This holiday season will see two of the biggest FPS franchises launch with their own unique takes on the Battle Royale genre. With the Blackout Beta for Call of Duty Black Ops 4 coming in the next few days, Battlefield V has announced the details surrounding its own Battle Royale mode, which will be called Firestorm. Though Battlefield V will release a month after its competitor, EA has pulled back the curtain on what players can expect from Firestorm upon launch.

Details for the new Battle Royale mode were announced on the official EA website, and explain in-depth features of the game's map, player and team counts, as well as the Battlefield influence on the large-scale multiplayer experience. From a wide array of vehicles and weaponry, Firestorm looks to hold true to the mayhem fans have seen from other popular Battle Royale games such as Playerunknown's Battleground and Fortnite. It should be noted that, at this point, Firestorm will launch after Battlefield V is officially released, as DICE isn't working on the mode internally.

Unlike the pioneers of the Battle Royale genre's rise in fame the past couple years, Battlefield V's Firestorm mode will instead focus solely on squad-based action, with 64 total players fighting between 16 squads of four. When comparing to Call of Duty Black Ops 4, their Blackout mode currently has a player count of 80 expected for its upcoming beta. Both PlayerUnknown's Battleground and Fortnite allow up to 100 participants in a single game, with the latter offering modes such as duos, squads, and even 50v50 battles as a regular timed event.

Naming their Battle Royale mode Firestorm will begin to make sense for players the second they parachute down on the map, which is the largest battlefield seen in any Battlefield title. Much like how Epic Game's Fortnite eventually draws players in by enclosing them in a storm, Battlefield V's Firestorm sees a ring of fire slowly encasing players closer together, forcing squads to work against both their enemies and the unnatural elements of Battle Royale.

By being placed in squads, players will be forced to work together not only to come out on top, but also complete Firestorm objectives in order to earn valuable gear throughout the fight. EA has stated objectives in Firestorm will have a familiar feel to them, as they're influenced by the long running Conquest mode seen in previously released Battlefield games. Completing objectives in Firestorm in turn rewards squads with better equipment, thus increasing their chances of victory.

While there are a ton of new elements to take into account in Firestorm, it's not to say those working on the mode haven't put their foot down to stay true to the feel of Battlefield. Environment destruction is still a part of the mayhem for players, allowing squads to shape the battlefield to their liking. Commanding vehicles will also be an important factor in Firestorm, with Panzer tanks giving players an edge in destructive power, while using transport vehicles can help a squad travel across the map in haste.

Players will have a good mix of the expected and unexpected with Firestorm in Battlefield V. While the new Battle Royale mode will bring a new look to the franchise, players will have to wait a little bit longer than originally planned. Battlefield V was originally supposed to launch in October this year, but has since been delayed in order for the developer to further work on the game following feedback from closed alpha and preview events over the summer.

Battlefield V launches on November 20th for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Source: EA