Battlefield 5 is getting a delay, but at least it isn't a terribly long one. Developer DICE announced on the game's official website that it has pushed back the planned full release of the game to November 20, from its original positioning at October 19. What's one more month when it's already been 73 years since the war ended, right? According to the announcement, the delay will allow DICE to respond to more of the player feedback it received from play sessions at E3, Gamescom, and in the closed alpha.
"You’ve also spurred us to make some meaningful improvements to the core gameplay experience, including adjusting the gameplay tempo, improving soldier visibility and reducing player friction," DICE general manager Oskar Gabrielson wrote, adding that many of those changes will be reflected in the upcoming Battlefield 5 open beta.
Delays like these aren't uncommon (and I suppose it's better to get the word out before the beta begins than after) but there's one other benefit to delaying the game that EA didn't mention: it also puts Battlefield 5 much further away from two conspicuous dates: first, the latest game from its multiplayer FPS rival Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 on October 12; and second, the Red Dead Redemption 2 release date of October 26.
Battlefield 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 are about as different as two semi-historical games about shooting people can be, but still - the next open-world Rockstar game coming out is a big enough event that the rest of the games industry tends to give it a wide berth. Oh, and as is the case with most EA games, remember that the general release date for Battlefield 5 is not the only release date - both special editions and membership in EA Access / Origin Access can get you in early. EA hasn't confirmed the new dates for those yet, though.
For more Battlefield moments, check out our ranking of every Battlefield game from worst to best.
