Battlefield is one of the most tumultuous first-person shooter franchises ever made. It has fallen from grace in recent years, but once upon a time, it was a legitimate Call of Duty killer – or at least, it could have been. In this list, I’m breaking down all Battlefield games, ranking them from worst to best and determining where things went wrong for the series.
There are high expectations for the future of the series with Battlefield 6, which is set to be the most ambitious game the team has ever cooked up, but the proof will be in the final delivery, of course.
Without further ado, here’s the list – all Battlefield games, ranked.
All Battlefield Games, Ranked
If you think our organisation of all the Battlefield games is a little off, feel free to mention that in the comments and we might consider jiggling our list around a little!
Update: Based on some valuable feedback, we’ve made adjustments to the list. It’s encouraging to see such a loyal fanbase still exists that is passionate about Battlefield games both new and old!
12. Battlefield Hardline
Hardline was a strange paradigm shift that didn’t hit too well with the Battlefield community. It was sort of Battlefield as knew it, but it was fused with a ‘Cops vs. Robbers’ foundation that at no point lent itself to the classic Battlefield formula. It had an entertaining enough campaign and it was visually pleasing, but it just never at any point felt as though you were playing a Battlefield game.
11. Battlefield Vietnam
Battlefield Vietnam was released in 2004, exclusively on PC. It was the second Battlefield game ever, and for some, it seemed odd jumping from World War II to the jungles of Vietnam, but it was their game to make, I guess. It was a little more visceral than its predecessor but it didn’t move mountains, and aside from a brief Bad Company expansion, this theatre of war hasn’t been revisited.
10. Battlefield 1942
Battlefield 1942 is where it all began – way back in 2002. It was a remarkable game for the era and boasted near-unparalleled realism, and it easily became one of the best-selling games of the day. It kickstarted the entire franchise, but that’s not enough to rank it at the top of all Battlefield games.
Related: Will Battlefield 2042 Ever Be Free to Play?
9. Battlefield 2042
Battlefield 2042 launched in a terrible, heartbreaking condition but has been on a road of redemption ever since. It’s a tough one to place on the list of all Battlefield games, as those who never went back to it following its disappointing release will not remember it fondly. However, hundreds of changes have been made and it’s now at least a good game if not a great game.
8. Battlefield V
Battlefield V has a bad rap, but it wasn’t a terrible title. It boasted some of the best features we’ve ever seen out of all Battlefield games, including construction, a sorely missed and personal favourite attribute of mine. It had gorgeous maps, exhilarating combat mechanics, great customisation options, a brilliantly mixed campaign, and plenty of post-launch content – and battle royale!
Sadly, it was also seen as the beginning of the downfall of the Battlefield franchise, and it couldn’t ever live up to the greatness of Battlefield 1, which was this game’s predecessor.
Related: What Should Battlefield 6 Take From Battlefield 5?
7. Battlefield 2142
Battlefield 2142 was an outlier – a futuristic title set two centuries beyond the ‘oldest’ Battlefield game. It wasn’t a terrible game by any means and boasted some highly enjoyable combat sequences and solid multiplayer, but it was an almost unexpected injection of innovation (or so they thought) into a series that had, until then, focused on real-world conflicts. Do we ever want to see mechs again in Battlefield? Probably not – but they were fine in 2142.
6. Battlefield: Bad Company
Bad Company, good game. This 2008 release introduced us to the foursome that we’d follow for a total of two releases. This was a Battlefield packed with humour, one-liners, and pleasing action sequences that unfolded over semi-linear maps, and it was great. Even today, we mourn the loss of Bad Company, and the servers were recently taken offline, too.
5. Battlefield 2
Battlefield 2 is, according to Metacritic, the highest-ranked title out of all Battlefield games. It was technically the third game in the series, and it was a great step up from the first title that was launched three years prior. It was one of the most collaborative shooters of its time, making it a brilliant multiplayer option and one of the best team-based first
4. Battlefield 4
Battlefield 4 boasted one of the best campaigns we’ve ever seen in the series, so much so that certain characters made a return in 2042 almost ten years later. It also featured one of the most balanced and memorable multiplayer modes in franchise history, which went hand-in-hand with fantastic destruction mechanics, multi-faceted combat roles, and some of the greatest maps we’ve ever seen.
3. Battlefield Bad Company 2
Bad Company 2 was a send-off of sorts for the sub-franchise, but to this day, fans are still expecting a resurgence. It took everything the first game did and improved upon it, introducing a better story, more quips, larger maps, and a more immersive multiplayer experience. It was released in 2010, but the next game to be released in the franchise would be so mighty that it would completely overshadow Bad Company 2.
Related: Criterion is Helping Develop Battlefield 6
2. Battlefield 1
Out of all Battlefield games, Battlefield 1 was the most emotional, heart-wrenching title of them all. It was a cutting-edge experience that remains the best-selling Battlefield game ever, and it was iconic for the story mode alone. In the multiplayer offering, players discovered a brutally realistic, immersive ecosystem that felt incredible to play every single time. It felt authentic, it looked flawless, and it was a gritty and honest portrayal of one of human history’s most devastating wars.
1. Battlefield 3
Battlefield 3 is the best Battlefield game ever made, period. It is a masterpiece of a first-person shooter, and despite launching way back in 2011, it still holds up to scrutiny today. It effortlessly competed against the likes of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Killzone 3, and Crysis 2, and even if it didn’t come out on top in some of those bouts, it was a game that never refused to quit.
With stacks of post-launch content, some of the most instantly recognisable maps in franchise history, jaw-dropping visuals, and mountains of destruction, this truly was the Battlefield game to end all Battlefield games. It had a fantastic and gripping story and cooperative missions, and the multiplayer just felt so good to play over and over again.
Do you agree with our ranking of all Battlefield games? Let us know in the comments.
Putting BF2142 at 11 is criminal. Titan mode alone should carry it to top 5. I do admit it had several problems just like any other battlefield but for me will always be No1.
How old is this guy? 2142 was huge and a favorite. Vietnam was a joke nobody liked it. 2142 was still being played when newer titles came out. Bf1 was ok, BF5 was a failure after they alienated the base and fired sanderson (speling) two weeks after release because of his comments. Many of us left BF. Is this his personal ranking? If you ask the original diehards that actually grew up with BF straight through up to BF5 , this order woukd be much different.
How old is this guy? 2142 was huge and a favorite. Vietnam was a joke nobody liked it. 2142 was still being played when newer titles came out. Bf1 was ok, BF5 was a failure after they alienated the base and fired sanderson (speling) two weeks after release because of his comments. Many of us left BF. Is this his personal ranking? If you ask the original diehards that actually grew up with BF straight through up to BF5 , this order woukd be much different.
Bf3 forever!!! Best of the best… Best AAA shooter ever forewer!
Battlefield Field 1 ahead of BC2 and BF4. You must not have been around during those times.
Also in post launch support alone, Battlefield 4 is the Mangum Opus from DICE.
Nothing in todays Games as a Service model industry will ever top that.
Terrible rankings. Bad Company 2 is the best of all Battlefield games I’ve played. I played it so much I got ranked number 52 in the world on PS3 before I stopped playing. It was the first Battlefield game I played, so I can’t come I didn’t anything that came up for it. Battlefield 1 should be #2, Battlefield V is #3, Battlefield 2042 is #4, and Battlefield 4 is #5. People who don’t think Battlefield V and Battlefield 2042 should be near the top, are most likely those who stopped playing them early on because they had so many problems when they first came out. Both of those games are vastly improved and are now they are two of the best games in the franchise. I thought Battlefield 3 was a disappointment. I did not like it at all. I would put it closer to the bottom of the list.
That’s much better ranking, played all of them and that’s exactly how I would rank them. Still playing 1 and 5, not a huge fan of 2042, but still a great game.
What about Battlefield Mobile? I Know it was in it’s Beta test when it was shut down. But, what would you rate it?
Battlefield 2142 is easily one of the best in the series. To rank bf5 or hardline above it is a joke.
Bf4 is king.
2142 is genius.
Why isn’t Battlefield 1943 classed as one of the “main” battlefield games, it’s so fun and people still play it to this day.
Also bad company 2 is probably no 1 for me, it introduced me to the battlefield franchise and it had great dlc, remember the Vietnam dlc that shit was fun.
My top 5.
1: Bad Company 2
2: Battlefield 1
3: Battlefield 3
4: Battlefield 1943
5: Battlefield V
Battlefield 3 campaign was the best story ever… more period…..
I think your ranking was spot on,I have been playing since ’06 and so happy that you chose Battlefield 3,I still try to play Noshahr or Metro at least weekly,Maybe I’ll see you in the canals,Thanx.
People only hate battlefield 2042 when they’re bad at it. I put it number 2 under battlefield 3 tbh. It’s a blast and the maps are great. More action than any of the others
Phew, I was nervous the top 3 would be whack. IMO you nailed the top 3, and in that order. I can’t speak for 2142 but the others seem to fit appropriately.
The fact that he has battlefield 1 as the second best one let’s me know how trash this list it
Bf3 is the best. When will they remaster it
Bf3 is the best shooter game ever made i still play it it was so realistic i still live bf3
BF3 multiplayer was so much fun. I never looked back at CoD again.
I still play BF4 and BF1 on Xbox.
Is nobody realizing Battlefield 2, arguably the game that took the entire Battlefield franchise into the mainstream, isn’t on this list?
My top 5
1. Battlefield 3! Best game ever
2. Battlefield 2
3. BFBC2
4. Battlefield 4
5. Battlefield V
surprisingly, i kinda agree with the rating 🙂 good job
First of all, you have to understand that this top is subjective. I also loved the TITAN mode, but that doesn’t make 2142 better… you remember a game for everything, not for one mode.
I agree with this note. I’m a fan of Bad Company 2 and if it’s in the top 3, that’s enough for me. It’s very true that Battlefield 3 is considered the best because it sets the bar very high. And I think the same thing happened with Battlefield 1. I honestly don’t know what will happen with Battlefield 6, but if you want any ideas, IT SAYS that I should take Battlefield 3 as is and change the graphics engine and that’s it.
BBC 2 and Battlefield 3 are on the top, both games take first place. But if I had to determine I would put the next:
1. Battlefield Bad Company 2,
2. Battlefield 3,
3. Battlefield 2.
Other games are not worth mention.