In the video game world, everyone is familiar with some sort of competition, and said competition often leads to innovations, improvements, and more. This can be said of Sony and Microsoft, PC vs. consoles, and more. One classic competition is that of Battlefield vs. Call of Duty, which has gone rather quiet since Battlefield 5 released in 2018. Now, however, 2021 once again serves as a battleground between Battlefield 2042 and the as-of-now unrevealed and unnamed Call of Duty title.
Fans do know that a new title is set to release this year. Call of Duty has broken a years-long tradition, once again, by revealing so late like Black Ops Cold War, but it's still very likely to release this year. Sledgehammer Games has confirmed it's working on it, there have been plenty of rumors, and it's unlikely the game will break its streak. Since the franchise's first title, it has only missed one year for release, and that was super early on in the franchise's life span. Either way, what's clear right now is that, while this competition may heat up soon, Battlefield 2042 has taken the lead.
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First impressions are important, and Battlefield 2042 has certainly made the right first impression. According to EA's recent earnings call, Battlefield 2042 was the most discussed new game during June 2021, and the trailers have reviewed over 210 million views. Those are mightily impressive numbers, and it may very well translate to sales figures. However, that's all just the bait to the hook.
Battlefield 2042 didn't just put all of itself out there, as fans know there's more to come. The game has shown off some of its multiplayer, which will tell a story through its characters even though there's no single-player campaign. Battlefield 2042's Portal, which is a community-based sandbox where players can build custom matches from across several franchise games, has blown fans away. Yet, it seems Battlefield 2042's ace in the hole is its Hazard Zone mode, which sounds appealing but fans know nothing about it. It's a tease and a major surprise to come, meaning there's still plenty to be shown. If it comes with even an inkling of the hype that Portal did, Battlefield 2042 has seemingly checked all the right boxes.
While Battlefield 2042 is out loud and proud, Call of Duty 2021 has not been. Rumors about the game seem mostly legit, meaning fans could and should expect the new game to be WW2-based and called Call of Duty: WW2 Vanguard. The same rumormongers indicate it could be revealed via Warzone, just as Black Ops Cold War was, and all of this makes sense. In fact, the latest Call of Duty: Warzone teaser has hidden messages that "Vanguard is Coming." So, while there is a few things out there, it's notable that none of it is yet official.
It could be that Call of Duty doesn't think it needs as much time in the public eye; after all, as every Call of Duty game tends to top sales charts, so too will this one. Despite this, if it comes down to a choice between Battlefield 2042 and Call of Duty 2021 right now, the winner is clear. It'll need to come swinging out of the gate, deliver better on Call of Duty: Warzone implementation, and showcase what makes this game unique. Of course, nothing is truly clear until Call of Duty: WW2 Vanguard is revealed, but the clock is ticking away on that.
Battlefield 2042 releases October 22 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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