Unfortunately, Rush has been treated as an afterthought in recent Battlefield titles, as few maps feel like they were built for the mode. Further, if Rush is not just forced into a map that was clearly crafted for Conquest, it is ignored entirely. Sometimes it will be added as post-launch content, and other times it will be outright replaced by something like Breakthrough. Going forward, this has to change, as DICE has been treating one of the series’ best game modes as an afterthought.
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How Rush Can Return To Its Former Glory
For those unfamiliar with Battlefield’s Rush mode, the concept of the mode is easy to grasp. Players are split onto two teams. One side is made up of Defenders, with their only goal being to drain the opposing team of their lives or “tickets.” As for the Attackers, they need to destroy several sets of MCOMs, and when each set is destroyed, the defending team is pushed back to a new chunk of the map. When Rush is done right, players are constantly enjoying a change of scenery and getting new areas to fight around.
With the next Battlefield game, Rush being present at launch would go a long way to pleasing the mode’s fans. In Battlefield 2042, Rush was added as an LTM, but fan backlash ensured that it was brought back to the game just one week after it was removed. This negativity was completely unnecessary, as if DICE had recognized how beloved Rush is, it could have included it on day one as a core mode instead of making it an LTM. Hopefully, the controversy reminds the studio to prioritize Rush with its next project.
With the next Battlefield release, there should also be an even split between Conquest maps and Rush maps. Since Conquest and its vehicular mayhem are the main reason many play the game, the mode should obviously not be done away with. However, it has to stop overshadowing Rush completely, as both game modes deserve to shine. To accomplish this, DICE should deliver an even split between Rush-exclusive maps and Conquest-exclusive maps. It is easy to tell when Rush has been forced into a location that was designed for Conquest, as Rush on Caspian Border was a lot less fun that it was on other Battlefield 3 maps.
With Battlefield’s new seasonal approach likely to stick around even after 2042’s struggles, as live service games are the new norm in the gaming industry, DICE could release one Conquest-focused map and one Rush-focused map every season. This way, fans of both modes will be getting additional content to enjoy, keeping them engaged and allowing both styles of gameplay to thrive. With seasons lasting several months, two maps being added in every season seems reasonable if the next Battlefield game launches in a good state and DICE can focus on extra content instead of fixes.
Lastly, and most importantly, DICE needs to deliver Rush maps that are distinct and memorable. Operation Metro is timeless because of the variation, as players battle in a park before taking to the eponymous metro system, and they even end up in a city before the match concludes. Damavand Peak is an even bigger example of an iconic Rush map, as the jump off the mountain at the midway point of the game feels like a campaign set piece. Seeing helicopters and a few dozen teammates plummeting to the ground is unforgettable, with Damavand Peak providing an “only in Battlefield” moment every single game. Going forward, DICE should strive to replicate that feeling, focusing closely on making Rush feel special again.
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