Summary
- Two missions were originally cut from Battlefield 3's campaign, focusing on Hawkins' capture and escape.
- Battlefield 3's campaign was criticized for lack of narrative cohesion and emotional engagement.
- Fans hope future Battlefield titles will focus on engaging, story-driven content alongside multiplayer.
David Goldfarb, former designer of Battlefield 3, has revealed that two missions were cut from the game's single-player campaign prior to release. Released in 2011, Battlefield 3 is generally perceived as one of the best in the Battlefield franchise, thanks to its action-packed campaign and explosive multiplayer.
The title received plenty of praise from players and critics alike, with it being renowned for its visually stunning graphics, large-scale multiplayer battles, and innovative Frostbite 2 engine. However, whilst the multiplayer garnered widespread acclaim, Battlefield 3's campaign was met with more mixed reviews. It followed a linear structure that focused on a globe-trotting story of military conflict, but many fans and critics alike felt it lacked any strong narrative cohesion or emotional engagement.
What to Expect From the Battlefield Franchise in 2025
The next Battlefield entry is well on the way, and if fans are very lucky, they might even have it in their hands by the end of next year.
Previous DICE developer David Goldfarb has revealed that the campaign for Battlefield 3 was originally more expansive than it was at release. Goldfarb recently posted to Twitter that there were two cut missions from the campaign, both of which were centered around Hawkins, a playable character known for her role as a jet pilot in the mission "Going Hunting". In these cut missions, Hawkins could have been a stand-out Battlefield character, as she would have been shot down and captured, with the missions focusing on her escape before rendezvousing with Dima.
Battlefield 3 Cut Two Campaign Missions
The revelation has reignited discussions about the game's single-player component, which many felt was its weakest element, especially when compared to Battlefield 3's popular multiplayer modes. Critics often pointed out that the campaign relied too heavily on scripted set pieces and lacked a sense of variety in the mission structures. These cut missions, with their focus on survival and character development, could have offered a more grounded and dynamic experience, potentially addressing one of the game's biggest criticisms.
Many fans have used this opportunity to fondly reflect on Battlefield 3 and speculate about the franchise's future. The discussion around cut content and single-player campaigns has reignited conversations about the importance of narrative in the next franchise title, especially in light of Battlefield 2042’s controversial omission of a campaign. Fans hope that future installments will bring a renewed focus on engaging, story-driven content that complements the series’ iconic multiplayer experience.
Battlefield 3
- Released
- October 25, 2011
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- DICE
- Publisher(s)
- Electronic Arts
- Engine
- frostbite
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Franchise
- Battlefield
WHERE TO PLAY
Battlefield 3 leaps ahead of the competition with the power of Frostbite™ 2, the next installment of DICE's cutting-edge game engine. This state-of-the-art technology is the foundation on which Battlefield 3 is built, delivering superior visual quality, a grand sense of scale, massive destruction, dynamic audio and incredibly lifelike character animations. As bullets whiz by, walls crumble, and explosions throw you to the ground, the battlefield feels more alive and interactive than ever before. In Battlefield 3, players step into the role of the elite U.S. Marines where they will experience heart-pounding single player missions and competitive multiplayer actions ranging across diverse locations from around the globe including Paris, Tehran and New York.
