The world of Battlefield is a huge one, and has become known for its large-scale warfare, destructible environments, and cinematic moments of gameplay. Back in April, DICE announced that in partnership with Industrial Toys, the developers would be creating a new Battlefield experience specifically for the mobile audience. The game is set to release some time in 2022, and will aim to be a fully standalone game that operates completely different from the current Battlefield games that exist.
While fans wait for more information, DICE has hinted at some of the things they hope to accomplish with the future title, including it becoming one of the biggest and best Android games available With that in mind, here's all we know at the moment about the upcoming Battlefield Mobile.
Battlefield goes back to the future
Battlefield 2042 debuts Electronic Arts' next-generation vision for the military shooter, supporting up to 128 players, the largest-ever maps, and is shaping up as its most ambitious entry to date.
What is Battlefield?
Battlefield is a series of first-person shooters developed primarily by EA DICE, and has been one of the longest-running video game series of the past few generations. The series began in 2002 and has since grown into arguably one of the most popular shooter franchises of all time, rivaling only Call of Duty as the biggest in the world. Over the past few years, Battlefield has become known for its take on massive scale warfare, often featuring huge lobbies of players and giant maps that allow for some incredible fights to break out.
Alongside the large-scale battles, the Battlefield series is also known best for its destructible environments. Ever since the release of Battlefield 1942, the series has leaned heavily into the ability to knock down buildings, blow walls apart to create new entryways, and more. Recently, the newest entry in the Battlefield series, Battlefield 2042, was shown off at E3 2021, and looks every bit as grand as the series has always been.
What's gameplay like in Battlefield Mobile?
In their initial announcement of the game, the company said that with the game being designed specifically for mobile platforms, their goal was to create a fully-fledged, skill-based experience for mobile players. While it was initially unknown what gameplay may look like, thanks to the game now entering early testing in Southeast Asia, we're able to get a good look at how alpha gameplay looks in the upcoming.
As you can tell from the video below, gameplay fairly similarly to that of normal Battlefield games. Not only did the Conquest game mode make its way into the mobile game, but the look and feel of a Battlefield title is also there, with the HUD displaying your available weapons above your health, and the phone screen having various button options for reloading, firing, and switching your characters stance.
Pausing the game also allows you to check out the map, which looks almost identical to that of the main versions Battlefield. all in all, it looks as if Electronic Arts and Industrial Toys have made a specific effort to make sure the gameplay of Battlefield Mobile doesn't stray too far from what players are used to, and so far, it looks as if they've succeeded. Of course, we'll have to wait for more testing opportunites to arrive before coming to a final verdict.
As the game will be competing with the likes of Call of Duty Mobile, PUBG: Mobile, and other mobile shooters, it'll be interesting to see if DICE leans into the more short-burst gameplay style of its competitors. Console and PC matches of Battlefield can often last a long time, and mobile players can't really afford to spend upwards of 45 minutes battling it out on one giant map. However, Battlefield is also known for these experiences, so it'll be up to DICE and Industrial Toys to try and strike a careful balance in how the game feels.
Will Battlefield Mobile be different than the regular game?
As mentioned above, it's unknown exactly just how much the mobile version of Battlefield wil differ from its console and PC counterpart. Because the console and PC version of the game is so grand in scale, however, it's more than likely that the mobile version will have to be different in some form.
DICE has already mentioned that the hope for Battlefield Mobile is to create a "skill-based" experience for players. While this could mean that the company hopes to have a general skill floor for players of all experiences, it could also hint a bit at what the developers are looking to accomplish. Taking the world of Battlefield and shrinking it down into a more competitive experience while trying to keep their epic scale could work, in theory. DICE has also mentioned that Battlefield Mobile will be its own standalone product, and a "completely different" one than any of the current Battlefield iterations.
This makes it seem like DICE is well aware that it can't possibly port over the full Battlefield experience to mobile devices, but will instead be focusing on making the best mobile version of the game they can. There's some precedent for mobile shooters finding success with the recent releases of Call of Duty Mobile and PUBG: Mobile, but those games are way different than Battlefield in how they play and the types of players that flock to the games.
Will Battlefield Mobile feature cross-play with other Battlefield games?
No. According to EA, there will be no cross-play with any console or PC versions of Battlefield, because the game is being built specifically for mobile devices.
Will Battlefield Mobile be free-to-play?
According to a post made on Electronic Arts' Answers HQ in regards to Battlefield Mobile's early play test, Battlefield Mobile will be free-to-play, and will only include cosmetic items in the game. "Battlefield Mobile will feature its own Battle Passes, collectible cosmetics, and unlockables unique to this mobile game," the post says in regards to how other collectibles will be unlocked.
How can I play Battlefield Mobile early?
According to Electronic Arts, Battlefield Mobile play tests will be "steadily rolling out," with a series of tests in Indonesia and the Philippines currently planned to become some time in Autumn 2021. These play tests will only be available on Android devices, although EA has said that as testing continues, the size and regions of the tests will be expanded to fit the new information.
For those looking to get into the tests, Electronic Arts says that once the game becomes available in your region, simply pre-registering for the game in your local Google Play Store is all you need to do. From there, you'll be "informed automatically when the play testing opens up in your area." According to the FAQ on EA's Answer HQ, testing slots will be limited, so make sure to sign up if you see the game in your Google Play Store.
When will Battlefield Mobile release?
Currently, no information regarding a release date for Battlefield Mobile has been revealed beyond a 2022 release date. When the game was initially announced, DICE mentioned that they were hoping to get players into a testing period for the game ahead of its launch next year.
With the game likely still in the very early stages of development, don't expect too much news or updates from EA DICE until they're fully ready to get players into the world of Battlefield Mobile
Battlefield goes back to the future
Battlefield 2042 debuts Electronic Arts' next-generation vision for the military shooter, supporting up to 128 players, the largest-ever maps, and is shaping up as its most ambitious entry to date.
