EA's Next Battlefield Game: A Return to Roots
Electronic Arts (EA) has announced that the next installment in the Battlefield franchise is slated for release sometime between April 2025 and March 2026, falling within their fiscal year 2026. This announcement followed the release of a pre-alpha gameplay video showcasing Battlefield Labs, a new player-testing initiative designed to gather feedback during development.
The development is a collaborative effort by four studios under the "Battlefield Studios" umbrella: DICE (Stockholm), Motive Studios, Ripple Effect, and Criterion Games. Each studio is focusing on specific aspects:
- DICE (Stockholm): Multiplayer development.
- Motive Studios: Single-player missions and multiplayer maps.
- Ripple Effect: Attracting new players to the franchise.
- Criterion Games: Single-player campaign.
EA emphasizes that this collaborative approach marks a crucial development phase, with player feedback playing a vital role in shaping the final product. Battlefield Labs will involve testing core gameplay elements, including combat, destruction, weapons, vehicles, gadgets, maps, modes, and squad play. Conquest and Breakthrough modes are confirmed to be tested, alongside explorations of new ideas and refinements to the class system. Participation in Battlefield Labs requires signing a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).
This ambitious project follows the closure of Ridgeline Games, a studio previously working on a standalone single-player Battlefield title. The new game will return to a modern setting, drawing inspiration from the critically acclaimed Battlefield 3 and 4, abandoning the Specialist system and 128-player maps of Battlefield 2042 in favor of a more focused 64-player experience. Concept art suggests the inclusion of ship-to-ship and helicopter combat, and natural disaster elements such as wildfires.
EA's CEO, Andrew Wilson, has described the project as one of EA's most ambitious endeavors, reflecting the significant investment and collaborative effort involved. The goal is to recapture the trust of core Battlefield fans while expanding the franchise's appeal to a wider audience, offering diverse gameplay experiences within the Battlefield universe. Platform details and the official game title remain unannounced.
