We're so back. We're so f*cked
- Tom Belous (The Lanky Soldier)
- Jul 12
- 3 min read
The episode explores the chaotic development of the next Battlefield game, highlighting major issues like poor management, unrealistic goals, and a lack of cohesive direction across studios. Based on a detailed Ars Technica report, the hosts criticize EA's push for 100 million players and the mishandling of the singleplayer campaign. Despite some hope for the multiplayer, they argue the franchise is at risk due to mismanagement and a loss of identity.
Featuring: Tom Belous (TheLankySoldier) & Ray Edmunds Episode 43: We're so back. We're so f*cked
Released on July 7, 2025
Length: 1 Hour & 35min
TIME STAMPS:
04:03 - Arstechnica Article
16:32 - 100 Million Players?
21:28 - EA is Not Wrong (Kinda)
34:45 - Potential Wasted
46:23 - Positives
50:24 - Singleplayer
01:05:03 - Release date
01:11:12 - Predictions
01:22:39 - BF2042 Post-Mortem
01:25:57 - Small Topics
QUOTES:
Management being more focused on hitting milestones than actually making sure something is working.
If the multiplayer is fucked up, people still got to have something to do. And that's what singleplayer is for.
Give people a reason to give a fuck about playing in your sandbox.
Critical acclaim, corporate failure.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Frustration with Battlefield Development:
The hosts express deep skepticism and frustration about the current state of the Battlefield franchise, criticizing management decisions, unrealistic goals, and the chaotic development process.
Ars Technica Article Summary:
They discuss an in-depth article revealing internal issues in EA's development of the next Battlefield, including overbloating, shifting leadership, broken communication, and rushed production, especially highlighting the problematic approach to the singleplayer mode.
Management Failures and Unrealistic Expectations:
The hosts emphasize how EA's focus on hitting milestones and ambitious player targets (like 100 million players) leads to poor decision-making, rushed releases, and compromised quality - comparing it to building a skyscraper with an unstable foundation.
Historical Context and Franchise Decline:
They critique how Battlefield has lacked a consistent identity over the years, with each new game feeling disconnected from the last, and how corporate greed and management missteps have contributed to the franchise's decline.
Comparison with Other Successful Games:
They analyze titles like GTA, Fortnite, Call of Duty, and PUBG, noting that successful games often carve their own identity, rely on free-to-play models, and focus on fun over corporate metrics.
Single Player Mode's Importance:
The hosts lament the potential loss of singleplayer campaigns, which historically provided context and depth to Battlefield, and criticize how corporate decisions and scrapped projects (like Marcus Leto's involvement) have undermined this aspect.
Critique of Corporate Culture:
They condemn the toxic management culture, including crunch culture, mismanagement, and the focus on profits over quality, comparing it to practices in other media industries and criticizing the lack of understanding of game development.
Predictions for the Next Battlefield:
They believe the game will likely be delayed, incomplete at launch, or scaled down, with the multiplayer component possibly released separately to mitigate risks, but ultimately predict it will be a commercial failure due to unrealistic expectations.
Cynicism and Realism:
While optimistic about the potential of the multiplayer and the work of Battlefield Labs, they remain highly skeptical about the corporate side's ability to deliver a successful, cohesive product.
Call for Better Management and Vision:
They advocate for a clear, focused vision, patience in development, and management that understands the complexities of game creation, criticizing current practices that prioritize quick profits over quality.
Overall Message:
The episode concludes with a mix of cynicism and hope—believing the game might be good on the ground level but doomed on the corporate side, summarized in the suggested episode title: "Critical acclaim, corporate failure."
DOWNLOAD: Episode 43 Transcript
Download from Google Drive
Note: Transcripts are not fully accurate, as they were not fixed for accent & grammar mistakes
