The 2016 first-person shooter race is on and many are vying to be the best of the bunch. Two of the contestants have long been considered the 1A and 1B of the genre. Battlefield 5 is set to release sometime in the fall with an official announcement on the next offering from DICE coming Friday, May 6th. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare was just announced and will release on November 4th, 2016. Most notably, the new Call of Duty will include a Legacy Edition that will offer fans an updated version of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. It seems as if both titles will be waging war in the fall, but which is the better game? We should take into account all that each has to offer.
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
The latest installment in the Call of Duty franchise will be more of the same. A futuristic, sci-fi shooter that pushes the boundaries on ordinary fps is still the MO. While that news may discourage fans from the Modern Warfare age, fear not because the big news surrounding the new CoD is that it will include an updated version of Modern Warfare within the Legacy Edition of Infinite Warfare.
While it is wrong to completely ignore Infinite Warfare, people will no doubt be buying the Legacy Edition just to toss the new game aside and return to the game that made them fall in love with the franchise. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is the greatest game in the Call of Duty franchise. You can think it was Modern Warfare 2 or World at War even, but Modern Warfare is the one and only king in this long line of games. The idea of bringing it back will certainly boost sales for Activision and Infinity Ward. It is a slam-dunk, home run of an idea whether you like the franchise or not.
Battlefield 5
Saying all of that makes it seem like Battlefield 5 has no chance, right? Wrong. Battlefield 5 could possibly be taking a page out of the Call of Duty playbook by sending the game back to the World War I or II era of warfare. While these are merely rumors, the thought of Battlefield taking on a World War I or II type setting is very exciting. Some may say “it has been done before,” but it has never been done through the scope of a Battlefield game. That is what makes the idea interesting and fresh.
Not to mention, the reason some (most) people are peeved about Call of Duty and their sci-fi approach is because the World War II setting worked so well for them. If Battlefield steals their mojo and creates an awesome trench warfare game, it could cause an even bigger outcry toward Call of Duty.
Tale of the Tape: Battlefield 5 VS Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
Price: $60.00 for Battlefield 5, $80.00 for Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare Legacy Edition
The price is notable, as you will not be able to obtain a copy of Modern Warfare without purchasing the $80.00 Legacy edition. While Battlefield 5 is sure to have some type of premium edition that will include the season pass, the main game will cost $60.00 like any other game. Is the $20 extra worth it for a game people have already played?
Setting: Far future for Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, WWI for Battlefield 5?
While Battlefield 5 has yet to reveal the location of the game, it is certainly not going to be a futuristic setting. It will be grounded, and it will not include thruster packs or any of that science fiction mumbo jumbo. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare will include everything from The Terminator to space warfare. They are two completely different offerings in terms of settings. If DICE confirms the WWI or II setting for Battlefield 5, then we’ll have a true sci-fi VS trench warfare shooter competition on our hands.
Verdict: To Be Determined
Nobody knows which game will be better at this moment in time. The idea of Modern Warfare being packaged with the new Call of Duty means that Infinity Ward is pulling out all the stops. They want to make this a memorable year in the cycle of mostly forgettable games. Battlefield 4 was the most successful game in the franchise and is still performing well to this day. If Battlefield 5 wants to let the good times roll on, then a DICE created trench warfare game might be the way to go. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare will arrive on November 4, 2016, for PS4, Xbox One and PC. Full details on Battlefield 5 will be revealed at 4 p.m. on May 6, 2016, on the EA Twitch page.
Which game do you think will be a better addition to the fps genre? How do you feel about Modern Warfare making its return to prominence?
