Battlefield 1 PS4 PlayStation 4 1

In perhaps the most depressingly obvious rumour of 2018 thus far, Venture Beat is reporting that the next entry in DICE’s ridiculously popular first-person shooter franchise will be named Battlefield 2. And yes, it’ll be set during World War 2. Does this mean that 2020’s inevitable Battlefield 3 will be set during a fictional near-future World War 3? Don’t rule it out.

Venture Beat is citing “sources familiar with EA’s plans” who wish to remain anonymous. There are no other details on the game at this point, but you can probably expect large-scale online battles, as is the franchise’s modus operandi. It’ll be interesting to see if DICE tries to cash in on the Battle Royale craze, as it does feel like a perfect fit.

Battlefield 1 was obviously a massive success for EA and DICE, comfortably outselling Battlefield 4. Call of Duty: WWII has also proved a big hit, demonstrating that there is an appetite for historical shooters on current consoles. The new title will be playable at EA’s pre-E3 event, and work on its announcement trailer is already underway. 

Update (20:00 BST): In a late twist, Venture Beat has updated its article, claiming that Battlefield 2 is actually called Battlefield V. Perhaps EA and DICE realised how awful the original name was. (The new one's not much better.)

[source venturebeat.com]