Just like a certain other game that's set 35 years after it, Battlefield 2042 didn't have the best launch. However, unlike the former, Respawn's title hasn't had a decent post-launch either. Not only was it riddled with bugs, but even until this August, players were referring to Battlefield 2042's massive maps as walking simulators. It's evident that EA and respawn couldn't capture the magic of previous titles in the series, and Respawn Entertainment CEO – now head of the Battlefield IP – Vince Zampella agrees.
In an interview with Barrons, Zampella spoke about what went wrong (thanks, VGC). “I think they just strayed a little too far from what Battlefield is,” he said. “They tried to do a couple of things that were maybe ambitious: grow the player count etc. I don’t think they spent enough time iterating on what makes that fun.”
“It’s not inherently a bad idea," he continued. "The way they were set up and the way they executed just didn’t allow them to find the best thing possible.”
Zampella also spoke about EA's plan to create a connected Battlefield universe, similar to what Call of Duty has done. As a result of this, Zampella is now in charge of the Battlefield IP. “It’s a whole new structure,” he explained.. “We’re putting multiple studios together. We’re bringing the best talent together and giving them the time to do something amazing.”
As part of this Battlefield connected universe, EA announced an all new studio, which will be undertaking the task of creating a new campaign. Ridgeline Games, as it's called, will be headed up by Halo co-creator Marcus Lehto. Considering he created one of the most recognisable characters in video games, and some of the initial lore, Lehto could be just what EA needs to turn the tide.
"It is a great honor to have the opportunity to collaborate with DICE and Ripple Effect and lead the charge on expanding the narrative, storytelling, and character development opportunities in the Battlefield series," said Lehto. It's obviously going to be a while before we see even a hint of this new campaign, but it will be the start of this new Battlefield universe.
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