While it's no secret that Battlefield 2042 had a rough launch, developer DICE is sticking it out. For the time being it will be working only Battlefield 2042 and no other projects, such as games like Mirror's Edge.
"We are only focusing on Battlefield 2042," Coutaz told GI.Biz. "There is no time for anything else and this is what we want to do. In three years, we want to be the first-person shooter powerhouse that DICE deserves to be, and that is what we’re going for."
DICE is best known for the Battlefield series but since being acquired by EA in 2006, it's occasionally branched out. Alongside Mirror's Edge, its past ventures also include Medal of Honor (2010), the rebooted Star Wars Battlefront series, Mirror's Edge, and its less well-received sequel Mirror's Edge Catalyst. While Coutaz doesn't deny the studio will return to other projects in the future, we shouldn't expect anything anytime soon.
Cause for reflection
Coutaz finds herself in an odd position, having joined last December after Battlefield 2042's launch, and now being responsible for getting the game back on track. Still, this interview shows she's taking clear responsibility, reflecting on the post-launch mood in DICE.
"The launch of Battlefield 2042 was not as expected," Coutaz explains. "Our players and community were disappointed, but so was our development team." Admitting that quitting the game was never an option, DICE sought the help of EA's other studios to assess what went wrong, and how to fix it.
"That analysis took us a couple of months, and we are now fixing it," Coutaz continues. "We're getting reorganized, restructured, improving processes, adapting them to be able to make these monster games that we are making in co-development... and also working in the hybrid model."
She admits "it's far from perfect and we have many things still to learn" but on the whole, Coutaz paints a more optimistic picture for the game's future. With the previously delayed Battlefield 2042 Season 1 launching two weeks ago, maybe things will finally turn around for DICE's latest effort.
