Battlefield 1 rent-a-server beta features were introduced in the game’s fall update, and not everyone is thrilled with its early implementation. Especially on PC, it appears EA and DICE have taken measures to favor standardization over customization. Service producer Alexander Hassoon spoke to these concerns in a new forum post.
As those who have rented or played on paid PC servers will know, they’re generally preferred because of how private and tailored they can be. However, with Battlefield 1, all servers, including PC, PS4 and Xbox One, are run through DICE’s official client, which dictates the rules that can be changed. “It was a very tough call to make,” Hassoon admitted, “but we felt it had to be done to offer a consistent experience for all players and allowed us control of the admin options there are.”
To the developers, however, this change does come with certain advantages. When using third-party options, it was somewhat clunky to place item or class restrictions. If one of those rules were violated, players were often kicked off the server without warning. Now that DICE has greater control over the available selections, anything against the admin’s rules simply won’t be there. What’s available is what can be used, so that former confusion is completely removed.
To the hardcore PC gamer who’s used private servers for years, a safeguard like this might seem childish, but it certainly panders to the more mainstream crowds on consoles.
That being said, while rent-a-server in Battlefield 1 will be funneled through official channels, it still allows for a bevy of admin-exclusive features even today. In its current state, owners can select playable maps, modes and server size, as well as smaller details like bullet damage, fog and health regen. As it’s still in beta, Hassoon and his colleagues see the new rent-a-server concept as “a live service that will evolve over time” with more advanced tools and features to come.
Battlefield 1 is available now on PS4, Xbox One and PC. On PC, server rental costs range from $2.99 to $149.99. The range is $1.99 to $99.99 on console. Folks playing today may want to check out the new Hardcore Mode servers and other promotions in store for Battlefest.
How do you feel about Battlefield 1’s new rent-a-server provisions? Are they kind to PC gamers? Tell us in the comments section!
