Months ago, a rumored pegged the next entry in the Battlefield franchise as taking place during World War I.
It looks like those rumors turned out to be completely true, as new leaks ahead of EA's official reveal have confirmed both the name and setting of the next entry in the franchise.
The game is called Battlefield 1, and will appropriately be set during the first World War. First came a leak on the Xbox One dashboard, showing a soldier wielding a machine pistol and spiked club (or grenade) with a zeppelin flying in the background. That same image has now appeared on Reddit in the form of posters received by a video game retailer, where the game's name is confirmed. The materials also confirm a release date of Oct. 18, 2016.
What's not clear is if this is a historical WWI setting or some kind of alternate history version of the war. The Battlefield franchise began with the WWII-focused Battlefield 1942, so going back in time 20 years prior is definitely a big change for the series. Other entries in the franchise have taken place in Vietnam, the far future and, most recently, modern times.
Why the game isn't called something much less confusing (like Battlefield 1920) is unknown, but expect plenty more details later this afternoon as EA formally reveals the game during a live stream event. The announcement of the new Battlefield comes hot on the heels of the reveal for Activision's new Call of Duty. Called Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, the game will take place in the future and allow players to pilot spacecraft.
Infinite Warfare's reveal trailer has been met with widespread dislikes on YouTube, with many fans tired of the franchise's focus on sci-fi. Much of the anger also stems from Activision's refusal to sell Modern Warfare Remastered as a standalone product, with the company requiring those interested to buy one of Infinite Warfare's pricey special editions.
Upset Call of Duty fans tired of futuristic settings could mean an opportunity for Battlefield to reign supreme as the top shooter this holiday season. We'll have more details on Battlefield 1 as they are announced.
