Hot Take: Battle Royale is Part of Battlefield Sandbox
- Tom Belous (The Lanky Soldier)
- Jun 21
- 3 min read
Tom and Ray emphasize that Battlefield's strength lies in its sandbox nature—a flexible, community-driven experience. They advocate for returning to core features, empowering players with customization, and building a long-term vision that respects Battlefield's identity. They warn against fragmentation and short-sighted management, urging developers to focus on quality, community, and innovation. The episode ends with gratitude to supporters and a call to keep the franchise alive through listening, adapting, and creating.
Featuring: Tom Belous (TheLankySoldier) & Ray Edmunds
Episode 18: Hot Take: Battle Royale is Part of Battlefield Sandbox
Released on June 18, 2024
Length: 1 Hour & 30min
TIME STAMPS:
04:21 - Podcast Discussion
10:43 - Some Battlefield News
16:48 - EA is hiring Ex-Military
22:16 - BF3 & BF4 Servers Shutting Down
30:05 - Splitting The Franchise
1:06:26 - Battle Royale is Sandbox Battlefield
QUOTES:
"Let everybody do all of that and let Bots be a thing too."
"Give the community the ability back to be a community again. Don't necessarily have to bring Battlelog back, but give that ability to have thriving communities."
"Battlefield was always known as a sandbox game. This is that sandbox if someone wants to play."
HIGHLIGHTS:
Discussion on Hardcore Mode & Server Customization:
The hosts advocate for allowing players to create custom servers with various settings, including bots, to enhance gameplay options and community engagement.
Market & Community Trends:
Noticing a decline in podcast listenership and general interest in gaming podcasts, they reflect on the challenges of maintaining engagement.
Franchise Challenges & Predictions:
They discuss Battlefield's current state, including the discontinuation of Battlefield 2042, and speculate on future directions, including the importance of a connected ecosystem like Warzone.
Historical & Predictive Insights:
The hosts highlight how past predictions (like the name "Battlefield 1") and community feedback have coincidentally aligned with actual developments, suggesting some predictions might be prophetic.
Franchise Fragmentation & Community Split:
They debate whether splitting Battlefield into separate sub-series (e.g., hardcore vs. arcade) is beneficial or harmful, leaning toward a unified experience with customizable options.
Desire for Robust Community Tools:
Emphasize the need for better server customization, community management tools, and support for community content like videos and cinematic storytelling.
Game Design Philosophy:
They argue Battlefield should remain a sandbox, emphasizing player freedom, modding, and community-driven content, rather than overly segmented or niche-focused.
Potential Collaborations & Themed Maps:
Suggests partnerships with other franchises (e.g., Bethesda, Star Wars, Fallout) for themed maps and content, advocating for tasteful crossovers.
Content & Game Modes:
Discuss the viability of various game modes, and the importance of maintaining core Battlefield identity—sandbox gameplay, destructibility, and community creativity.
Competitive & Custom Game Modes:
Stress the importance of community-run servers, custom modes, and tools for competitive play, criticizing the removal of these features in recent titles.
Long-term Vision & Development Strategy:
Urges developers to adopt a long-term approach, building a robust, flexible foundation for at least 6-10 years, with ongoing content updates, community tools, and support.
Franchise Identity & Future Outlook:
Believes the next Battlefield will serve as a connecting tissue for future titles, incorporating Battle Royale, multiplayer, and community-driven content, while staying true to the franchise’s sandbox roots.
DOWNLOAD: Episode 18 Transcript
Download from Google Drive
Note: Transcripts are not fully accurate, as they were not fixed for accent & grammar mistakes
