When will DICE release Battlefield 1 DLC?

The DLC will be delivered with a truckload of patches and improvements for the servers

As is standard in the Battlefield series, there will be a series of four expansion packs for Battlefield 1 released within a year of the game’s initial release. Here’s where we bring you the latest release date and gameplay news for each one.

Giant’s Shadow DLC news and rumours

However, before the paid DLC lands, players can look forward to free DLC in the form ofGiant’s Shadow. Giant’s Shadow is said to be released in December 2016, and features a brand new multiplayer map based on the Battle of the Selle in autumn 1918.

“The British forces have broken through the Hindenburg line and are now in pursuit towards an important railway center,” reads a line from the description on the Battlefield 1 website. “Fierce infantry and tank engagements ensue on the open ground and river banks alongside the Cateu-Wassigny railway.”

A leak on reddit may have revealed the main focus of the free update in December, although anything claimed by an unknown reddit source should be taken with a pinch of salt. The alleged source claims that the new map will feature a Behemoth in the form of an armoured train, and that the battle will take place alongside a river with multiple boats to drive. The dynamic weather system is said to provide storms where player visibility is at a minimum.

However, there’s more than just a new map included in the update. It’s said that the update will also feature a number of UI fixes, like changes to the customisation and rewards for medals and Battlepacks. The most notable (and most requested) change is the addition of a ‘Quit’ button to leave matches without restarting the whole game.

The source also claims that the update will land on or around 13 December 2016, with the last update going up around the same time in November.

They Shall Not Pass DLC news and rumours

While there is a cloud of mystery surrounding the paid DLC, what we do know is that the first is called They Shall Not Pass. The DLC is said to focus on France and will feature new multiplayer maps and more, with speculation that it may focus on the Battle of Somme and the Battle of Verdun. It’s expected to be released in March 2017, although we’re not sure if this will only apply to those that own the £39.99 season pass which allows two weeks of early access to new online maps.

Other paid DLC rumours

EA DICE has stayed quiet on the remaining expansion packs, although it has noted that “an upcoming expansion will bring the Russian Empire into the battle”. It also notes that the four pieces of DLC will add a total of 16 multiplayer maps, new Operations and game modes, new Elite classes, 20 new weapons and more to the existing game.

The reddit source mentioned above also provided us with a few details about the upcoming paid DLC, claiming that it’ll feature a theme similar to the pilot chapter of the single-player campaign. The maps are said to feature large artillery canons as Behemoths that can be attacked and destroyed by opposing forces. It’s also claimed that a dogfight mode similar to Fighter Squadron in Star Wars Battlefront will be added early in 2017.

As well as this, the reddit source claims that upcoming DLC packs may add snow and nightfall effects for existing maps.

Battlefield 1 gameplay and features

As mentioned earlier, Battlefield 1 will go back to World War 1, instead of some futuristic setting. That’s why EA has gone with the name. Locations will include urban France, the Arabian desert and the Italian Alps.

EA said we’ll be able to: “witness the birth of modern warfare, as the Great War saw a furious arms race with new machines and weapons created to get the upper hand during the most technologically divergent war of all time.”

The emphasis is on creating a more of an open world sandbox environment than previous games. You’ll be able to take to the skies in a dog fight, use a battleship to attack the coast or even ‘ bring a horse to a tank fight’.

Make sure you watch the official Battlefield 1 reveal trailer to get a taste of the action including the planes, tanks and someone getting it full in the face with a shovel.

“The game will deliver a fresh experience full of what makes Battlefield great, with a multiplayer sandbox, immersion, epic scale, authenticity, team play and an ever-changing world full of unexpected Battlefield moments,” said Aleksander Grøndal, Senior Producer, Dice.

“We’re inviting players on an epic journey across a war-torn world, taking them to the Great War and providing something both varied and unique in Battlefield 1.”

On the multiplayer side of things there’s the usual selection of classes: Assault, Medic, Support and Scout. There are also new vehicle classes including Tank Officer and Pilot but no Engineer. There’s support for 64 player matches.

Following the original B1 announcement, DICE provided fans with more information about the game’s weapons via the Battlefield 1 website. The game will include six ranged weapon classes, and will offer customisation via pre-set loadouts rather than various individual attachments, as it has been with previous Battlefield games.

With regards to melee combat, different close-quarters weapons will have varying statistics – some may be fast and weak, while others may be slow but extremely powerful. Some will also double up as tools for destroying barricades or damaging vehicles, for example. In true WW1 fashion, you can also attach a bayonet to your gun allowing you to perform a charge attack, offering a variety of ways to take out your enemy in-game.

Source: modchat/techinsider/reddit