While we are all familiar with the launch and the subsequent decline of the game, a lot of us are not privy to what went on behind the scenes during the development of BF2042. This is why we’re thankful that someone who is very much familiar with the franchise spoke up to share his insights about the game. Vince Zampella, the co-founder of Infinity Ward and current Head of Respawn Entertainment, recently took over as overseer for the Battlefield franchise. He’s responsible for leading the development team in transforming what was once called by fans a “walking simulator” into the Battlefield 2042 we currently have. In an interview with Barrons, Zampella remarked that he thinks the devs “just strayed a little too far from what Battlefield is. They tried to do a couple of things that were maybe ambitious: grow the player count etc.” He further explains that the devs, in their quest to make BF2042 big, forgot to think about what makes Battlefield games fun. For Zampella, it was not “inherently a bad idea. The way they were set up and the way they executed just didn’t allow them to find the best thing possible.” When the game didn’t meet expectations due to the dwindling player count and persistent bugs, EA promoted Vince Zampella to head the franchise in December of 2021. Since then, DICE has focused on repairing and updating parts of the game where most of the dissatisfaction and criticism stems from. It removed the 128-player breakthrough mode and streamlined maps to concentrate on frequent skirmishes rather than large-scale but empty maps. When Season 1 was released, things were starting to turn around for BF2042. Players were slowly returning and feedback for the game was much better than at launch. Players praised DICE and EA for listening to the community about what needed to be done to the game. The introduction of the scoreboard was a welcome addition and players love how the gameplay was smoother in the new map called Exposure. Season 2 was met with more praise as BF2042 became more infantry focused after adding the new Stranded map. The tight corridors and plentiful cover meant players could focus on gunbattles rather than dodging incoming fire from snipers, vehicles, and airplanes. Season 3 will bring back the class system from previous Battlefield games as the Specialists remain. During the 20th anniversary of the Battlefield franchise, EA announced that multiple studios will be creating new experiences for the series. EA also vowed to support Battlefield 2042 for the foreseeable future. Marcus Lehto and Ridgeline Games will be creating a campaign mode set in the Battlefield universe. DICE will focus its efforts on the multiplayer aspect of Battlefield. Ripple Effect will be in charge of developing a new Battlefield experience for players. With the improvements that Vince Zampella, DICE, and EA have done for BF2042, fans are now looking forward to Season 3 of the first-person shooter. And as things start to get better, the future of the franchise looks to be in good hands.
