Following the rocky release ofBattlefield 5, DICE took a few years off from the series, putting extra time into the development ofBattlefield 6to ensure that the game delivers. Later this year, gamers will find out if this strategy was worthwhile, as the game is currently penciled in for a holiday release. As fortheCall of Dutyseries, there seems to be nothing that can stop Activision’s strategy of yearly releases. DespiteCall of Duty: Black Ops Cold Warsuffering from a rocky launch, Sledgehammer Games will supposedly be releasing a brand-newCall of Dutytitle this year as well.
WithBattlefield 6andCall of Duty2021 both launch around the same time and going head-to-head for the first time in years, there will be plenty of eyes on the renewed competition between the two first person shooters. However, this latest competition will be more important than the others, as it could be indicative of both franchises’ future. Whichever game comes out on top in this latest fight could start a new pattern going forward, and it could easily carry over through the entirety of the console generation.
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Reviving A Long-Running Rivalry
TheBattlefieldandCall of Dutyrivalry could be traced back to 2008, withthe originalBattlefield: Bad Companyserving as an antithesis toCall of Duty: World at War.Battlefield: Bad Company 2only furthered the divide, with the 2010 game clashing with the originalCall of Duty: Black Ops. However, the “Battlefieldvs.Call of Duty” debate truly began back in 2011, asBattlefield 3went head-to-head withCall of Duty:Modern Warfare 3.
For the first time, aCall of DutyandBattlefieldgame launched in the Holiday season, with players needing to divide their attention between the massive fights ofBattlefieldand the proven arcade action ofCall of Duty. What truly strengthened the competition was the reception of the two games, asBattlefield 3remains the peak of the series for many fans — so much so thatBattlefield 6’s rumoredBattlefield 3inspirationsare amongst the most exciting leaks.Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, on the other hand, was a noticeable step down from its predecessors. While many still remember the game fondly, most agree that it was the worst of the trilogy and an anticlimactic conclusion to the original run ofModern Warfaregames.
With this in mind,Battlefield 3essentially “won” 2013’s clash, putting DICE’s franchise on the map for those unfamiliar withtheBattlefieldbrand. Being the first mainlineBattlefieldgame to appear on consoles only helped matters, and from there, the battle lines were drawn. 2013 sawBattlefield 4taking onCall of Duty: Ghosts, and with both games letting down fans, the competition continued. In 2015,Battlefield: Hardlinestruggled to keep up withCall of Duty: Black Ops 3, while 2016 sawBattlefield 1being welcomed with open arms andCall of Duty: Infinite Warfarebeing rejected by longtime fans.
2018 marks the most recent example of the “Battlefieldvs:Call of Duty” war, and it is also one of the most interesting. WhileCall of Duty: Black Ops 4’s lack of a campaign caused controversy, and plentiful crashes damaged the Zombies offerings at launch,the Blackout battle royale modedazzled fans. The franchise’s first attempt at battle royale, Blackout remains great in the eyes of the many gamers that spent time with it.Battlefield 5, on the other hand, struggled from a lack of content at launch. Met with controversy due to historical inaccuracy, the game got off on the wrong foot. Questionable gameplay decisions to modes like Operations only damaged theBattlefieldname, while the lack of a battle royale mode on launch proved fatal. When Firestorm did finally come, many saw it as tacked-on and poorly planned out.
While DICE did its best tobuild upBattlefield 5through DLCand fun easter eggs, the damage was already done. While the game was improved, it never recovered its player base, and the “Battlefieldvs.Call of Duty” competition was put on hold.Call of Dutywas the victor, with the underdogBattlefieldstepping away to lick its wounds. This year, though, the two will go head-to-head again, and their competition has some extra weight due to the platforms the games will launch on.
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Setting The Tone For The Generation
WhileCall of Duty: Black Ops Cold Warwas a cross-generational title,Call of Duty2021will be the first game in the series to take full advantage of the power held by the PS5 and Xbox Series X. Likewise,Battlefield 6is finding itself in the exact same position, with rumors even suggesting that DICE will not make a last-genBattlefield 6. As a result, both games have a lot to prove, as each title will be showing off howBattlefieldandCall of Dutywill adapt to the new console generation.
This latest competition could also determine how the rest of the generation will go forBattlefieldandCall of Duty. After all, first impressions are everything, and ifBattlefield 6does not deliver for new console adopters, they may be wary of future entries. The same could be said forCall of Duty, withSledgehammer Games’ titlebeing a particularly important release for Activision. Whichever series proves to be a bigger success in 2021 could determine which series is a bigger success for the entirety of the console generation.
If the nextCall of Dutygame makes strong use of its World War 2 setting, it could take attention away fromthe modernBattlefield 6. Further, ifCall of DutyoutdoesBattlefieldonce again in terms of quality, this could be the last time that the two are talked about together, with the comparison no longer holding up ifBattlefieldonce again falls behind. With the last competition setting the precedent thatCall of Dutywill always prove more successful thanBattlefield, seeing this trend continue with the 2021 games could be huge. Players considering jumping ship could have all the reason to stick withCall of Duty, keeping it as their shooter of choice.
On the flip side,Battlefield 6outperformingCall of Dutywould be just as huge, ushering in a new era of competition between the EA and Activision brands. Whether it happens because ofBattlefield 6’s larger player countor a smart battle royale offering, the latestBattlefieldgame surpassing expectations would be an even bigger win for DICE. Setting the stage for futureBattlefieldandCall of Dutyshowdowns, a successfulBattlefield 6could place the two on equal footing going forward. If this happens,BattlefielddethroningCall of Dutyis a real possibility, as a generation full of superior games could see this take place.
Ultimately, competition is a good thing for gamers, as it will push both EA and Activision to release more crowd-pleasing games.BattlefieldandCall of Dutygoing head-to-head once again is a good thing, and their latest battle could be a trend-setter. With next-gen technology in-hand, each game has the chance to impress. Further, with fresh eyes looking at bothBattlefield 6andCall of Duty2021, there is a chance to grow each brand further — or turn players away via a lackluster game. Both titles need to deliver, as either game being significantly better might just be an indication of how the rest of the generation will go.
Battlefield 6andCall of Duty2021 are in development for unspecified platforms.
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