Looking for your FPS story fix? Battlefield V will have you covered

A small minority of gamers took exception to Call of Duty: Black Ops IIII‘s decision to do away with the traditional single-player campaign in order to try something a little different. Those players can instead look to Battlefield V if they’re feeling a gaping void that only a single-player section in a largely multiplayer game can fill — EA and DICE are keeping their campaign in for 2018.

Tell Me A Story

Little is actually known about Battlefield V‘s single-player, but it will be set in World War II — the era that DICE have opted for this year. Players will be spending time in various locations in WWII, including Norway, France, Greece, North Africa, and even Rotterdam in the UK. Suitably destroyed by warfare, of course.

Remember Battlefield 1‘s smaller single-player stories? Expect more of the same for Battlefield V, just set in another collection of locales. There’s opportunity here to explore some of the lesser-known areas of WWII, something that the devs had in mind when coming up with the single-player. But that’s not all there is to this one.

Fresh Multiplayer

You may be used to Battlefield‘s Conquest and Domination modes but that’s not all you’re going to encounter this year. There are two new game modes heading to screens of all types, one based around small teams and the other around large-scale combat.

Players will be able to play Combined Arms, a squad-based outing that will put players into four-player teams. Players are tasked with completing objectives as a group. If you’re running off being a lone wolf, odds are your team is going to be wiped out. DICE hasn’t revealed much about the mode but it’s supposed to bridge single- and multiplayer. This is because players will be spending most of their multiplayer time in squads. Combined Arms will give players the practise they need to effectively tackle other modes.

Grand Operations, on the other hand, is just what it sounds like. Imagine a string of massive 64-player battles which take place in several parts over several in-game days. The battles are supposed to last about an hour or so and the outcome of some engagements may dictate the beginning of the following ones. If you manage to capture a particular point, you’ll begin a new round with more resources and better respawn options, for instance. In the event of a draw, following three ‘days’ of play, a fourth day may kick in which will put everyone into a Sudden Death, no respawn (revives are allowed) situation. Not much like real war but it should provide some very gripping play.

Custom Order

Players are going to be able to heavily customise their playable characters, on a visual level as well as in terms of arms and equipment. Created characters will be known as the Company. Players will be able to set up classes (based on the existing Battlefield roles: assault, engineer, support, medic — and also pilots and people who think they can fly). These classes can be customised from gender to facial features to face paint and clothing, with in-game currency — earned by playing — allowing for the purchase of new kit.

Weapons and vehicles can also be customised for play, as part of the Company, letting you create your preferred guns (or several of them) for play.

DICE will not be including loot boxes in the game this time around. If it exists, you should be able to unlock it by playing. If you’re unlocking gameplay-related items, all you’ll have to do it play. If you’re after cosmetic items you’ll wind up splashing out in-game currency on visual items. These items will be visual-only, as well, and won’t change the way the game works. As for real-world cash transactions: DICE and EA say there won’t be any in Battlefield V.

Coming In October

Battlefield V will be launching in October this year, with those who purchase the Standard Edition getting their start on 19 October. If you pick up another, more expensive version, you’ll be able to get a head-start. Deluxe Edition owners will be able to start playing from 16 October, while EA Access and Origin Access subscribers will be able to play an early trial of the game from 11 October.