You may have seen that Battlefield 5, initially set for a release on October 19, is going to be pushed back to a release on November 20. But why has BF5 been delayed? Let’s talk about the Battlefield 5 delay, why it’s happening on an official basis, and another potential explanation behind the Battlefield 5 delay.
Battlefield 5 Delay: Final Adjustments
DICE general manager Oskar Gabrielson released a statement today announcing the Battlefield 5 delay. He talks a lot about the feedback the studio has received so far on Battlefield 5, and that in order to properly address the feedback, DICE needs more time to tweak some more aspects of the game in time for the release. These include “adjusting the gameplay tempo, improving soldier visibility and reducing player friction,” said Gabrielson. “You’ll see a lot of these reflected in our Open Beta that starts on September 6.”
Gabrielson continued: “With the Open Beta just around the corner, we are excited about the millions of you who will join us and experience the game. And we fully expect to see even more feedback coming our way … And that’s why we’re moving our launch date. We’re going to take the time to continue to make some final adjustments to core gameplay, and to ensure we really deliver on the potential of Tides of War.”
Battlefield 5 Delay: Busy Release Schedule
There’s another factor that might play into the Battlefield 5 delay that wasn’t discussed in the statement, and that’s just how busy October is for game releases. Rockstar will be releasing Red Dead Redemption 2 on October 26, and Activision will be pushing out Call of Duty Black Ops 4 into the market on October 12. With the initial Battlefield 5 release positioned between these two games, there was a risk that audiences might split, reducing the retail success of the game. It may not be an official explanation for the Battlefield 5 delay but it’s definitely something to keep in mind.
