For years now, Battlefield has been set in modern times, with modern weaponry and technology. However, when Battlefield developer DICE proposed going back in time to World War I for the latest entry in the franchise, EA wasn't so sure it was a great idea.
Speaking at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2016 Global Technology Conference, EA CFO Blake Jorgensen said the franchise's new setting wasn't decided upon without some internal debate. Part of that debate stemmed from EA's concerns that younger players might not be so well-versed in world history.
"World War I, we were worried that many of the younger consumers out there didn't know that there was a World War II or Vietnam, so World War I ..." Jorgensen said.
Even if players did know a little about World War I, EA was still initially hesitant about the idea, as the company didn't believe trench warfare could be fun. The idea of two teams huddled together in a trench taking potshots at one another wasn't terribly exciting. Eventually, however, the developers at DICE managed to convince the higher-ups that going back in time was the right call.
"I think what people don't understand about World War I is the technology shift that went on during the war," Jorgensen said. "People started the war on horseback and ended the war with airplanes and tanks and battleships and submarines. And that's a huge opportunity for us to be able to do a video game around."
He also spoke about the geographic diversity that setting the game during World War I allows for, since the war took place across all of Europe and even North Africa. It seems like EA and DICE definitely made the right call, as the Battlefield 1 reveal trailer is now the most-liked trailer of all time on the site.
It's in stark contrast to the reveal trailer for the latest entry in the Call of Duty franchise, which is among one of the most disliked of all time, in part because of the franchise's continued focus on futuristic settings.
