Key Takeaways
- Leaning may return to the next Battlefield game after being omitted in Battlefield 2042, enhancing cover-based combat.
- The absence of the leaning mechanic in Battlefield 2042 negatively impacted gunfights, potentially affecting the player experience.
- The rumored reintroduction of leaning mechanics is expected to bring back a realistic element to gunfights, improving gameplay in the next title.
The next Battlefield game may see ‘leaning’ return to the series, after being dropped in 2021’s Battlefield 2042. The poorly received sequel was the first Battlefield title to not feature this gameplay mechanic since 2011’s Battlefield 3.
In Battlefield games, the leaning mechanic enables players to shoot at enemies from cover in a way that exposes themselves the least, reducing the risk of taking damage from the return fire. Since being introduced in 2013’s Battlefield 4, the feature had remained a series constant until the launch of the latest Battlefield game. While there was the contextual leaning system in Battlefield 4, Battlefield Hardline, and Battlefield 1, Battlefield 5 featured its own manual leaning mechanic. Controversially, Battlefield 2042 got rid of this feature altogether and ended an eight-year-long run. However, there now seems to be a rumor floating around that suggests a return of the leaning gameplay mechanic to the franchise.
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According to Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson, leaning will be a part of Battlefield‘s gameplay once again in the next game. He shared this rumor via a brief post on Bluesky, catching the attention of Battlefield fans across social media. On Reddit, a player underlined the omission of the leaning system, among Battlefield 2042‘s many missing features, as one of their biggest gripes with the game. On the other hand, some responses were not too thrilled about the rumor, with one user calling the lack of a leaning mechanic is the least of Battlefield‘s problems, suggesting that more important issues still remain to be solved for the franchise.
The Next Battlefield Title May Bring Leaning Back into the Equation, Spicing Up Gunfights
In Battlefield 2042, players engage in gunfights with the handicap of not being able to lean out of cover to shoot down enemies. Instead, they have to come out in the open and fire from a vulnerable position, negatively affecting the experience of such encounters. However, the rumored re-introduction of the leaning system from older Battlefield titles would not just let players make the most of their cover, but also result in more realistic gunfights, which are expected in contemporary shooter games.
Back in March, Battlefield 2042 received its last major season update, titled “Turning Point,” adding new maps, weapons, and more to the game. While the end of Battlefield 2042‘s seasonal content has since shifted the focus onto the next Battlefield game, there is still no official release window for the same. Currently, Motive Studio, the makers of the acclaimed Dead Space remake, are working on the development on the forthcoming Battlefield title as fans eagerly await an announcement some time next year.
Battlefield
EA’s Battlefield franchise is a series of first-person shooter games. The games have predominantly been set in the modern day, though there have also been titles set in World War 1, World War 2, and in the near future.
The Battlefield franchise is often compared to Call of Duty, with both franchises offering single-player campaigns and online multiplayer.