Battlefield V

The many faces of DICE’s World War II shooter

- Phil Savage

Set during World War II, Battlefield V is a successor of sorts to Battlefield 1942, the first game in DICE’s long-running multiplayer FPS series. “We’re going back to our roots,” says series producer Andreas Morrell. “It’s so special for everyone at DICE to be able to return to where everything started.”

This revisit highlights just how much things have changed in the 16 years since Battlefield 1942’s release. For better or worse, Battlefield is now far bigger and brasher. While the core remains intact— two teams fighting on large maps over land, air, and sea—the difference in tech fidelity and polish is substantial.

It’s also worth remembering that the time period DICE is so excited to return to is World War II—a setting ill at ease with the fanfare and buzzwords that accompany EA’s biggest release of the year. At last month’s reveal event, I’m struck by the tonal shifts between enthusiasm and somber reflection. The announce trailer is pure B-movie action, as a squad of four soldiers fight a chaotic battle behind enemy lines, pausing only to deliver snappy one-liners.

In stark contrast, the next thing I see is a short teaser for War Stories—an anthology series of solo missions, similar in scope to Battlefield 1’s singleplayer campaign. It’s quiet and solemn, featuring a Norwegian resistance fighter, who, according to creative director Lars Gustavsson, is “about to pay the unthinkable price” for her cause.