EA Says Next Battlefield Is 'Expected' Fiscal Year 2026

Electronic Arts (EA) announced today that the next installment in the Battlefield franchise is slated for release sometime during its fiscal year 2026, spanning April 2025 to March 2026. This announcement accompanied the unveiling of Battlefield Labs, a new player testing initiative designed to gather feedback during the game's development. A brief pre-alpha gameplay glimpse was included in a video showcasing this initiative and its call for playtesters.

EA also introduced Battlefield Studios, a collective of four studios collaborating on the project: DICE (Stockholm), responsible for multiplayer development; Motive, contributing to single-player missions and multiplayer maps; Ripple Effect, focused on attracting new players to the franchise; and Criterion, handling the single-player campaign. These studios are currently in a crucial development phase, actively seeking player input to refine core gameplay elements. Battlefield Labs will facilitate this, testing key aspects such as combat, destruction, weapons, vehicles, gadgets, and maps, including core modes like Conquest and Breakthrough. The initiative will also explore new ideas and improvements to the class system.

This new Battlefield marks a significant investment for EA, involving four studios working concurrently. This contrasts with the closure of Ridgeline Games, a studio previously working on a standalone single-player Battlefield title, in the previous year. The upcoming game will return to a modern setting after exploring World War I, World War II, and near-future settings in previous iterations. Concept art suggests the inclusion of ship-to-ship and helicopter combat, along with natural disaster elements like wildfires.

The decision to return to a modern setting reflects a course correction following the mixed reception of Battlefield 2042. Addressing criticisms of Specialists and large-scale maps, the new game will revert to 64-player maps and eliminate the Specialist system. EA's leadership has emphasized the importance of regaining the trust of core Battlefield fans while also expanding the franchise's appeal to a wider audience. While EA has not yet revealed the platforms or the final title for the upcoming Battlefield game, the extensive development effort and focus on player feedback suggest a significant commitment to delivering a successful title.