Battlefield 2042, DICE's latest game in the series, has been announced and will not feature a single-player campaign. This has come as something of a shock considering DICE's history, and 2042 will be the first mainline Battlefield game to not have the feature. However, is this decision a mistake? If so, why?
Usually, first-person shooters that have both single-player and multiplayer aspects aim to have the two modes accomplish different things. The single-player often used to tell a story and to ease the players into the mechanics of the game. Once players have completed it, they move onto the multiplayer side to hone their skills and experience the challenge of battling other players. Some developers have tried to remove single-player in the past, but the decision often left something to be desired.
DICE wants to replace a normal single-player experience with an evolving multiplayer narrative experience. While the studio hasn't revealed much about what that means, DICE has stated that the game's story will evolve with every new multiplayer season. However, when it comes to playing multiplayer, there has always been an issue with how gamers will experience the world. Normally story is considered secondary compared to simply playing the game, and any diversion can be seen as a nuisance.
For instance, Titanfall aimed to have its story told through multiplayer, but suspiciously dropped the idea and had a normal single-player campaign in the sequel. The problem revolves around the unpredictability of others. Enjoying a good story requires undivided attention, which can be challenging if other people on the server have no interest in the narrative. Imagine trying to enjoy the plot while someone screams into their mic at the top of their lungs or runs randomly around the room.
The removal of a single-player mode also threatens to alienate some of the fan base. While multiplayer has always been the most popular aspect of the series, Battlefield is still beloved by many for its single-player stories. DICE has shown the ability to have the two work in tandem before, with Star Wars Battlefront II having a reasonably good campaign. Battlefront II used its single-player to teach the audience about its mechanics, while also having a somewhat interesting plot that linked it to the larger franchise. The first Battlefront did not bother with much of a single-player, instead of using a bunch of small disconnected missions, and it didn't help to extend the game's lifetime.
However, all may not be lost as there could be ways for the developer to make this narrative model work in its favor. The idea of having the world slowly change over the course of the seasons isn't a bad one, especially if DICE is able to link it to massive in-game events. It would require a substantial commitment on the studio's behalf to maintain and continue the plot, but thankfully DICE has been known to keep its properties running rather than simply abandoning them.
It would also require the game to make each player feel like part of something larger, as there is no single-player to make them feel like an individual driving force. As such, DICE will need to build and maintain a strong community. Hopefully, the team is able to make the new system work to the benefit of the players, rather than as a simple way to make sure players buy the later seasons as they are released. If DICE doesn't accomplish that, then the future could look bleak for this entry into the series.