The future of first-person military shooters is in the past: Electronic Arts and DICE have unveiled Battlefield 1, a brand new instalment in their premier first-person shooter series set during the First World War.
No mere spin-off or iterative sequel, Battlefield 1 represents the series’ “next big milestone,” according to multiplayer producer Andreas Morell. Describing it as “all-out warfare on an epic scale,” Morell also promised a melding of modern gameplay with warfare of the past.
While the game will embrace the Frostbite engine-powered destruction and dynamic play of more recent instalments, it will also respect the core pillars – strategy, team-play, large-scale battles, varied weapons and vehicles – established in the series’ earliest entries.
That collision of old-school elements and new-gen power was presented in a retina-searing reveal trailer (see above) that began with a soldier being bludgeoned by a trench mace, and concluded with a zeppelin consuming a third of the screen.
This extreme contrast of weapons of war was no accident, though, as DICE was keen to show off the various ways that players can obliterate foes. From wielding swords on horseback and flying bi-planes to piloting tanks and controlling battleships, you can plan on wielding much more than a bolt-action rifle this time around.
Battlefield 1‘s locations promise to be as diverse as its death-dealing arsenal, allowing fans to unleash all kinds of hell across Arabian deserts, French villages, the Italian Alps, and many other yet-to-be-announced air, land, and sea locales.
These global conflicts will unfold over a variety of multiplayer maps and modes, although only fan-favorite Conquest has been confirmed, with up to 64 players able to jump into the fray. A dedicated, story-driven campaign mode will also be included.
If Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare’s jump to light speed didn’t get your trigger finger twitching, Battlefield 1‘s trip to WWI’s trenches may be just what the field medic ordered. It will release worldwide for PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 on 21 October, beating Call of Duty‘s next effort by a couple weeks.
