"Battlefield 2042" has been officially announced and information is slowly starting to trickle in. One such piece of information, confirmed on EA's Battlefield Briefing page, is that the latest installment in the franchise will employ AI bots for the first time.

These computer-controlled combatants will fill empty spaces in online lobbies, allowing one side to fill all multiplayer matches rather than having a numerical advantage. This is a very welcome addition to the series, as there is nothing more frustrating than joining a team that is blocked by an empty player slot.

It has also been announced that players will be able to "play alone against AI soldiers." Presumably, this means that on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, you will be able to set up full 64 vs. 64 matches composed entirely of bots (players on previous generation consoles will have to put up with 32 vs. 32). This would be especially useful for players who want to hone their skills before playing against real human opponents.

It makes sense that Battlefield 2042 would introduce this feature. It has been announced that the game will be multiplayer-only, with no traditional single-player campaign. Therefore, an active player base will be essential to the game's long-term success. These bots will be able to make up for the shortfall during off-peak hours, and no match will feel empty.

While the introduction of bots to fill matches and the ability to play solo against bots is welcome, this feature will not make up for the lack of a traditional single-player campaign in "Battlefield 2042."

The series is a bit uneven when it comes to crafting an engaging solo mode. But even the worst "Battlefield" single-player campaigns have enough fun moments to make them worth at least one playthrough; to stop playing the traditional campaign altogether in a game that costs $70/£70 feels like a cheap move.

It is hard to imagine anyone buying "Battlefield 2042" at full price just to play against AI bots. Therefore, the ability to play a full match against an AI bot is just a novelty that only new players who want to get up to speed before jumping online will use.

The decision to remove single player seems particularly poignant given that the series' biggest competitor, Call of Duty, traditionally offers three different modes: single player campaign, online multiplayer, and co-op/zombies While the 2021 entry is still unannounced, it is rumored to be a sequel to 2017's Call of Duty WWII, and we'd be willing to bet that it will feature a more diverse core mode than Battlefield 2042.

Still, "Battlefield 2042" looks like a great game, and overall there are definitely more advantages than reasons to be skeptical. That said, while the inclusion of AI bots is definitely a step forward for the series, it's a shame that it's simultaneously a major step backwards when it comes to a proper single-player mode.