There was a clear difference between Battlefield 1 and both Battlefield 3 and Battlefield 4 in that both the latter have 10 maps during launch while the former had nine. The Giant Shadow was the tenth map of the game and it was only released a couple of weeks after via DLC. Some fans are now quick to point out that this move was a clever marketing strategy from the part of DICE. Here's why.
Battlefield 1: Giant Shadow
Some fans consider the Giant Shadow to be the "weakest map" amongst the rest especially since many deemed that there's a lot of uneven aspect on the field. For example, Point A is closer to B than F is to E. Also, B is closer to both C and D than E is to C and D. This asymmetrical aspect of the map hinders the overall fun and gameplay experience of some players.
What's more, fans also criticize the huge impact of the fog on this map as compared to the other multiplayer maps. One fan even stated that Giant Shadow is the worst map to fly on a plane. But despite all of the feedback, some fans also appreciate the map and even called it one of the top three maps in the game. Albeit the mix reactions about Giant Shadow, most of them think that the map was already finished way back at launch and that its delayed release was a marketing strategy.
Theory: Giant Shadow's Release Is A Marketing Strategy
In the growing thread from the Battlefield 1 subreddit, a lot of fans think that Giant Shadow was already ready way before launch and that it was DICE's strategy to delay its release in order to prevent some players from getting discouraged over the asymmetrical aspects of the game. Moreover, releasing it into a DLC would in turn, create an indomitable hype about it which would turn the tables around to their favor.
Regardless of some imbalances of the map, it's safe to say that DICE definitely made amazing maps for Battlefield 1 and that players are sure to expect exciting new ones for the upcoming DLC, They Shall Not Pass.
