When Battlefield 4 was released last fall many fans, hardcore and casual, were disappointed and even driven away by its dismal launch. Netcode issued made the game nearly unplayable and key design flaws in game modes such as the beloved Rush made the modes nearly obsolete. Several months later we have mild improvement for the netcode bugs, eleven multiplayer updates with small adjustments and fixes, and a still displeased Battlefield community. Battlefield games have traditionally been on a two-year cycle. However, this spring that tradition was broken when Battlefield: Hardline leaked.
The purpose of Hardline is to replace the Medal of Honor games which have consisted of a series of disappointments critically and financially in the last few years. However, the release of a Battlefield game every year puts the franchise in danger of becoming a repetitive grinding cycle of games a la Call of Duty. Devoted fans have been let down and EA fears a reduction in customer base. To assure the community that Battlefield still has life left in it D.I.C.E. and EA must prove that their games really are worthwhile. The Dragon’s Teeth DLC intends to do exactly that. While it is too late to reap much more financial reward from BF4, the success of DT and the upcoming Final Stand DLC may determine the loyalty of Battlefield fans and make or break the franchise’s future.