Like every year, the final months of 2021 are chock full of new game releases. This is especially true for shooters like Battlefield 2042, Halo Infinite, and Call of Duty: Vanguard, which are all releasing within the last months of the year. While this is an excellent thing for players who are hungry for new shooters to play, it does put the games in interesting positions, as all have to compete with one another for players. This is particularly true after the recent delay of Battlefield 2042, which has changed its competition with Call of Duty: Vanguard in particular.
On the surface, Battlefield 2042 and Call of Duty: Vanguard offer very different experiences. The first focuses on large-scale multiplayer warfare complete with vehicles and colossal destruction, while the second offers a complete package with a full multiplayer mode, single-player campaign, and a cooperative Zombies mode. However, they are both military shooters, and there are many players who are fans of both series. Of course, the two franchises also have a long legacy of competition, and Battlefield 2042's new release date looks as though it will continue it.
The History of Competition Between Battlefield and Call of Duty
The competition between the two franchises started in 2002 when Battlefield 1942 was released and Call of Duty followed in 2003. Both games were focused on the battles of World War 2, and were followed up by spin-offs in 2004. 2005 then brought both Battlefield 2 and Call of Duty 2 to the industry, with Battlefield moving into more modern times. Call of Duty did not make a similar jump until 2007 with the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.
In these early years, however, the two series did not compete with one another too wholeheartedly. Both Battlefield and Call of Duty were fighting within the crowd of other military shooters like Medal of Honor and Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon, and the two series focused on finding their own stable fanbases within the genre by forging their own path forward. It was later on that the two franchises began competing more willingly. This began when Battlefield started chasing console players with the release of Battlefield: Bad Company. It was then that the two series began closing the gap between their release dates and seemingly started trying to counter one another's releases, causing fans of Battlefield and Call of Duty to start heating up the competition with debates about which game was superior.
Battlefield 2042's Delay and New Release Date
Battlefield 2042 was originally scheduled to release on October 22, but was recently delayed to November 19. The delay led to EA's stock rollercoasting as stockholders reacted to the possible ramifications. The delay was foreshadowed by rumors and leaks before it was announced on the game's official Twitter. The announcement cited ongoing complications from the Coronavirus pandemic but did not say exactly what aspect of the game still needed further work. However, Battlefield 2042 is attempting a rather impressive scope across its core multiplayer and new modes, so it is not entirely surprising.
However, the delay does come after rumors began circulating that the game's showstopping weather disaster system was receiving criticisms from play-testers, as they found the system more annoying than anything else. The game's release is also complicated slightly by the early access that some players will get to Battlefield 2042. This means that players who purchase the Gold or Ultimate edition of Battlefield 2042 can start playing the game a week early on November 12. This brings the game's release for its most dedicated fans even closer to the release of Call of Duty: Vanguard, which undoubtedly heats up the competition between the two.
The New Competition Between Battlefield 2042 and Call of Duty: Vanguard
With both titles now releasing in November this year, the competition between the two titles may be one of the most serious in its history. Both games releasing at the start of a new console generation could only make things more intense. Many players have been lucky enough to get their hands on new consoles or PC hardware, and both these shooters are some of the first AAA third-party releases to be able to take full advantage of that new power. This would normally put a lot of pressure on a game like Battlefield 2042 to show off what's possible, but there is even more pressure this time around, as it will also be compared to how well Call of Duty: Vanguard utilizes that same technology. With how different the focuses of Call of Duty: Vanguard and Battlefield 2042 are, the competition also seems more intense, as both series are doubling down on what they are known for.
This leaves the two games having to compete with one another by showing their quality and validity in not entirely comparable ways. Some may think that Battlefield 2042 has better handling than Call of Duty: Vanguard, but that is difficult to compare when Call of Duty: Vanguard's multiplayer is delivering a much faster and smaller experience than Battlefield 2042's. This is particularly true when trying to compare the offerings of the two games. Call of Duty: Vanguard boasts its campaign, multiplayer, Zombies, and integration with Call of Duty: Warzone in a way that rewards players who have stuck with the series in recent years. Meanwhile, Battlefield 2042 offers a unique multiplayer mode, the inventive new Portal mode, and a Hazard Zone mode that supposedly plays similarly to Escape From Tarkov. Both titles are going for completely different experiences, which makes it nearly impossible to compare the two in any objective way.
This leaves the competition between the two games fierce, but ultimately being solved by a player's own preferences. For Call of Duty fans, Call of Duty: Vanguard will likely satisfy, while fans who want a more expansive multiplayer experience on a grand scale will be able to pick up Battlefield 2042. Luckily for players who aren't sure which game they would prefer, Call of Duty: Vanguard's beta was recently extended while Battlefield 2042 is confirmed to have one some time soon as well. As such, players can check both of them out and decide for themselves which game they will enjoy more.
Battlefield 2042 releases on November 19 for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Call of Duty: Vanguard releases on November 5 for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.