Rumor | EA might release Battlefield V later this year

DICE is a Swedish developer that was acquired by EA in 2006. (Source: Origin)

There are reports that EA Dice is working on the next installment of the Battlefield video-game series, with the developer possibly launching the new game later this year. The game was originally known in-house as Battlefield 2 but has apparently now been renamed Battlefield V. It will be set in World War II and may feature cosmetic loot boxes rather than pay-to-win microtransactions.

by Daniel R Deakin, 2018/03/05

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It would not be a surprise if EA Dice is actually planning on releasing a sequel to 2016’s Battlefield 1 later this year. Reviews of the World War I-based game were very positive, and the Battlefield series as a whole is played by millions of gamers worldwide. Apparently the original name for the upcoming sequel was going to be Battlefield 2, as it followed on from the 2016 game and should feature a World War II setting. However, as there has already been a game in the series with that specific name (2005’s Battlefield 2, which is set in a fictional modern war), it is believed the next game has now been retitled Battlefield V.

Regardless of name changes, there has been some speculation about in-game purchases. This topic has been broached by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) recently, with EA being mentioned because of the controversy around microtransactions in Star Wars: Battlefront II. Unsurprisingly, there was a considerable furor when Star Wars fans found out that not only had they paid around US$60 for a “full” game, but they also had to pay for in-game crystals to be able to purchase gameplay-related loot crates (at US$5 for 500 crystals). EA was heavily criticized for using a well-known mobile-gaming app transaction model in such an expensive product.

Anonymous sources have suggested Battlefield V will also have loot boxes for purchase, but the crates may only contain cosmetic upgrades rather than important gameplay features. It seems unlikely a huge developer like EA would want to fuel the loot-box controversy fire any further.