, they should have done that 15 years ago. They told everyone they wanted to catch up to Call of Duty, and they’re finally doing it. Call of Duty figured that out: three studios making games. They’ve had their troubles, Sledgehammer shut down, Infinity Ward’s been kind of subsumed into Treyarch, and treyarch has two or three studios now. But it’s always been three guys working on three different games for annual release.
Fan Reaction: A Resounding “No”
If implemented, the transition to an annual release cycle could significantly shorten the gap between Battlefield 7 and Battlefield 8. However, convincing the player base to embrace this change is proving to be a major hurdle. Initial reactions to the report have been overwhelmingly negative, with fans expressing strong opposition online.
Social media platforms are flooded with criticism. One user succinctly stated, WORST IDEA EVER
, summarizing the community’s sentiment with, THIS IS WHY COD IS TRASH
. Another commenter echoed this sentiment, saying, That’s how CoD turned into the trash it is today….BF vets like me don’t want a new BF game every year….just updates and maps!
Concerns center around potential quality control issues and a lack of innovation. A further comment highlighted the risk of digging a grave if they go for full game releases like that.If there isn’t a whole lot of innovation or improvements, all they’re doing is forcing players into buying games often to create an artificial need for the latest as they boot the previous games offline without a whole lot of value added.
The Call of Duty Model: A Blueprint for Success (or Failure)?
Call of Duty‘s success with its annual releases hinges on the distinct identities of its sub-franchises. Fans have established expectations for each studio’s output – Infinity Ward, Treyarch, and Sledgehammer Games – even before gameplay is revealed. Battlefield will need to replicate this level of brand recognition and consistently deliver annual entries that justify a premium price point (currently around $70, and potentially rising to $80-$90 by 2030).
The franchise will also need to mitigate the risk of franchise fatigue,a common consequence of annual releases. Maintaining a sense of freshness and innovation will be paramount.
What’s Next for battlefield?
Ultimately, the viability of this annual release plan rests on the success of battlefield (2024). If EA can deliver a compelling and polished experience, they may be more confident in pursuing this strategy. Though, if the game falls short, the plans could be reconsidered.
The question remains: would you be interested in a new Battlefield title every year? Share your thoughts in the comments below.