EA on Women in Battlefield V: Haters Can Either "Accept it or Don't Buy the Game"

The backlash against the appearance of women soldiers in Battlefield V's preview materials is "not okay," EA's chief creative officer Patrick Soderlund told Gamasutra in an interview at E3 2018. Sonderlund added anyone who's disturbed by the women's presence is welcome not to buy the game.

Women characters are playing a large role in promoting Battlefield V, and one even decorates the game's box art. There's been some backlash on social media about EA caving to "political correctness" at the expense of "historical accuracy" in a franchise makes it possible for four of your friends to pile on a single horse and blast through the First World War with a flamethrower.

"Battlefield V is a lot about the unseen, the untold, the unplayed," Sonderlund said to Gamasutra. "The common perception is that there were no women in World War II. There were a ton of women who both fought in World War II and partook in the war."

Women indeed fought in the Second World War, and Soviet women were particularly active in combat. But outside of commentary about historical accuracy or inaccuracy, Sonderlund is just disappointed to see a pushback against the inclusion of women combatants in Battlefield V.

"[My 13-year-old daughter] plays Fortnite, and says, 'I can be a girl in Fortnite. Why are people so upset about this?' She looked at me and she couldn't understand it," Sonderlund said. "And I'm like, ok, as a parent, how the hell am I gonna respond to this, and I just said, 'You know what? You're right. This is not okay.'"

"[T]oday gaming is gender-diverse, like it hasn't been before. There are a lot of female people who want to play, and male players who want to play as a badass [woman]," Sonderlund continued. "We stand up for the cause, because I think those people who don't understand it, well, you have two choices: either accept it or don't buy the game. I'm fine with either or. It's just not ok."

Regardless of how you feel about ladies in combat, our Battlefield V guide has everything you need to know about the game. Battlefield V comes out on October 19 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.