Following the rocky release of Battlefield 5, DICE took a few years off from the series, putting extra time into the development of Battlefield 6 to 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 for the Call of Duty series, there seems to be nothing that can stop Activision’s strategy of yearly releases. Despite Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War suffering from a rocky launch, Sledgehammer Games will supposedly be releasing a brand-new Call of Duty title this year as well.
With Battlefield 6 and Call of Duty 2021 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.
Reviving A Long-Running Rivalry
The Battlefield and Call of Duty rivalry could be traced back to 2008, with the original Battlefield: Bad Company serving as an antithesis to Call of Duty: World at War. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 only furthered the divide, with the 2010 game clashing with the original Call of Duty: Black Ops. However, the “Battlefield vs. Call of Duty” debate truly began back in 2011, as Battlefield 3 went head-to-head with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.
For the first time, a Call of Duty and Battlefield game launched in the Holiday season, with players needing to divide their attention between the massive fights of Battlefield and the proven arcade action of Call of Duty. What truly strengthened the competition was the reception of the two games, as Battlefield 3 remains the peak of the series for many fans — so much so that Battlefield 6’s rumored Battlefield 3 inspirations are 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 of Modern Warfare games.
With this in mind, Battlefield 3 essentially “won” 2013’s clash, putting DICE’s franchise on the map for those unfamiliar with the Battlefield brand. Being the first mainline Battlefield game to appear on consoles only helped matters, and from there, the battle lines were drawn. 2013 saw Battlefield 4 taking on Call of Duty: Ghosts, and with both games letting down fans, the competition continued. In 2015, Battlefield: Hardline struggled to keep up with Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, while 2016 saw Battlefield 1 being welcomed with open arms and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare being rejected by longtime fans.
2018 marks the most recent example of the “Battlefield vs: Call of Duty” war, and it is also one of the most interesting. While Call 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 mode dazzled 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 the Battlefield name, 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 to build up Battlefield 5 through DLC and fun easter eggs, the damage was already done. While the game was improved, it never recovered its player base, and the “Battlefield vs. Call of Duty” competition was put on hold. Call of Duty was the victor, with the underdog Battlefield stepping 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.
Setting The Tone For The Generation
While Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War was a cross-generational title, Call of Duty 2021 will be the first game in the series to take full advantage of the power held by the PS5 and Xbox Series X. Likewise, Battlefield 6 is finding itself in the exact same position, with rumors even suggesting that DICE will not make a last-gen Battlefield 6. As a result, both games have a lot to prove, as each title will be showing off how Battlefield and Call of Duty will adapt to the new console generation.
This latest competition could also determine how the rest of the generation will go for Battlefield and Call of Duty. After all, first impressions are everything, and if Battlefield 6 does not deliver for new console adopters, they may be wary of future entries. The same could be said for Call of Duty, with Sledgehammer Games’ title being 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 next Call of Duty game makes strong use of its World War 2 setting, it could take attention away from the modern Battlefield 6. Further, if Call of Duty outdoes Battlefield once 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 if Battlefield once again falls behind. With the last competition setting the precedent that Call of Duty will always prove more successful than Battlefield, seeing this trend continue with the 2021 games could be huge. Players considering jumping ship could have all the reason to stick with Call of Duty, keeping it as their shooter of choice.
On the flip side, Battlefield 6 outperforming Call of Duty would be just as huge, ushering in a new era of competition between the EA and Activision brands. Whether it happens because of Battlefield 6’s larger player count or a smart battle royale offering, the latest Battlefield game surpassing expectations would be an even bigger win for DICE. Setting the stage for future Battlefield and Call of Duty showdowns, a successful Battlefield 6 could place the two on equal footing going forward. If this happens, Battlefield dethroning Call of Duty is 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. Battlefield and Call of Duty going 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 both Battlefield 6 and Call of Duty 2021, 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 6 and Call of Duty 2021 are in development for unspecified platforms.