Battlefield 1 Will Feature Brutal Close Combat, Airfights, and “Epic Scale”

Battlefield 1 got an official announcement today, confirming that the series is heading back to the dawn of modern warfare. Yes, World War I.

On their World Premiere livestream, the development team showcased Battlefield 1’s first trailer, which featured some gruesome combat and crazy, era-appropriate vehicles. Biplanes, horses, battleships and zeppelins all make an appearance, with the developers noting that the game includes some of the largest vehicles they have ever built. “You can imagine that in a 64-player battle,” they joked.

Battlefield 1 will also exist on a much larger scale: “We wanted to take the player on a journey around the world.” DICE plans to incorporate new frontlines beyond the familiar Western front, including Italian alps and the deserts of Arabia. These settings provide new gameplay opportunities both in multiplayer and campaign modes, they explained.

Close range combat will play a large part, as well. Melee will prove more brutal and gritty than in previous games, which seemed pretty clear based on the bloody shovel and mace bashing in the trailer. The intensity of the battles, their physicality, is aimed at reinforcing the immersion and drowning player senses in the battlefield.

For more on Battlefield 1, check out the highlights from the reveal event below

• Why It’s Called Battlefield 1
• Watch the Full Trailer Full of Airships and Deadly Shovels
• Release Date Revealed
• Battlefield 1 Will Star “More Battlefield, More Choice”