Today Electronic Arts released a short in-engine clip of the next Battlefield, which might or might not be called Battlefield 5.

There have been rumors indicating that the game could be set in World War I, and the clip might represent an initial hint in that direction.

The reason isn't easy to spot because the eye is naturally drawn to the character's face, but there's another visible element, the collar of whatever that character is wearing.

The simple, near shapeless design, the raised position of the collar and the lack of rank insignia definitely makes it look like a trench overcoat (probably from the US or British army, given the color) of the kind worn during World War I.

You can see an example at the bottom of the post, courtesy of paddelaters.com.

Similar overcoats were also used during World War II, but this kind of look is definitely more iconic of World War I, that was fought mainly in trenches where the cold and humidity forced soldiers to wear this kind of overcoat for a large percentage of the year in order to keep relatively warm.

On the other hand, it definitely doesn't look like anything worn in contemporary warfare, and even less in any common imagery of futuristic conflict.

I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be the only one ready to welcome a Battlefield shooter set in the trenches of World War I, where brutal hand to hand combat and terrifying charges were made even more grim by the constant threat of snipers.

It certainly would be different, as the conflict that raged in Europe between 1914 and 1918 has been majorly ignored by AAA game developers. Of course, it'd be interesting to see how it would be implemented.

Realistic trench warfare certainly isn't easy to portray in gameplay considering how linear and monotonous it actually was, made of straight charges towards the enemy lines alternating with long and tedious waiting for the next one.

Could EA DICE really pull it off? We'll know more tomorrow.