Battlefield 5: everything you need to know

The next instalment of EA’s Battlefield series has finally been revealed and it’s tipped to launch on PCs and consoles this October.  

Announced in a preview trailer last night, the new game, which will be called Battlefield 5, is set during the Second World War. 

It’s the first time the series has featured a WWII setting since Battlefield 1943 which launched in 2009. Since then, the franchise has focused on modern day combat, with the exception of last year’s Battlefield 1 which is set during the First World War.

Other additions to the popular first-person shooter include new game modes, graphical improvements and more character customisation options.

Here’s everything we know about Battlefield 5 so far: 

When is it out?

Battlefield 5 launches on PlayStation 4, Xbox One X and PC on 19 October. Pre-orders priced at £49.99 are open now and can be found on Amazon. 

Gamers who sign up to EA Access, a £3.99 per month video game subscription service, will be able to play the first-person shooter on 11 October.

What’s new?

Its predecessor in the franchise, Battlefield 1, is set during WWI, but the new title will put players on the front line of WWII. 

As well as its new historical setting, Battlefield 5 is brimming with new features and tweaked gameplay elements. 

Polygon says that gamers will be given more freedom to customise the characters they use online by altering their gender, race, facial features and hair. For the first time, gamers will be able to unlock more outfits and items as they progress through the game. 

Characters are split into four different classes – assault, engineer, support and medic – which all have their own strengths and weaknesses on the battlefield, the tech site says. In addition, gamers get their own “personal motor pool and airstrip”, where war vehicles can be customised with different paint and stickers.

Meanwhile, Battlefield 5 will introduce two major new game modes called Grand Operations and Tides of War, The Verge says. 

Grand Operations is a large-scale “historically inspired” multiplayer match that’s split into four sections, the website says. The first section revolves around players working together to capture the city of Rotterdam, while the final phase forces gamers to fight others using weapons they find on the battlefield.

Tides of War is a story-driven multiplayer mode that puts gamers through various stages of WWII, says Tech Radar. 

The new title will also include a single player offline gameplay, called War Stories, as well as a mode that allows gamers to team up with friends in order to complete multiplayer objectives, the site says. 

What about downloadable content?

In a move to “avoid segregation” between gamers who purchase downloadable items and gamers who don’t, The Daily Telegraph says that all Battlefield 5’s major updates will be free to download. 

But the paper says there will undoubtedly be “some form of monetisation” in the game. This could take the form of purchasable items for the game’s character customisation. 

Will there be a beta?

Yes. According to Games Radar, players who pre-order the game will automatically be entered into EA’s beta programme. This will give gamers access to a pre-launch version of Battlefield 5 later this year. The early version could, however, have technical glitches and missing features.