'Battlefield 1' helps you make movies on your game console

PC gamers have long had tools to make professional-looking movies. Console players, however, haven't had much luck... it's usually either raw gameplay or nothing. DICE and EA want to give living room directors their shot, though. They're implementing an enhanced spectator mode in Battlefield 1 that's tailor-made for cinematic productions on not just PCs, but also the PS4 and the Xbox One. You now have extensive control over the camera, and it's not just about choosing what to look at or how the camera follows a given unit. You can play with the field of view, depth of field and even an array of visual filters that include Noir and Battlefield 3's signature bluish tones.

This isn't a full-fledged scene creator like Valve's Source Filmmaker, so don't expect to create custom animations, record canned segments or otherwise produce your magnum opus. All the same, this could be an important step in the console world. The developers are recognizing that many people want to watch more than straightforward live streams and "let's play" videos, and that you shouldn't have to buy a brawny gaming PC just to explore your creative potential.