The Ghost Recon franchise has faced its struggles as of late, with recent releases launching to a mixed reception from fans. The recent announcement of Ghost Recon Frontline presents an opportunity for the franchise to turn its fortunes around, but it isn’t off to the best of starts. Ghost Recon Frontline didn’t receive the warmest of receptions when its trailer was revealed, and fans of the series have been left disillusioned by the upcoming title.
Ghost Recon Frontline’s recent trailer went into great detail about the title, which is yet to receive a release date. While Ghost Recon Frontline will be free-to-play, fans were disappointed about certain other aspects of the trailer. Notably, fans were hoping for a bit more of a classic Ghost Recon experience from Frontline, however, it looks as though the game will be exploring other avenues.
What is Ghost Recon Frontline?
The new Ghost Recon Frontline trailer shows a fresh take on the Ghost Recon franchise, as is marked by its free-to-play status and new first-person perspective. Ghost Recon Frontline will also have cross-platform play, which should help to fill out its massive 100+ player PvP matches. These changes make Ghost Recon Frontline stand out among previous games in the franchise for its distance from its roots. It’s a bold new direction for the Ghost Recon franchise, however Ubisoft has maintained that it is “still a Ghost Recon game” because of its focus on teamwork, strategy, and authenticity. Ghost Recon Frontline is evidently a new direction for the franchise, but fans were likely hoping it would have stayed true to the past.
A part of Ghost Recon Frontline’s “strategy” comes from its contractors, which will be a big part of the player’s experience of Frontline. Each contractor will vary in a number of ways, and each will have “their own specialization, development paths, and loadouts” to fill in different tactical roles. The Ghost Recon Frontline trailer shows off the standard classes of Assault, Support, and Scout, although Ubisoft is planning to have more ready at launch and beyond. Players will need to strike the right balance in order to succeed in Ghost Recon Frontline’s 100+ player mode, as they work in three-man squads to gather intel and extract from Drakemoor Island. The key difference between Frontline and a standard battle royale mode is the absence of a converging circle, although fans don’t appreciate the distinction.
Why Are Fans Mad About Ghost Recon Frontline?
What fans were really hoping for from Ghost Recon Frontline was a more traditional Ghost Recon experience. Instead, the game has been compared to the likes of Call of Duty Warzone for its battle royale stylings. Ghost Recon Frontline’s trailer has 7.6K dislikes compared to just 2.1K likes, emphasizing that the fanbase at large is unhappy with the product they’ve been presented with. Frustratingly for fans, many wanted Ghost Recon to move away from a live service model, but early impressions are that Frontline will further confirm the franchise’s transition into live service territory.
Ghost Recon Breakpoint was widely compared to The Division, which is why fans were really hoping for a more traditional experience this time around. Instead, Ghost Recon Frontline’s battle royale mode and free-to-play model has fans concerned that the game is headed down a similar path to the previous title. Just as fans want to see Ghost Recon return to its roots, they have equally been hoping for a new installment in another Ubisoft franchise, Splinter Cell. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been a new Splinter Cell game for years, and given the reception of the Ghost Recon franchise as of late, fans may not be happy with the result if one were to release. Ghost Recon Frontline will face a challenge in winning fans over when it releases, as backlash is coming from a number of avenues.
Ghost Recon Frontline is in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.