Maybe the love letter to Battlefield vets coming from DICE LA might be the private servers you are wishing for.
Look I started a rumour lol
I really hope so!
Limited sprint, no magic ammo clips, squad-leader-only spawning, ability to set player and map sizes independently (since after Bf2, DICE have crammed too many players in their 64-player map sizes, which also removes possibility for strategic playing, as everything is constantly changing and nothing can be held onto), and Commander assets that can be targeted to take-away Commander abilities... it would be AMAZING if DICE provide all of that in 2042. For the first time since Bf2, Battlefield might not feel like a casual game series.
With Battlefield 3, DICE liked to boast 'Play it your way!', but they never delivered on those words. They made Bf so that it could only be played the lowest-common-denominator way, because there wasn't the room in maps, the map layouts, or game rules and mechanics to afford for more the more advanced and structured style of gameplay that Bf2 had. By reducing individual limitations, management, and responsibility, they greatly lowered the ceiling for the total greatness and satisfaction a match could achieve.
I am not saying that DICE needs to or should cater to one group or the other. DICE should provide (and should have been providing all along) the server options so that people can actually 'play it their way'. DICE should live up to those words. As of yet, they haven't.
