Highlights

  • Battlefield and Call of Duty need to go back to their roots to regain their former glory in the first-person shooter genre.
  • Recent attempts at innovation have backfired for both franchises, leading to mixed reviews and player dissatisfaction.
  • Sticking to the mechanics and features that made Battlefield and Call of Duty great in the past is key to restoring their legacies.

Battlefield and Call of Duty are two of the biggest competitors in the first-person shooter genre. Although both franchises have gone head-to-head over the years, Battlefield now faces the exact same dilemma as Call of Duty. Despite both franchises being the top contenders in their genre, the past few years have been bumpy for Battlefield and Call of Duty. The recent games released under both names were met with less than stellar feedback, leaving the next entries in both series in a similar boat.

The most recent title to release in the Battlefield series was Battlefield 2042. Released back in 2021, the game launched to mixed reviews. There have been several updates that have improved the overall experience of Battlefield 2042, but it still remains one of the weaker entries in the series. Call of Duty faced a similar issue with Modern Warfare 3's disappointing reviews at launch last year. Both franchise's attempts at innovating their respective games have backfired, and this means these competitors need to go back to the drawing board.

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Battlefield and Call of Duty Should Take Inspiration From The Past

Despite the two franchises being major competitors, both share the same common complaint from many players. Developers at the head of these games are moving further and further away from the formulas that made them so popular in the first place. Battlefield looking to its past is something that Call of Duty needs to embrace just as much.

Returning To What Makes Battlefield and CoD Great

Due to the constantly changing world of video games, it's natural for developers to try and innovate projects in order to make them even better than before. However, this hasn't been the case with Modern Warfare 3 or Battlefield 2042. Attempts to take these franchises in new directions have caused a decent amount of backlash, and this should inspire both DICE and Infinity Ward to return to the basics.

What made Battlefield and Call of Duty so great in the first place is what needs to remain at the heart of these franchises. These franchises rose to the top of the first-person shooter genre because they both had mechanics and features that set them apart from the rest. Innovation can be great for a franchise, but in this case, it's clear that sticking to what kept players intrigued at the beginning is the most important thing to focus on. Mechanics in Battlefield and Call of Duty have inspired other games through the years, proving just how much influence the franchises have. However, neither series can stay on top without embracing the past.

Battlefield and Call of Duty's Legacies Must Be Restored

Battiefield and Call of Duty have built two impressive legacies in the world of gaming. It's incredibly difficult to cultivate the longevity that the two franchises have, and it would be a true shame to see these legacies fizzle out. The competition between Battlefield and Call of Duty has been a staple of gaming, and now that the two properties are at the same crossroads, there are some major decisions to be made.

It would be great to see Call of Duty and Battlefield compete for many more years to come, but both need to step back and reevaluate the recent focus on innovation. Sometimes sticking to the classics is the best move, and if two of the biggest franchises in gaming want to stay on top, then returning to the original formula is key.