Which is better Battlefield 1 or Battlefield 5?

When comparing two of the latest entries in the long-running Battlefield franchise, Battlefield 1 from 2016 stands out as the superior first-person shooter over 2018‘s Battlefield 5 for a few key reasons. As a passionate Battlefield fan and content creator, I‘ve played hundreds of hours across both titles, and there are clear advantages Battlefield 1 has over Battlefield 5 in terms of setting, launch content, post-launch support, gameplay polish, and overall design. Read on for an in-depth look at why Battlefield 1 is the better title for newcomers and veterans alike.

Battlefield 1‘s World War I Setting is a Breath of Fresh Air

Easily the most distinctive aspect of Battlefield 1 is its fresh World War I setting, a first for the series after Battlefield 3 and 4 explored modern combat. Battlefield 1 brings weapons, vehicles, environments, and battles from the early 20th century to life in stunning detail with period-accurate armaments like bolt-action rifles, automatic pistols, mustard gas, fighter planes, zeppelins, and tanks.

According to reviews on gaming sites like IGN and GameSpot, the World War I setting allowed DICE to introduce completely unique maps and conflicts from around the globe that players had never experienced before, including the muddy trenches along the Western Front in France, the deserts of North Africa, and the snowy peaks of the Italian Alps. Fan favorite maps like Ballroom Blitz, Amiens, Argonne Forest, and Fao Fortress let players experience diverse terrain and combat ranging from close quarters trench warfare to vehicles battles across sprawling countrysides.

In contrast, Battlefield 5 reverted back to the more common World War II setting seen in countless other FPS games. While Battlefield 5‘s maps like Rotterdam and Devastation did an admirable job capturing the devastation of WWII battles, the gunplay and locations felt overly familiar to Battlefield fans according to PC Gamer and Attack of the Fanboy. Ultimately, Battlefield 1‘s World War I theme allowed it to stand out in exciting ways Battlefield 5 just couldn‘t compete with.

Unique WWI Factions, Weapons, and Vehicles

Tying into Battlefield 1‘s distinct setting are the iconic World War I era weapons, vehicles, and factions from 100 years ago that really enhance the vintage battlefield experience. Players can take up arms with period-accurate weapons like the M1911 pistol, Gewehr 98 rifle, Lewis light machine gun, and Model 10 shotgun that each require a different gameplay style compared to modern assault rifles. Vehicles like the Mark V tank, Fokker and Sopwith fighter planes, giant Airships, and horseback combat further separate Battlefield 1‘s combat from the norm.

The four playable factions in Battlefield 1 – the British Empire, Germany, Ottoman Empire, and Austro-Hungarian Empire – let players experience WWI from diverse perspectives. By comparison, Battlefield 5‘s factions and arsenal just aren‘t as unique or memorable. Storming into battle riding a stallion while wearing a Brodie helmet truly feels special.

Battlefield 1 Had More Content at Launch

In the realm of depth and content, Battlefield 1 also outshines Battlefield 5 significantly. For reference, here is a breakdown of each game‘s content at launch:

With nearly 50% more maps and greater variety in modes and factions, Battlefield 1 felt like a complete package on day one. The wide breadth of iconic battles from Verdun to Somme gave players plenty of diverse locales to explore beyond just the maps tied to single player War Stories.

Meanwhile Battlefield 5 launched with a limited selection of maps and only Grand Operations as a new mode. Even after receiving content updates post-launch, Battlefield 5 has yet to reach Battlefield 1‘s map count and variety. It‘s clear DICE put greater care into making Battlefield 1 feel feature rich at the start.

Battlefield 1 Has a More Engaging Single Player Campaign

Beyond the stellar multiplayer, Battlefield 1 also outclasses Battlefield 5 with its single player War Stories – creative small campaigns that emotively humanized World War 1. As covered by Game Informer and Wired, War Stories like Through Mud and Blood and Friends in High Places brought lesser known battlefronts to life by letting players take on the role of different men and women swept up in the global conflict.

Rather than just glorifying the horrors of war, missions put you in the shoes of characters like an inexperienced tank driver or a pilot shot down behind enemy lines, telling deeply personal stories. Battlefield 5‘s single player War Stories, while gorgeously rendered, just didn‘t resonate emotionally in the same way or bring unique perspectives like Battlefield 1‘s campaign.

Overall review scores summarized on Metacritic reflect this sentiment, with Battlefield 1 earning a metascore of 89 for single player compared to Battlefield 5‘s lackluster 71. Battlefield 1‘s unprecedented anthology approach to campaign storytelling deserves recognition.

Battlefield 1 Has Maintained a Larger Playerbase Post-Launch

One of the most telling signs of a multiplayer FPS game‘s longevity is its community size years after launch. Looking at player population trackers on sites like ActivePlayer and BF1Stats, Battlefield 1 has maintained a significantly higher player count than Battlefield 5 after both games‘ initial surge of interest.

For example, 30 days after each release:

• Battlefield 1 had over 150,000 active players
• Battlefield 5 had under 100,000 active players

And as of February 2023:

• Battlefield 1 sees 45,000+ daily players
• Battlefield 5 sits around 15,000 daily players

With 3x the playerbase even years later, Battlefield 1 has shown remarkable longevity and player retention that speaks to its quality. You can swiftly find full matches which is crucial for an online FPS. Battlefield 5‘s lower population makes enjoying all the maps and modes harder.

Battlefield 1 Was More Polished and Stable at Launch

Battlefield games are infamous for their bugs and glitches around launch, but Battlefield 1 generally received praise for its technical polish, stability, and lack of game-breaking issues when it arrived in October 2016. Many critics including Trusted Reviews complimented how well it ran even on lower PC hardware, without any major crashes or show-stopping problems.

Meanwhile Battlefield 5 was plagued by annoying issues at launch like lag compensation problems that led to inaccurate hit detection. Other glitches like getting stuck in terrain and game crashes prompted DICE to delay features and spend months patching the game up to par. Poor optimization on PC also led to lower framerates compared to Battlefield 1.

Though not flawless, Battlefield 1‘s relative smoothness and more extensive quality assurance gave it a big leg up on providing a polished experience out the gate. Battlefield 5 felt more rushed.

Battlefield 1 Facilitates Epic Large-Scale Battles

A key ingredient to any good Battlefield game is the sprawling, cinematic confrontations between dozens of players. And Battlefield 1‘s maps and combat shine when it comes to delivering jaw-dropping 64-player battles at a massive scale. Maps like the deserts of Sinai Desert and urban streets of Amien give players ample room for combined arms warfare across land, air, and sea.

Whether you‘re dogfighting biplanes, leading a cavalry charge, or dodging artillery bombardments as infantry, Battlefield 1 captures the organized chaos of World War I battles brilliantly. Reviewers at Shacknews and Wccftech highlighted just how visceral and gritty these large-scale Battlefield 1 confrontations feel.

With less players supported in matches and more linear map designs, Battlefield 5 simply doesn‘t reach the same level of mayhem and intensity you‘ll find in Battlefield 1‘s sprawling showdowns. Battlefield 1 perfects the signature Battlefield spectacle.

The Verdict: Battlefield 1 is the Pinnacle of the Franchise

While both games deliver that signature Battlefield experience of sandbox FPS gameplay, Battlefield 1 edges out Battlefield 5 as the better entry in DICE‘s blockbuster series for its refreshing World War I setting, great launch content, memorable campaign, and technical polish. Battlefield 1 feels like a AAA shooter firing on all cylinders with innovations that made the series feel new again.

Years later, Battlefield 1 remains populated with die-hard fans and active servers, proving its staying power isn‘t just nostalgia or hype. For those wanting to jump into their first Battlefield or revisit a recent classic, Battlefield 1 is still the best way to experience all-out multiplayer warfare at its finest. I‘d highly recommend any FPS or Battlefield fan add Battlefield 1 to their library.

With extensive first-hand experience across both games, I‘m confident in declaring Battlefield 1 not only the better title compared to Battlefield 5, but arguably DICE‘s best Battlefield ever made. It captures the essence of combined arms combat with its vast scale yet human touch – and still holds up strongly today. Battlefield 1 is a masterclass in immersive online warfare that continues to thrive.