Battlefield is a legendary first-person shooter franchise that has had a tough time of it in the last couple of years. It has struggled with lacklustre releases and a dwindling player base, but there’s still so much potential wrapped up in that series. In this list, we’re breaking down all Battlefield games, ranking them from worst to best and getting our thoughts on paper – there’s a lot left that this franchise can do, and that’s all there is to it.
If you’re a lifelong Battlefield fan or you’ve only played one or two games, you’ll find this list handy. It’s a mixture of personal ranking and feedback from the community at large, and in the interest of efficiency, it features all the main Battlefield games in the series thus far.
Excited? Me too – this is all Battlefield games, ranked from worst to best.
All Battlefield Games, Ranked
If you think our organisation of all the Battlefield games is a little off, then 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 really 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 really 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.
Related: Battlefield 2042 Season Six Breakdown
8. Battlefield V
Battlefield V has a bad rap, but it wasn’t a terrible title. In fact, 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 actually boasted some highly enjoyable combat sequences and a 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 absolutely 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 grand 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.
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.
