There’s no doubting that the release of Battlefield 1 not only reinvigorated the franchise, but also the genre. The proof is in the pudding: DICE’s critically acclaimed shooter had 19 million players in the quarter after launch.
That’s mightily impressive, and enough for Battlefield 1 to trump Battlefield 4, DICE’s last contribution to the franchise (not including Battlefield: Hardline).
Through the end of FY17, Battlefield 1 will have seen a 50 percent increase over Battlefield 4 player numbers over the same period of time from launch.
“Our community of Battlefield fans is growing as new players join loyal franchise fans, driving engagement and player satisfaction levels to be among the highest in our portfolio,” EA CEO, Andrew Wilson, said. “Our in-game Battlefield network now helps players move seamlessly from game to game in the franchise, finding their friends and connecting with content to maximize the experience every time they play.”
EA still has plenty of content planned for Battlefield 1, with the first expansion, They Shall Not Pass, already launching, and three more still on the way.
Big changes are also being added all the time, with the latest Spring update adding a host of features and improvements to the experience.