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Battlefield 5’s open beta on PC will have a profanity filter, something a DICE producer called unfortunate but necessary.
Jaqub Ajmal, replying to a player over Twitter, said Thursday that a profanity filter was coming to PC; console users will still have to report abusive player behavior to PlayStation Network or Xbox Live.
The player in the conversation had actually asked for the means of muting individual players instead of the entire chat; it’s not clear if that feature is being implemented, but some means of silencing beligerent players will be available on PC.
Totally understand that. We have added a profanity filter in Battlefield V, which will be available in the Open Beta on PC.
— Jaqub Ajmal (@JaqubAjmal) August 30, 2018
Naturally, some dislike the idea, or at least what it implies about the community.
It's sad that supposed adults seemingly cannot handle "evil" words. A profanity filter is dumb, just let us mute specific players instead of filtering everything.
— Impacttrooper (@Impacttrooper) August 31, 2018
And no, Ajmal does not think chat profanity has any equivalence with profane dialogue said by the characters in the game.
Personally I think there is a difference because if in-game characters say it to each other, that is part of the fantasy, like when you watch a movie and they are cursing at each other, While the chat is actually in reality, between players.
— Jaqub Ajmal (@JaqubAjmal) August 31, 2018
Battlefield 5 may have a particular need for this kind of moderation if the run-up to its launch is any indication. After a global reveal in May showed a diverse cast of women and nonwhites among the playable fighters, the usual gang of miscreants complained that the World War II setting was diverging from historical accuracy in the name of political correctness.
DICE and Electronic Arts’ senior leadership wasn’t having any of that; “I think those people who don’t understand it, well, you have two choices: either accept it or don’t buy the game,” said Patrick Soderlund, the EA chief creative officer (who in August announced he would leave the company later this year). “I’m fine with either/or.” Battlefield 5’s subreddit managers also said they weren’t indulging any argumentative “historical accuracy” complaints, either.
The Battlefield 5 open beta begins Sept. 6, Sept. 4 for those who preordered the game or are EA Access or Origin Access subscribers. It runs until Sept. 11. Preloading the client will open at 4 a.m. Sept. 3. The beta will include previews of the Grand Operations, Tides of War and Conquest modes, the latter being Battlefield 5’s take on the popular battle royale genre.
The game’s launch has been delayed into November. It was originally due in mid-October.
