BothBattlefieldandCall of Dutyhave been some of the most defining names in the popular genre of first-person shooter games for quite some time now, with both franchises honing their crafts over the past two decades. WhileCoD’s annual release schedule and wide studio variety has seen the IP rise aboveBattlefieldin recent years, the legacy of the rivalry between the two always makes a new bout of competition a real possibility.
The rivalry betweenBattlefieldandCall of Dutyhas waned even more in recent years thanks to the fairly lackluster performance ofBattlefield 2042, but DICE and EA are now officially looking toward the next steps for the franchise. Some rumors are already circulating around what this nextBattlefieldgame might look like, as well as the next projects forCall of Duty, and the rumored settings and core themes of these upcoming games could be perfect for a particularly intense flare of competition between them both.
The Next Steps For Battlefield and Call of Duty May Be Quite Similar
The rivalry betweenCall of DutyandBattlefieldbegan from the very outset of both franchises' co-existence, with both IPs having a clear focus on WW2 shooter titles in their earlier years. This period saw the competition between both franchises at its most intense, withCall of Dutyeventually gaining more industry presence with its variety of settings and strong singleplayer and multiplayer experiences.
WhileCoDcan now be regarded as one of the most influential and dominant FPS franchises, the rivalry between itself andBattlefieldis still liable to be rekindled, as seen fairly recently with the likes ofBattlefield 1and evenBattlefield 5to an extent. The 2018 release ofBattlefield 5came just one year afterthe launch ofCall of Duty: WW2,with both franchises going toe-to-toe with their portrayals of the Second World War.
This similarity has not been present in more recent years, withCall of Dutybeing firmly focused on the contemporary setting of theModern Warfarereboot andBattlefielddelving into the near future withBattlefield 2042. Of course, recentCall of Dutytitles, including theModern Warfarereboot, have not been immune to criticism, butBattlefield 2042was quite damaging to the reputation of the IPas well as its hopes to rivalCoDonce again.
Battlefield and Call of Duty May Contend For the Best Portrayal of the Same Setting
Thankfully, it seems that DICE has already learned many lessons from the problematic launch ofBF2042, with the game doing well throughout its post-launch life to stabilize and set the next franchise title in good stead. With post-launch support now having officially ended for2042, leaks and rumors are already suggesting thatthe nextBattlefieldwill launch in 2025, with an estimated setting of 2030.
This would match up closely with the rumored plans forCall of Dutyin 2025, which heavily suggest that next year will see thelaunch of a direct sequel toBlack Ops 2, also set around the year 2030. If these rumors hold weight, thenCall of DutyandBattlefieldmay both be releasing semi-futuristic titles in the same year, perfectly setting up the franchises for a level of competition that fans have not seen for a very long time. With such close release dates and rumored settings,BattlefieldandCall of Dutymight finally once again open themselves up to some direct gameplay comparisons, putting another layer of pressure on the longstanding rivalry that the two IPs share.
