While DICE’s model of treating Battlefield 5 as a continuous service with constant updates will certainly have its own benefits, we’re getting to a point where the amount of features that won’t be included in the game at launch is starting get somewhat baffling.
For some of the larger features and modes, that’s still understandable, in that DICE doesn’t want to release those things until their development has been finished. But when it comes to smaller features, that’s when things start getting a little bit ridiculous. One such feature is the ability to vote on which map you want to play on while between rounds. In a weekly debrief over at Reddit, Battlefield 5’s multiplayer level designer Matthias Wagner confirmed that map voting between rounds would not be included in the game at launch.
Cosmetic vehicle customization is yet another relatively minor (yet still pretty basic) thing that the game won’t have at launch. Meanwhile, “The Last Tiger“, the game’s final War Story, will only be released in December, while its co-op mode Combined Arms and the battle royale mode, Firestorm, are also not part of the package on release day. Again, it makes sense that DICE will want to finish up work entirely on these three things before they’re ready for release, but when things such as cosmetic customization and map voting are delayed, one can’t help but wonder whether the game’s being rushed out, even after it has already been delayed.
We’ll find out soon enough when Battlefield 5 launches on November 20 for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC.