Does it matter what order you play the Battlefield games in? A Historical Campaign Through DICE‘s Epic War Simulator Franchise
As an FPS gaming enthusiast and longtime Battlefield fan who has charged across these multiplayer battlegrounds since 2002‘s Battlefield 1942, I receive this question a lot from newcomers to the celebrated franchise made by EA DICE:
Does it matter what order I play the Battlefield games in? Do I need to start with the very first one?
The short answer is: not at all! Outside a few minor narrative callbacks, Battlefield games are crafted as energetic standalone entries in all-out warfare. You can plunge into the dramatic frontlines of Battlefield 1‘s World War I without touching Battlefield 4‘s high-tech clash between the US and Russia.
But like any great game universe, there are rewarding connections hiding throughout the Battlefield saga as well. Let‘s embark on a historic tour of EA DICE‘s premier war simulator to see how far the series has come from its 2002 debut and discover which titles might benefit from some strategic play order planning.
Battlefield 1942 – Where It All Began
Kicking off this tour is where the enduring Battlefield tradition started – 2002‘s Battlefield 1942 for PC and Mac. Still beloved for its expansive, vehicle-packed maps recreating World War II‘s Eastern and Western fronts, Battlefield 1942 set the blueprint for large-scale, strategic FPS battles that later Call of Duty games would help popularize.
Its bold 64-player matches, array of land/air vehicles, and emphasis on squad play became signature Battlefield features for years to come. And across its roadmap of 15 maps and 6 gameplay modes, including the immense fan-favorite Battle of the Bulge, Battlefield 1942 kept players battling for months.
So does its status as the original Battlefield make it required prelude? Not quite – later Battlefield games contain similar WWII weaponry and vehicles without direct story connections. But it remains a genuine classic that illustrates how the franchise took WW2 beyondSaving Private Ryan into an interactive theater of war.
Battlefield Vietnam – Bringing the Fight to the Vietnam Jungle
After recreating World War II‘s sprawling campaigns, DICE transported Battlefield to the chaotic battlefields of the Vietnam War for 2004‘s Battlefield Vietnam. Still one of Battlefield‘s most visually striking entries, dense jungles, coastal clashes, and intimate guerilla firefights demonstrated the engine‘s versatility beyond open desert tank warfare.
With attack helicopters like the iconic Huey chopper entering the fray alongside napalm strikes,Battlefield Vietnam also introduced more asymmetric battles where technology didn‘t guarantee victory. Concealment in thick bamboo stands could hide entire squads just as it did Viet Cong fighters in history.
Its standalone Vietnam setting and incorporation of radio hits from Creedance and Jefferson Airplane give Battlefield Vietnam a strong stylistic identity detached from early WWII titles. So feel free to enlist without any mandatory training!
Battlefield 2 and Battlefield 2142 – DICE‘s First Direct Sequels
In 2005, the release of Battlefield 2 for PC heralded major technological leaps for the franchise alongside its debut on Valve‘s Steam distribution platform. As a named sequel to Battlefield 1942, fans expected ambitious changes while retaining the immense scale and versatility defining Battlefield.
They received exactly that – the bold introduction of combat roles like Assault and Support reinvented squad tactics while improved graphics, physics, and 64-player conquest matches pushed PCs to their limits. It became the definitive Battlefield experience for its time – no surprise it still has an active player base in 2024.
Riding high, DICE continued tweaking their formula with 2006‘s Battlefield 2142. Set in a dystopian 22nd century with climate disaster and new energy wars, Battlefield 2142 represented DICE‘s first direct narrative sequel set after Battlefield 2‘s modern clashes.
This ice age apocalypse backdrop drove technology forward even further with armored mech walkers, grappling hooks for vertical traversal, titanic airships as mobile bases, and other creative warfare advances. However, no direct plotlines continue from Battlefield 2‘s campaign. So feel free to enlist as an ice warrior without completing boot camp!
Battlefield: Bad Company – Consoles Join the Fight
2008 marked another Battlefield revolution – console gamers could finally enlist with the release of Battlefield: Bad Company for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms. Tailored for controllers and television screens, Bad Company still delivered enormous sandbox environments plus a riotous squad of misfits voiced by Hollywood talent in a single-player campaign.
This memorable squad – hot-headed leader Preston Marlowe, wisecracking demolitions expert Terrance Sweetwater, and other lovable rogues – struck a chord with fans. Finally Battlefield had true characters amidst the explosive action movie setpieces DICE choreographed across snowy Russian mountains, South American jungles, and more exotic locales.
Sweetwater and company returned in 2010‘s squad sequel Battlefield: Bad Company 2. So if you want to experience BFBC2‘s fan-favorite multiplayer maps like Isla Inocentes and frosty Highland Valley, meet the gang beforehand in the original Bad Company!
Battlefield 3 – Pushing Frostbite to the Limit
Flashforward to 2011 as DICE sets it sights on modern combat, launching fan favorite Battlefield 3 for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360. Built using the gorgeous new Frostbite 2.0 engine, Battlefield 3 rendered urban firefights across locations like Paris and New York in unprecedented detail with destructible architecture and dynamic lighting effects.
For SP campaign devotees, Battlefield 3 also continues the story of US Marines squad leader Blackburn from Bad Company – evidence of an expanding Battlefield narrative universe! Its direct sequel Battlefield 4 goes bigger in 2013 with a globe-trotting journey to stop all-out war between China, Russia, and the US.
Both titles still boast strong player populations a decade later as DICE has kept them updated with new content and technical boosts as part of its Battlefield Legacy initiative. I‘d absolutley recommend starting here if you want a modern Battlefield primer before the 2042 edition. Grab some friends and hold the rooftop capture point against wave after wave of enemies in fan-favorite maps like Operation Metro!
Battlefield Hardline – Cops and Robbers Battlefield Style
2015‘s Battlefield Hardline marks a wild departure for the Battlefield formula – competitive multiplayer now has players masquerading as police and criminals rather than opposing armies! Set across downtown Los Angeles and Florida swampland, Battlefield Hardline‘s campaign boasts a buddy cop drama vibe complete with crowded highways to commandeer vehicles from and QTE arrests mid-mission.
It divided some core fans expecting military operations but found an audience attracted to testing out new non-lethal gadgets and visceral close-quarters shootouts. As a spin-off entry, Battlefield Hardline features no narrative connections to previous games, so badge up and clean up these Miami streets at your leisure!
Battlefield 1 and Battlefield V – The Return to All-Out Warfare
In 2016, Battlefield returned to its military roots by boldly going backwards in time to World War I for Battlefield 1. Deemphasizing automatic weapons and technology to feature bolt-action rifles, mustard gas assaults, battles atop blimps and biplanes and other antiquated arsenals upped Battlefield 1‘s intimacy and lethality compared to recent installments.
Character prologues for the various protagonists in the episodic single-player campaign effectively capture World War I‘s unprecedented brutality. Battlefield 1 multiplayer also shines by capturing distinct battlegrounds like the French Alps and Arabian deserts.
And 2018‘s Battlefield V continues Battlefield‘s globetrotting tour of history by spotlighting harrowing World War II struggles across Holland, North Africa, and Norway. Combined with tweaks emphasizing squad play, both Battlefield 1 and Battlefield V deliver some of DICE‘s most impactful stories and satisfying weapon handling without any mandatory previous battle tours.
Battlefield 2042 – The Future of All-Out War?
That catches us up to date with October 2022‘s Battlefield 2042, DICE‘s latest gamble pushing the franchise into a chaotic near-future complete with mass exodus and factions fighting for resources in a transformed world. It doubles down on the enormous 128-player battles now possible on PS5/Xbox Series X hardware for Overwatch-style showdowns packed with floating tanks, robot dogs, wingsuits, and other outrageous tools of destruction.
Set another two decades after Battlefield 4, recurring characters like Kimble “Irish” Graves make welcome returns while facing off against fellow series veterans turned allies in this radically advanced version of Battlefield‘s perpetual global crisis.
But reports from the frontlines indicate 2042 may still be facing some deployment issues requiring additional squad support and recon from DICE developers. We‘ll need to await further intel on whether Battlefield 2042 evolves into an all-timer or remains a conflict-ridden disappointment.
So while narrative threads exist leading from BF4 to BF2042, feel free to drop into this futuristic battlefield regardless of any past tours of duty!
Conclusion – Jump In Soldier – Only Gunplay Experience Required!
I hope this tour across Battlefield history offers insight into the best starting points while showcasing why play order rarely matters. At its core, Battlefield thrives on its trademark sandbox gameplay allowing you to pilot four different vehicles before touching ground or snipe enemies hundreds of meters away.
Narrative continuity between entries takes a backseat to continued innovation in capture point modes like Conquest or Rush where teamwork trumps storyline. Outside direct threequels like Bad Company -> Bad Company 2 or Battlefield 3 -> Battlefield 4, each title sends players to new frontiers packing new arsenals best experienced firsthand.
So whether you go modern with 2013‘s Battlefield 4 and its naval warfare, backwards to Battlefield 1‘s bolt-action brutality, or into the future with Battlefield 2042‘s extreme weather chaos, playing Battlefield chronologically reveals little beyond how astoundingly consistent DICE‘s mission design and large-scale battles remain across 20 years of tactical shooter legacy.
Now head to the Mediterranean coast, squad up with long-time Battlefield comrades charging the beach alongside you, and storm the enemy base armed with your wits and reflexes alone soldier! Those capture points won‘t seize themselves.
I‘ll see you on the ever-changing battlefields!
