EA Unveils Battlefield Labs and Battlefield Studios: A New Era for the Franchise

EA has offered the first official glimpse into its upcoming Battlefield game, alongside details about its player testing program, Battlefield Labs, and the newly formed Battlefield Studios. A short pre-alpha gameplay video accompanied the announcement, showcasing early development footage.

The announcement also introduced Battlefield Studios, a collaborative effort uniting four EA studios: DICE (Stockholm), Motive, Ripple Effect, and Criterion. Each studio is contributing specialized expertise:

• DICE (Sweden): Multiplayer development.
• Motive: Single-player missions and multiplayer maps.
• Ripple Effect: Attracting new players to the franchise.
• Criterion: Single-player campaign.

This new Battlefield marks a return to a traditional, linear single-player campaign, a departure from the multiplayer-only focus of Battlefield 2042.

EA emphasized the crucial development phase, seeking player feedback through Battlefield Labs. This program will test various aspects of the game, from core combat and destruction to weapon balance and map design. Participation requires signing a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). Initial testing will be limited to a few thousand players in Europe and North America, expanding to tens of thousands later.

The project represents a significant investment for EA, involving four studios, following the closure of Ridgeline Games last year. The return to a modern setting, after iterations set in World War I, World War II, and the near future, is a deliberate move to recapture the essence of Battlefield 3 and 4, aiming to regain player trust and expand the franchise's appeal. The game will feature 64-player maps and abandon the Specialist system of Battlefield 2042.

EA has yet to announce a release date, platforms, or the official title for the new Battlefield.