So, before I continue writing I just wanted to make note that I am trying to acquire some harder sources and evidence to attach within this post at a date further down the line (hopefully in the coming week). Also apologies, english isn't my first language so I'm trying to write this as properly as possible so excuse any errors. Thank you.
This information comes from a recent freelance post I did, as a designer (don't want to make my job role specific incase I harm my career down the line with revealing information and what not) for a digital design agency local to me (Europe). During the time at this position, two of my coworkers were ex DICE employees, both leaving a year ago, and 3 months ago respectively. They left, apparently, not on good terms and were more willing to share their info.
So, development for BF 2021 started around 2 years ago, before BFV shipped. DICE had had both game concepts, 2021 and BFV, in early production at roughly the same time, with BFV starting before BF1 released. The initial idea was that the 2021 concept, which I'll go into in this post, would release in 2018, with the World War 2 setting being the 2021 release. However, DICE found the WW2 setting was easier to flesh out earlier down the line as the team could build on what they know from previous ww2 BF games, and from recent experience developing BF1 (WW1). The 2021 games concept and setting etc., needed a lot more time to be worked on and fleshed out, much longer needed than for BFV. EA made it clear that they had to have a 2018 Battlefield release to please shareholders and so they asked DICE to hurry BFV into development. This explained the relatively poor launch that BFV had, as a lot of development was rushed into production to hit 2018.
This is where 2021 comes in. While BFV was in late production, development on BF 2021 began. Leaks late last year, and earlier this year stated that this game, was infact, Battlefield: Bad Company 3, and those leaks for the most part were TRUE. During early development, DICE had the full intention of making this a Bad Company sequel. They actually dedicated a team to dig through the development of Bad Company 2 as EA and DICE were worried they wouldn't be able to replicate what made that game so beloved. As development furthered along, DICE started to hit a number of issues, namely that the game didn't feel like a Bad Company game, and that they couldn't get the voice actors, writers, or lead multiplayer designers back or to consult on Bad Company 3. After this, they decided to shut down production, and rework what they had developed so far into a new title. They scrapped the Bad Company idea in March/April 2019. This is why DICE have decided not to release a BF game next year.
To go into more detail about BF 2021. The game returns the series to the modern setting, being set apparently in 2030, and will feature a focus on near-future, though realistic technology. This includes drones, robotics, AI etc. Now I don't know much about the campaign or narrative, but I do know they're ditching the whole war stories set-up with this game, to tell a story more like BF3 and BF4.
In terms of multiplayer, the game will bring back a revised version of Levolution, which will require more effort to trigger, compared to BF4 where just one player could activate an event. Levolution this time round is designed to be more tactical and can vary from game to game. It's less of a scripted event, more of different actions the team has to take that can result in different outcomes. On the topic of destruction, it has been majorly improved thanks to next-gen capabilities, bullets realistically penetrate walls depending on material, leaving actual bullet holes in the geometry. Buildings can now fully collapse again, instead of just breaking apart walls, so you can chip away at foundations and load bearing walls to make the entire building come down. Destruction is also now 'material based' so a wood wall will break apart with just one explosive round, or a load of bullets while a metal or concrete wall will require a lot more damage to break open. Apparently on one map they are planning to make it so that you can destroy entire skyscrapers with jet strikes etc. Rush also returns, and Breakthrough too, with maps being designed more around Rush. Conquest will return as usual, and so will Air Assault. The usual vehicles also make an appearance, reintroducing helicopters alongside tanks, APCs, jets and buggies.
A little thing to add that i thought was interesting is that the team are trying to develop a way to crash land planes, so that your plane being shot down isn't an instant death, rather you can attempt to crash land it and escape the wreckage.
Drones and robotics make the biggest addition to vehicles, you can get UAVs that allow you to mark targets for your team from above, drones that deliver missile strikes and bombing runs, and land based drones and robots that allow you to breach buildings, disarm bombs, spot enemies.
Commander mode is planning to be brought back too.
As far as I was told, this is DICE's attempt to bring Battlefield back to it's roots, with the team taking a lot of notes from BF2 and BF3. Development is in full swing and the game is hoping to launch in holidays of 2021 for PS5, Project Scarlett and PC. I will try and answer any questions in the comments.
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