You might think remastering an old game, or even just a map, is a straightforward task – simply port the files to a new engine, click a magic ‘remaster’ button, and voilà! However, the reality is far more intricate. When it comes to games like Battlefield 6, the effort involved in bringing classic maps to modern standards is considerably more substantial than many imagine.
During a recent hands-on session with Operation Firestorm, a fan-favorite map from Battlefield 3 making its return in Battlefield 6, we spoke with the development team at DICE to understand the precise challenges in updating these iconic battlegrounds while still meeting fervent player expectations.
“You wouldn’t believe how difficult it is,” explains Shashank Uchil, product owner and design director at DICE. “It’s all about player expectations. People remember the map, and they have very specific ideas about how it ‘used to be’—often viewed through rose-tinted glasses.”
[Video: YouTube embed discussing Operation Firestorm remaster challenges]
Uchil emphasizes the need to update the map not just visually, but functionally. It must integrate seamlessly with the new game’s technology and suit contemporary gameplay mechanics, all while retaining that crucial nostalgic essence. The goal is to make it as destructible as every new map in the game, ensuring compatibility with Battlefield 6’s distinct weapon systems. “It’s much more complicated than people think,” he notes.
[Image: A Battlefield 6 squad overlooks a vast ravine with planes soaring overhead]
However, Jeremy Chubb, a producer at DICE, believes that the strong foundations of previous Battlefield titles provide a solid base for the current team. Features like high player counts, advanced physics, dynamic destruction, and robust vehicle combat were inherently “future-proofed” concepts.
“When we bring back a map like Firestorm, it still fundamentally works,” Chubb states, “It’s still incredibly fun to play.”
Despite this, the challenge of satisfying player sentiment remains high. “It’s a fine line,” Chubb elaborates, “because players hold incredibly particular views about these maps. They yearn for that original experience realized in a new way. But I believe we’d be letting people down if we didn’t evolve these maps and embrace the fresh ideas and features our current game offers.”
[Image: A Battlefield 6 soldier charges through a war-torn landscape]
Battlefield 6 aims to infuse the explosive, modern destruction synonymous with the series into these classic maps, and the developers hint that there’s even more impressive content on the horizon. For those eager for its arrival, the open beta was merely a taste of what’s to come.
Are you excited to revisit Operation Firestorm in Battlefield 6? Join the conversation and share your thoughts!
Additional reporting by Paul Kelly.