Ever since the release of Battlefield 5 last year, DICE has been working on a number of gameplay features which weren’t available at launch. Most of these are various gameplay modes; Combined Arms, Firestorm, and so on. However, there are also more specific mechanics or options, such as vehicle cosmetic customisation options. One long-awaited feature was the ability to drag downed allies, but DICE has now announced that this mechanic won’t be added to the game.
DICE Cancels Plans to Add the Ability to Drag Allies to Battlefield 5
DICE made the announcement in a recent update on the game’s official website; “Having discovered that soldier dragging would negatively impact the core gameplay loop,” they explain; “we’ve decided to not add the feature to Battlefield 5. To make soldier dragging look and play well, complex and long animations are necessary. This would make reviving feel slow and unresponsive, which would affect the pacing of Battlefield 5’s gameplay.”
A possible mechanic for dragging downed allies has been something which players have been asking for since launch. DICE have repeatedly included the feature on lists of things which they are working on. However, it seems that after months of deliberation, the studio has decided not to include it. Although this is likely to disappoint some, it sounds as though the feature worked better in theory than in practice.
According to DICE, they still plan on improving the core gameplay in other areas, and they hope that fans will continue to provide useful feedback; “We’ll continue to explore ways to improve Battlefield 5,” states the studio; “but in doing so we have to ensure that the core elements, the essence, if you will, of the game remain unaffected. It’s been great reading the discussions on this subject and your feedback continues to play a part in all our decisions. Please keep that feedback coming, and we’ll keep consuming it.”