The Battlefield franchise has been going through somewhat of an identity crisis in recent years. Back when Battlefield debuted in the early 2000s, its primary identity was being a multiplayer military shooter with a dash of historical realism. That identity remained a staple of the Battlefield franchise throughout the first decade of its life, with a grounded tone being at the forefront of every entry until Battlefield 1's release in 2016. Battlefield V and 2042, however, took a step back from the rest of the franchise's realism and its more grounded tone, introducing mechanics like 2042's Specialist system that didn't quite fit with Battlefield's prior identity.