EA and DICE unveiled the very first trailer for Battlefield V this past week, with the publisher’s flagship shooter making its return to the arena of World War II for the first time since 2009’s Battlefield 1943.
The trailer itself was very impressive, although a vocal contingent of fans has taken exception to one aspect – the inclusion of a female character – slamming the game as “historically inaccurate” and voicing their displeasure through the #NotMyBattlefield hashtag.
DICE general manager Oskar Gabrielson has taken to social media to respond to the criticism, making it clear that female characters are here to stay:
“It’s been two days since the reveal of Battlefield V so I wanted to share some thoughts on the reactions so far,” said Gabrielson. “It sure seems we created a lot of excitement, and also some questions on a lot of different topics. First, let me be clear about one thing. Player choice and female playable characters are here to stay. Our commitment as a studio is to do everything we can to create games that are inclusive and diverse. We always set out to push boundaries and deliver unexpected experiences. But above all, our games must be fun.”
Battlefield V isn’t scheduled to arrive until October 21st, so there’s still plenty of time for these armchair military historians to brush up on the major role that women played in World War II before the game arrives.