What happened to Battlefield Portal?

As a Battlefield super fan who still pines for the Refractor engine days of 1942, I was overjoyed at Battlefield Portal‘s announcement. Finally, a way to recreate the iconic multiplayer mayhem that defined the series! But is this ambitious initiative now just a shadow of its former promise? This is the inside story of Portal‘s rapid rise and fall from grace.

Portal‘s Opening Promise Captures Battlefield Nostalgia

Battlefield Portal launched in November 2021 as part of Battlefield 2042, hyped as an innovative platform enabling players to build their own modes by mixing content from previous series entries.

The reception was instantly rapturous. After the divisive unveiling of 2042‘s main multiplayer, Portal represented what many core Battlefield fans were craving – a gateway back into iconic past battlegrounds.

Recreations of legendary maps like Battlefield 3‘s Caspian Border poured in, playing just how veterans remembered. Even Battlefield 2042‘s muted response couldn‘t deter Portal‘s soaring early popularity.

Peak Concurrent Players in Portal Opening Months

The toolkit offered near endless flexibility for community creators to build their dream modes. Standouts included Battlefield 3 styled Rush, military sim mil-sims placing emphasis on tactics and teamwork, and fully PvE zombie survival co-op – adding AI enemies from multiple Battlefields attacking in waves.

As both a player and creator, those early Portal days delivered everything I could have wanted. But trouble was brewing behind the scenes threatening the very fabric holding Portal together.

XP Farming Issue Reaches Tipping Point

With so much freedom at their fingertips, it was sadly inevitable that some would look to exploit Portal to turbocharge XP progression. So called ‘XP farms‘ began emerging – custom modes with progression multipliers ramped up by as much as 500%. Players rapidly skyrocketed through Battlefield 2042‘s 100 ranks.

Developers DICE were apprehensive from the start about progression getting out of control. But with XP farms becoming increasingly commonplace through November and December, the situation reached breaking point.

Across January 2022, DICE conducted sweeping nerfs hampering Portal XP potential. Farm modes were removed entirely and progression mechanics significantly slowed. The reaction was understandably incendiary.

Peak Players Before and After January 2022 XP Nerf

Creators who‘d poured hours into finally having the Battlefield platform they‘d dreamed of felt betrayed. From a player perspective, progression tapering flattened enjoyment incentivization.

DICE Stands Firm But Has Portal Been Abandoned?

DICE have stoically stood behind the XP nerf throughout 2022, refusing to budge on supercharged progression making a return. Updates rolled out over 2022 brought quality of life improvements and cool new portal assets like BF3‘s Noshar Canals.

But there‘s no denying that the early bustling promise of Portal has worn thin post-nerf. Critics now deride it as Battlefield 2042‘s forgotten child, leaving it‘s once bright future very much in doubt.

As of February 2023, Portal concurrent player counts average at just 15-20k players – a mere fraction of the millions it once commanded. It pains me to see such an innovative idea now left in the dust.

February 2023 Portal Average Concurrent Players

In their quest to protect progression pathways, have DICE destroyed the very community and creativity that made Portal so special? Personally, I can‘t help but feel they panicked into rushing poorly considered changes damaging Portal‘s growth potential. Surely through better analytics and banning repeat exploiter accounts only, progression could have been maintained without such punitive restrictions throttling enjoyment?

Alas, the past cannot be undone. My dream now is that through ongoing cultivation of compelling new experiences, Portal can slowly regain former glories. Adding fan favorite classic content like BF3‘s Damavand Peak or BC2‘s Atacama Desert would surely entice back lost player numbers.

Closing Thoughts – Abandon Portal and Battlefield Loses Its Soul

While 2042 struggles rumble on, Portal and it‘s gateway to the past offers a lifeline to embittered series fans like myself. It represents Battlefield‘s pioneering roots of creative possibilities that no other FPS can rival.

To abandon Portal now after one misstep risks losing the most unique part of the Battlefield formula that has appealed across generations. I implore DICE – double down on Portal‘s endless horizons. Nurture this precious gift so more sublime battlefield memories can thrive for years to come.

The canvas is waiting. The balls in your court DICE!