EA has today issued a heartfelt message to fans that explains why it has taken measures to delay Battlefield V. The game will now launch Nov. 20, one month on from its original Oct. 19 release date.
Battlefield V is the latest installment in the longstanding franchise, which sees it return to its World War 2 roots. The title had previously been scheduled to launch in a busy window, sandwiched between Rockstar Games’ hotly anticipated Red Dead Redemption 2 and Battlefield’s biggest rival, Call of Duty (Black Ops 4). But today’s EA statement explains the publisher wanted to “take the time to continue to make some final adjustments to core gameplay, and to ensure we really deliver on the potential of Tides of War.” It has therefore delayed the game by a month.
While it’s certainly possibly EA wanted some extra time to polish Battlefield V, it’s also possible that moving the game out of such a competitive window in the market was a strategic decision. Only last month, a report from analyst group Cowen found that pre-order sales for Battlefield V were comparatively weak year-on-year with 2017’s Battlefield 1. The report concluded that investors might be concerned the title was doomed to replicate the mediocre commercial performance of Titanfall 2, another EA-published title that launched in a busy release window and suffered as a result.
You’d have to imagine this new release date gives Battlefield V chance to breath, perhaps increasing its chances of reaching the publisher’s of sales targets.
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