Battlefield V developer DICE is updating its military shooter to undo a big change that upset fans. In an attempt to make the game more appealing to new players, the studio increased the time-to-kill (TTK) for each weapon. Put simply, it weakened guns so people could survive for longer in Battlefield V multiplayer. DICE said Friday that it was listening to feedback. Now, it is reverting the TTK back to the original launch parameters.
DICE always recognized that some fans might not like these changes, so it decided to introduce a “Core” playlist with the original TTK. This is similar to how Call of Duty’s have worked in the past with their default and “Hardcore” modes. But Batlefield fans didn’t like the idea of splitting up the playerbase — especially with these kinds of big changes coming so soon after launch. DICE has also promised to never reintroduce “Core” playlists again.
The “undo” patch launches tomorrow, December 18.
“Clearly, we didn’t get it right,” DICE community manager Dan Mitre wrote in a post on Reddit. “Veteran players didn’t ask for the change, but as game developers, we took it upon ourselves to make those changes based on extensive data and deliberation. It truthfully wasn’t an easy decision for us.”
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Making Battlefield noob-friendly
But DICE still wants to find ways to bring new players into Battlefield V. It is likely feeling the pressure from competitors like Fortnite, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, Rainbow Six: Siege, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4.
Fortnite seems like an especially formidable force due to its wide availability and free-to-play business model. That game is seemingly absorbing a whole new generation of players into battle royale matches. It’s going to take a lot for a $60 military-style shooter to keep up with that. And that’s especially challenging for Battlefield V because DICE has not launched its battle royale mode.
On top of all of that, Battlefield V is complicated and intimidating for new players. Unlike a battle royale where the goal is to end the round as the only player or team alive, Battlefield V’s multiplayer goals are … well, they’re confusing. You need to hold a point until your opponent runs out of tickets. Then you need to run to the next point. And I honestly don’t know if I can describe the exact win conditions for most modes in a Battlefield.
Mitre recognizes that problem.
“It’s important to acknowledge that we have a challenge bringing new players into Battlefield V and onboard them to become more experienced Battlefield players,” he explained on Reddit. “It’s been a challenge across our games for a long time, as many will know, and becomes even more important for us to improve upon our post-launch experience with consistent updates to the game through the Tides of War. Our desire to service a game that caters to old and new players will continue. How we get it right isn’t easy, nor will it be quick, and we appreciate when the community comes together and helps us on this journey.”
