Battlefield Hardline is one of the most unique entries in the franchise, as it’s not about a war. Instead, it features cops going on drug busts around Miami and L.A. It was released roughly a decade ago by this point, and it was never remastered or ported to modern consoles like the PS5. Since it is backwards compatible, there was seemingly no need for EA to do anything.
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However, EA recently announced that Battlefield Hardline would be delisted on PSN and the Xbox Store on May 22, making it impossible to buy on PS4 or Xbox One. After that, the online services will cease to function on June 22, making it another casualty in a long line of delisted games. Time is ticking for new fans to buy the game or for old fans to play the multiplayer modes. Let’s go through why this matters and what newbies and fans should do going forward.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Buy The Game
Or Get It Through Game Pass ASAP
Right now, Battlefield Hardline is not that expensive on any of the major digital platforms. It regularly goes on sale, which makes sense given that it is over a decade old, having been released in 2015. The normal cost on most platforms where it is available is about $20. The great thing about the Xbox store is that if players have Xbox Game Pass, then they automatically have EA+, which grants them access to a boatload of games to download for free. Battlefield Hardline is one of those games, so if players are looking for the best platform to check it out on without it costing a penny, Xbox Game Pass is it.
Xbox Game Pass is a great way to play a lot of shooters, so this isn't that surprising. This version does not come with any of the DLC for multiplayer, but since that is shutting down on consoles anyway, it would be a waste to invest in it. It even seems silly to buy the DLC with the PC version because even though EA hasn’t said it is shutting it down, that could change at any moment. Now, getting it through EA+ will not secure a digital copy forever, as access to the license can disappear. Fans have to decide if they want to own it digitally or if they just want to play it as a curiosity.
Invest In A Hard Copy Before Prices Skyrocket
Never Know When It Will Come In Handy
If fans played the game in 2015, loved it, but just never purchased it somehow, then there is a better way to continue loving it forever. They should buy a physical copy of the game for PS4 or Xbox One. As part of one of EA’s premier franchises, a lot of copies of Battlefield Hardline were printed, so finding one in the wild should not be that hard. Online on platforms like Amazon, the game is floating around $20, like the digital versions. No matter what, it shouldn’t be that hard or expensive to buy a physical copy, and there are reasons why this is better than digital. Also, since the hard copies will be the only way players can buy the game on the PS4 and Xbox One, physical copies could skyrocket in value.
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While the online multiplayer is shutting down in June, servers cannot bar players from enjoying the single-player game. This is true digitally as well, but stores have removed access to re-downloading the game if it gets delisted in some rare cases. For example, it is not a game specifically, but those who downloaded the demo of P.T. can play it if they have a digital download on their PS4 currently. However, they cannot re-download it from the store. The point is, there is a reason why a lot of video game fans still cling to physical editions and why they get upset when the cartridge or the disc isn’t actually stored fully in the box. Thankfully, Battlefield Hardline is already done, not including patches, but that’s a whole other story.
Play Through The Campaign Using Stealth
Try To Be Non-Lethal
Purchasing aside, let’s get to the meat of this subject: the game itself. As detective Nicholas Mendoza, players will go on missions with their partner to stop various drug busts or militant gangs across areas of Miami and L.A. Instead of most Battlefield games, Battlefield Hardline is not just a first-person shooter that tells players to shoot enemies to “win” the day. They can approach most missions in an open-ended way, at least when it comes to taking criminals down. Players can engage Battlefield Hardline like a stealth game, non-lethally taking down criminals by sneaking up and knocking them out, flashing their badge, and then handcuffing them or tasing them to knock them out.
By incapacitating enemies, players will earn points that will accrue and unlock new gear to equip. In each mission, some high-profile criminals will unlock even more bonuses if players take them down non-lethally at least, and there is a scanner so players can recognize faces from their warrant list. Players can even use bullet casings to lure enemies away from each other to pick them off one by one, and there is a radar system on the map to indicate cones of vision. Battlefield Hardline may not be Splinter Cell or Metal Gear, but it is a decent stealth game, and the non-lethal options, especially in a game about cops, are very much appreciated, and players should try to play it this way at first.
Experience The Campaign Like An 80s Action Cop
Become A Renegade Cop
With all the non-lethal options in Battlefield Hardline, it’s clear the developer, Visceral Games, wanted to encourage players not to be a cop who shot first and asked questions later, like in classic cop films from Bad Boys to Lethal Weapon. That said, once players master the entire game non-lethally, then they should replay missions as if they were a renegade cop in an action film. If players were successful in their takedowns, that means they probably got a lot of cool weapons that they ignored since they were lethal, like rifles and shotguns.
The Battlefield games have great shooting mechanics on par with Call of Duty, so it would be a shame not to put Battlefield Hardline’s guns through their paces.
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The game will also go by much quicker this way since players won’t have to worry about pulling off the perfect takedown. That doesn’t mean the game will be easier, as tending to dozens of angry criminals all blasting bullets will create a more hectic environment. It honestly feels like two games in one, which stealth game fans are used to. Playing Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater as an action game and not a stealth game is a very different experience, just to throw out another example. So, if players do like their time with Battlefield Hardline, then they should play the campaign from every angle that they can.
Play Through Some Multiplayer Modes With Friends
Celebrate Before Things Go Offline
The one thing that will go away forever, no matter what pre-planning players do, is the multiplayer access on consoles. Battlefield Hardline's PC servers will remain live until EA announces a change. While the player count has probably evaporated on consoles at this point over a decade later, a surge could happen because of the delisting announcement any day now. Players essentially have a month to enjoy the game on consoles, so if they rally, they could really give it a send-off.
Without buying any DLC, there are a variety of modes to explore, like the ever-popular Team Deathmatch. Heist is a unique match where thieves try to steal loot while cops try to stop them, while Hotwire features driving and stealing cars, and Rescue involves cops trying to rescue hostages from criminals, and the list goes on. While getting a good online match going without dedicated friends all trying to start something may seem difficult, those who purchased Battlefield Hardline should at least check on the game daily until the console servers close in June. The campaign is the real reason to play Battlefield Hardline, but there are some fun modes to check out online, too.
