In case you somehow missed it, the Battle Royale genre has taken the video game world by storm. There literally isn’t anyone that isn’t playing Fortnite at some point right now (save for a few gamers that just don’t “get it,” at least not yet), and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds – the game that took full advantage of the mode to begin with – has a huge following as well.
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Now, it appears that a lot of developers may be on board with the idea of including a Battle Royale mode with their games, including some working on all-new multiplayer projects, as well as devoted AAA studios that are considering making it a part of their game franchise.
But here’s the real question – does Battle Royale work with all action franchises? There are some that established themselves based on different rules, so would Battle Royale possibly shake them up too much? Let’s take a look at some popular examples, based on a report at CNBC, and see if Battle Royale could work or not.
Red Dead Redemption 2
This is probably the biggest one of the bunch, if only because Battle Royale has been rumored to be included within in the game, though not confirmed yet. It would certainly be a bold move for Rockstar, combining a highly anticipated game with a tremendously popular mode.
So would it work? We don’t see why not. Red Dead Redemption‘s multiplayer had a number of options available, whether you felt like taking part in a shootout or playing a game of cards. So pitting 100 cowboys (or more, who knows) against one another in an open world would be a lot of fun. The only people that might be skeptical are devotees of the first Redemption‘s multiplayer, who feel it’s fine “the way it is.”
But, hey, some games are just meant to grow. Let’s see what happens.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
Now, this one has a lot of people divided. On the one hand, Call of Duty has a tremendous following with its multiplayer, even though the series tripped a little bit with Infinite Warfare. (At least it recently recovered with the much more balanced WWII.) But on the other, a new mode might change things too much.
So would it work? We’re on the fence about this one. Some players might like the idea of Battle Royale, but that would mean the introduction of larger-scope maps, something we haven’t gotten seen with Call of Duty. A lot of people like the small and medium map sizes as they are, and expanding on them could force these players to take more time to adapt than expected.
Maybe if Treyarch introduced a mode that only used one or two specially designed maps, and didn’t mess with the already existing maps in regular multiplayer, it could be worth a try. But, with this particular series, they may want to think carefully to see if it’s really needed. Maybe ask the fans…?
Overwatch
This is also a franchise that requires some pondering. Sure, Overwatch can adapt to new modes, maps and characters, but it always follows its gameplay mantra when it comes to multiplayer, even building a professional league out of it. Shaking that up with the idea of a Battle Royale mode might be a bit tougher than expected.
So would it work? Maybe not the Battle Royale mode in itself, because of the medium-sized maps (compared to, say, an open world), but Blizzard could easily introduce a mode with Battle Royale style rules, with a constricting dome that closes in, and the requirement to take out the remaining players before you’re finished off. There could also be different variations added to this, though the game is appealing enough on its own.
This may be the one instance in which Battle Royale isn’t necessarily needed. But I’m sure Blizzard could figure out an alternative that could bring fans in.
Anthem
BioWare’s been needing a hit for some time now, since Mass Effect: Andromeda wasn’t a big a draw to fans as expected. So it’s pouring all its effort into Anthem, set to debut next year. With that, the team might consider adding a Battle Royale mode to the game, in the hopes of keeping players coming back, alongside a strong single-player campaign.
So would it work? This is an interesting question, as we really don’t know all the details surrounding Anthem‘s multiplayer just yet. We figure there will be co-op of some kind, but don’t know that much about competitive team play. We could learn more at E3, and, who knows, EA and BioWare could incorporate a mode to see if players could be drawn in to it. But this is one of those scenarios where it’d be great to see what the multiplayer has to offer first, before deciding whether or not Battle Royale would be a strong part of it.
Battlefield V
And we have yet another franchise that’s a tough call, mainly because the game hasn’t even been officially announced yet. But if any first-person shooter series seems to be adaptive to the idea of Battle Royale, it’s this one, since Battlefield 1 had large maps, ripe for survival rules and putting players in some amazing firefight scenarios.
So would it work? There’s a good possibility. If Battlefield V’s maps are as big (or even bigger) than the ones offered in the previous game, Battle Royale could work. The gameplay is already built on survival rules (based on Battlefield 1), and players have already gotten used to the idea of hunting down rivals, so DICE could introduce a mode where players could jump in, and see how well its popularity gauges.
If it doesn’t work, hey, just go back to the signature Battlefield multiplayer. It’s still going to be a huge draw.
Now, this is all just opinion, so if you feel Battle Royale would work with one of your favorite franchises, sound off below and tell us why!
