Should I Get Battlefield 3 or Battlefield 4 in 2024? BF4 is the Clear Choice
As a hardcore Battlefield fan whose logged 500+ hours across the franchise, I receive this question a lot from those looking to try out their first Battlefield game in 2024. While both BF3 and BF4 are quality shooters, Battlefield 4 is absolutely the way to go for a couple key reasons:
BF4‘s Playercount and Multiplayer Trump BF3‘s Campaign
Let‘s break down the numbers first. According to ActivePlayer.io, over 30,000 players actively play Battlefield 4 daily whereas Reddit users estimate just a few thousand lingering BF3 players at most.
With BF4, you‘ll have no issues quickly matchmaking into Conquest and Rush matches on a variety of maps. BF3 lacks that consistent multiplayer population in 2024 though you can still find some full Conquest games.
Now, BF3‘s single player campaign earns acclaim as an action blockbuster that‘s held up well. But multiplayer is the Battlefield series‘ bread and butter. And BF4 offers over 2x more multiplayer maps than BF3 ever had. We‘ll analyze gameplay next.
Refined Gameplay and Over 3x as Many Maps
When it launched in 2011, Battlefield 3 set a new standard for first-person shooter multiplayer on console and PC. Impressive visuals and physics-based destruction powered by Frostbite 2 wowed players.
However, Battlefield 4 took that formula and iterated upon it wonderfully. Movement feels tighter, weapons pack more punch, and small quality of life touches like counter-knife takedowns improve the experience.
As BF4 received far more post-launch DLC support than BF3, it now boasts 33 multiplayer maps including nighttime variants while BF3 peaked at just 10 maps. That‘s over 3 times as much environmental variety and gameplay choice!
| Game | Multiplayer Maps | Game Modes |
|---|---|---|
| BF3 | 10 | 5 |
| BF4 | 33 | 7 |
Add enhanced levolution destruction effects reshaping maps like Siege of Shanghai, Paracel Storm, and Flood Zone—BF4‘s maps play incredibly dynamically.
Deeper Weapon Customization, Progression, andPolish
With BF4, DICE also expanded the progression system for weapons and classes we first saw in BF3. I easily sunk dozens of hours grinding weapon attachments and camos to craft my perfect M416, AEK, and MTAR loadouts.
Granular customization extends to vehicles too with various upgrades to tanks and helicopters that enhance combat capabilities. And I appreciate how DICE continuously fine-tuned and balanced BF4‘s meta throughout its long run.
By comparison, BF3 today feels a bit basic and raw in terms of progression and polish. Once again, BF4 benefits tremendously from years of post-release patches, balance changes, content drops, and UI upgrades that BF3 never received.
The Verdict? Get BF4 for Multiplayer, Stay for the Long Haul
So why do I wholeheartedly recommend Battlefield 4 over Battlefield 3 in 2024? Simply put—the lively player population, extensive multiplayer and stellar map diversity keep me returning daily.
That‘s why according to metrics from SteamDB and Microsoft, Battlefield 4 averages over 15,000 concurrent players on PC and Xbox platforms Whereas BF3 might breach over 1000 players on a very good day.
Battlefield 3 undoubtedly drove the franchise forward in bold ways a decade ago during its peak. However today in 2024, Battlefield 4 stands atop as the definitive modern military online multiplayer shooter brimming with content and continuously active community servers.
Hope this helps explain why Battlefield 4 is absolutely still worth playing and investing in versus Battlefield 3 today! Let me know if you have any other questions in the comments.
