With Battlefield V and Battlefield 2042 failing to meet both players' and EA's expectations, there's a lot riding on Battlefield 6. Though official details on the next Battlefield entry are still scarce, a few tidbits have slipped through the net, and it seems like the four studios currently working on the game are fully aware of the pressure on their shoulders.
In a September interview with IGN, Head of Respawn and Group GM for EA Studios Organization, Vince Zampella, made it pretty clear that Battlefield 6 is aiming to be a return to form for the franchise. Battlefield 6's developers are trying to achieve this by taking a "back to roots" approach, with Zampella stating in the interview that Battlefield 3 and 4 are the teams' biggest inspirations for the new entry. If that's the case, then Battlefield 6 could have the perfect opportunity to bring back some old features, and there's one Battlefield 3 mode that deserves another chance in the spotlight.
Battlefield 6 Should Borrow Battlefield 3's Co-Op
Battlefield 3's Co-Op Missions Were On The Right Track
Back in the late 2000s and early 2010s, co-op modes were becoming all the rage. Call of Duty: World at War's Zombies mode and Gears of War 2's Horde mode both released in 2008, and Halo 3: ODST's Firefight dropped just a year later. The first Borderlands also came out in 2009, heralding a golden age for the co-op shooter.
Naturally, Battlefield 3 wanted a piece of the same cake. Upon its October 2011 release date, Battlefield 3 contained a dedicated co-op mode. In this mode, two players could play through an entirely new campaign, complete with six missions. These missions ranged from Operation Exodus' wave-based defense, to Fire From the Sky's aerial action, to Drop 'Em Like Liquid's hostage situation that requires sniper support.
These missions were fairly short, but they packed a nice punch, offering a completely different experience from the one available in Battlefield 3's multiplayer mode or main singleplayer campaign. It would be nice to see a similar co-op feature in Battlefield 6.
Co-Op Would Be a Worthwhile Addition to Battlefield 6
Co-op games have experienced a bit of a resurgence this year. Helldivers 2 made a big impact at the start of the year, with its challenging 4-player co-op encouraging players to coordinate and strategize in fun and unique ways. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 offered a similar Sci-Fi co-op experience a few months ago, incentivizing players to keep slaying hordes of Tyranids by letting them unlock shiny new weapons and abilities for their multiplayer classes. And most recently, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6's Zombies mode has cemented just how popular horde modes still are.
It might be a good idea for Battlefield 6 to try and jump on this recent co-op bandwagon, just like Battlefield 3 did back in the day. It'd be great to get a handful of missions tailored around a co-op experience, where players are actively encouraged to carefully time their shots and maneuver around the battlefield together to maintain the advantage. This kind of strategic co-op gameplay seems to be experiencing a bit of a comeback, and Battlefield 6 is in a prime position to capitalize on it.
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.
