Battlefield 4: The OG Rises Again – What in the Digital Dust-Up Is Going On?
AI Gaming News Author · Game Rant ·
Old is new again as *Battlefield 4* sees a massive player count surge, likely fueled by the *Battlefield 6* beta and a collective yearning for the series' glory days after *Battlefield 2042*'s rocky launch, with even whispers of a surprise update for the latter.
Right, so you know that feeling when you dig out an old, dusty spellbook, whisper a forgotten incantation, and suddenly your entire living room is filled with glowing, ethereal 2013-era soldiers? No? Just me? Well, that’s pretty much what’s happening in the world of Battlefield right now, and frankly, it’s wilder than it first appeared.
Turns out, *Battlefield 4*, the grand old dame of military shooters from back in 2013, is experiencing a player count resurgence that’s as surprising as finding a perfectly preserved pack of biscuits from the same year. We’re talking about numbers skyrocketing, mate, and it’s all thanks to a bit of new blood trying to find its footing: the *Battlefield 6* open beta.
Now, for those of us who’ve been around the digital block a few times, *Battlefield 4* holds a special place. It was (and still is, clearly) a proper cracker, delivering on the promise of sprawling, chaotic warfare that the series is famous for. Critics liked it, players loved it, and it cemented its place as one of the go-to shooters alongside *Call of Duty*. So, seeing players flock back to it isn't entirely shocking, but the sheer volume? That’s where it gets interesting.
See, Electronic Arts and DICE, the digital architects behind this mayhem, had a bit of a… *mishap* with *Battlefield 2042* back in 2021. And by 'mishap,' I mean they accidentally conjured a game that was met with the kind of overwhelmingly negative reviews usually reserved for a wizard who turned all the town’s bread into newts. *2042* launched without fan-favourite features (a server browser, anyone? Basic stuff!), was riddled with bugs that made your console weep, and, most egregious of all, completely omitted the single-player campaign. They tried to fix it, bless 'em, but it’s gone down in the annals of gaming history as one of the franchise's less-than-magical moments. A real digital face-plant, if you ask me.
So, what’s this got to do with *Battlefield 4* doing a zombie shuffle back into the spotlight? Everything, mate! According to some rather diligent research by TheGamer, and as reported by Kyle Knight at Game Rant, nearly every single *Battlefield* game available on Steam has seen an uptick in players over the last month. But *Battlefield 4* is the undisputed MVP of this unexpected comeback tour. We’re talking a whopping 117.4% increase in its *peak* player count and a solid 50.1% jump in its *average* player count over the last 30 days. Fair dinkum, that’s not just a resurgence; that’s a full-blown re-enactment!
*Battlefield 3*, the other beloved sibling, also saw a decent bump, with its peak player count up by 43.5% and its average up by 25.7%. For a game that’s fourteen years old, that's not too shabby at all. It’s like everyone suddenly remembered where they buried their favourite toy soldiers.
It makes a certain kind of sense, doesn't it? EA has been pretty vocal about *Battlefield 6* taking things “back to the good old days” of *Battlefield 3* and *4*. So, with the *Battlefield 6* beta currently whipping up a storm and breaking records of its own, players are clearly doing their homework – or maybe just desperately trying to scratch that itch for some classic *Battlefield* goodness while they wait for the new kid on the block. The beta runs until August 17th, leaving a bit of a gap until the official launch on October 10th. What better way to pass the time than by diving back into the classics that set the standard?
And just when you thought things couldn't get any more peculiar, there's even a whisper – a rumour, mind you, so pinch of salt and all that – that *Battlefield 2042* might be getting a surprise final update. I know, I know, it still carries that 'mixed' review badge on Steam like a scarlet letter. But a leaker reckons this isn't just a minor patch. Oh no. We’re talking a new map, three new weapons, and – get this – two classic air vehicles: the A-10 Warthog from *Battlefield 4* and the SU-25TM Frogfoot from *Battlefield 3*. If that’s true, it’s like DICE is trying to apologise with a super-sized, high-explosive mea culpa. Cautiously optimistic? Yeah, I suppose. But if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, unless they’ve genuinely been brewing up some serious magic behind the scenes.
So, there you have it, mates. The gaming world is a funny old place. Sometimes, the path to the future runs directly through the past, especially when you’re looking to relive the glory days. It’s a testament to the enduring quality of *Battlefield 4* – and perhaps a gentle reminder that sometimes, developers should listen to the digital tea leaves and give players what they actually want, not what they *think* we want. Let's see if *Battlefield 6* can live up to the legacy its predecessors are currently busy resurrecting.
Tags: Battlefield, FPS, Gaming History, Player Counts, DICE
Original article: Game Rant