What Could WWI Weapon Customization Look Like in 'Battlefield 1'? 

Weapon and character customization have always been an important foothold in the Battlefield franchise, allowing players to progress through a series of unlocks and build their character load outs as they see fit. In the two latest releases, this customization has relied heavily on various attachments such as scopes, grips, extended magazines, and more – but with the Battlefield 1 taking us back to World War I, customization may be a little more limited than we’re used to.

While World War I was considered to be the beginning of modern warfare, those on the battlefield didn’t have access to intricate weapon attachments and detailed camouflages for their armament. Most of their rifles were bolt action or semi-automatic, with submachine guns coming into play towards the end of the war. Each of these were typically a mix of steel and wood, limiting their ability for DICE to add detailed customization options in the form of camos or different attachments.

As a result, customization is going to change in a few notable ways. The main change for players is the removal of full weapon customization in favor of pre-set loadouts for each weapon. This time around the development team wanted to give players a way to customize their weapons without overwhelming them with hundreds of additional weapon attachments. Essentially they’ve made the system more focused though the introduction of pre-sets, which allow you to customize your weapons in a way that compliments your play style while also making sure that the different classes remain balanced.

This doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to equip scopes, reticles and more though – with individual weapon customization remaining a key part of the game according to DICE. This time around instead of picking from, lets say 30 different scopes though, you’ll be picking from 10 different weapon sights that can further be adjusted with various zoom levels. You’ll also be able to modify the way your weapon handles, although many details havent been confirmed there. My guess? We’ll be able to swap out the bolts and magazines on our weapons to allow for additional ammunition capacity or a faster firing rate.

As for weapon camos and personalization from a visual standpoint, Battlefield 1 is going to take a different approach in order to remain true to their World War I setting. DICE has yet to reveal any specific details about their new approach outside of confirming weapon skins, but if the pre-order bonuses are any indication, it’s safe to assume that these skins will be related to the legends of World War I such as the [Harlem Hellfighters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/369thInfantry_Regiment(United_States). It looks like these skins will feature inscriptions, mottos and kill-counts etched into the weapons in question, which is a welcome change of pace that stays true to the setting of the game.

Battlefield 1 will be available on October 18 on Xbox One, PS4, and PC.