Battlefield 5 rumored to be set in World War One

Obviously, Electronic Arts is making Battlefield 5. It said so a couple years ago, after all. So that's no surprise. But what might be is the setting, which according to a listing posted by Swiss retailer World of Games will be the First World War.

The Great War would certainly be a change of pace, but I'm not sure how turn-of-the-century pistols and bolt-action rifles—not to mention the immobile, horrific grind of trench warfare—will translate into a videogame. How do you end up with something that isn't basically Team Fortress 2, but with each team limited to nine Snipers and a Heavy?

I've reached out to EA for comment on the rumor. I'll let you know if I receive a reply.

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Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.