The revival of Battlefield: Bad Company 2 underscores the significance of genuine server browsers for video games
In an era where multiplayer games often struggle to maintain their player base beyond a year, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, a game released over a decade ago, continues to captivate its community. This enduring popularity can be attributed to the game's strong PC community, third-party server support, and a fan-created patch known as Project Rome.
Originally, DICE provided players with the unique ability to host their own servers for Battlefield: Bad Company 2, a practice now rare in the first-person shooter (FPS) genre outside of milsims and niche arena shooters. Today, Project Rome unlocks active community servers for Battlefield: Bad Company 2, bypassing EA's shuttered infrastructure.
The PC version of Battlefield: Bad Company 2 remains playable due to this dedicated community and third-party server support. Despite being officially declared dead by its publisher, EA, in 2024, the game continues to offer a quieter, less aggressive brand of Battlefield chaos compared to newer games. With slower movement, fewer explosions, and easier target spotting, it provides a refreshing change of pace.
On the other hand, Battlefield 6, the latest instalment in the series, has centralised server hosting. This design allows EA to moderate Portal creations, track player behaviour, and control progression systems more easily. However, players will not have real ownership over the servers, a point of contention for some.
Battlefield 6's server browser allows anyone to spin up a Portal server for free. Servers created in Battlefield 6's Portal will persist in the browser even when not in use, addressing a problem found in Battlefield 2042's Portal. Yet, EA retains control over these servers, which means they can be shut down at any time, failing the most important test of a server browser.
The return of server browsers in major FPS games like Battlefield is a positive development. However, it should be improved with real server tools, as corporations have failed to be responsible stewards of their games. Project Rome allows players to enjoy Battlefield: Bad Company 2 for longer than EA intended, due to the use of self-hosted servers.
The draw of Battlefield: Bad Company 2 lies in simply playing the game, without the need for additional features or mechanics. The server browser was a significant feature in the FPS genre, offering a more interesting experience compared to modern matchmaking systems. Project Rome allows players to join full Conquest servers running the still gorgeous Arica Harbor map within minutes of installing the patch and creating an account.
In conclusion, the longevity of Battlefield 6 is dependent on the trust placed in EA, due to the lack of player ownership over servers. Meanwhile, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, despite being older, continues to thrive thanks to its dedicated community and Project Rome, offering a refreshing change of pace in the fast-paced world of modern FPS games.
