EA has announced that the next installment in the iconic *Battlefield* series is slated for release during its fiscal year 2026, spanning from April 2025 to March 2026. This eagerly anticipated game follows the company's third-quarter financial results for the fiscal year ending March 2025.
This week, EA provided the first official glimpse into the new *Battlefield* game, showcasing pre-alpha gameplay as part of an announcement about *Battlefield Labs*—a new initiative designed to involve players in the testing and development process. The brief teaser came with a call to arms for playtesters, indicating EA's commitment to refining the game through player feedback.
"EA unveiled *Battlefield Labs*, a new initiative allowing player-driven testing and innovation ahead of the franchise's expected fiscal year 2026 release," the company stated in its financial report.
Alongside this, EA introduced *Battlefield Studios*, an umbrella branding encompassing four studios dedicated to the development of the new *Battlefield* game. These include DICE in Stockholm, Sweden, focusing on multiplayer; Motive, known for the *Dead Space* remake and *Star Wars: Squadrons*, contributing to both single-player and multiplayer elements; Ripple Effect (formerly DICE LA) in the U.S., aimed at attracting new players; and Criterion in the UK, now shifting from *Need for Speed* to the *Battlefield* single-player campaign.
As the development enters a "critical" phase, EA is eager to gather player feedback to prioritize, improve, and refine the game. *Battlefield Labs* will test core elements like combat and destruction, weapon, vehicle, and gadget balance, and the integration of these in maps, modes, and squad play. Classic modes such as Conquest and Breakthrough, the essence of *Battlefield*'s all-out warfare, will be tested alongside new ideas and enhancements to the class system (Assault, Engineer, Support, and Recon) to foster deeper strategic gameplay.
It's important to note that despite EA's substantial investment in *Battlefield*, the company closed Ridgeline Games last year, a studio that was developing a standalone single-player *Battlefield* game with a narrative focus.
In September, EA shared more details about the upcoming untitled *Battlefield* game, including its first concept art. IGN confirmed the game's return to a modern setting, moving away from the historical and near-future themes of previous entries. The concept art hinted at features like ship-to-ship and helicopter combat, as well as natural disasters like wildfires.
Vince Zampella, Head of Respawn & Group GM for EA Studios Organization, emphasized the importance of returning to the series' roots, referencing the peak of *Battlefield* with *Battlefield 3* and *Battlefield 4*. "And I think we have to get back to the core of what *Battlefield* is and do that amazingly well, and then we'll see where it goes from there," he stated in an interview with IGN.
The next *Battlefield* game marks a significant shift from *Battlefield 2042*, which faced criticism for its Specialists system and large 128-player maps. The upcoming title will revert to 64-player maps and abandon the Specialists concept, aiming to address fan feedback and restore the series' traditional appeal.
With the stakes high after *Battlefield 2042*'s challenges, EA CEO Andrew Wilson has called the new *Battlefield* one of the "most ambitious projects in [EA's] history." The involvement of multiple studios underscores EA's commitment to this major endeavor, encapsulated in the *Battlefield Studios* tagline, "We're all in on *Battlefield*."
Vince Zampella further elaborated on this vision, emphasizing the need to regain the trust of core *Battlefield* players while expanding the universe to offer diverse experiences within the franchise. "We have to have the core. The core *Battlefield* players know what they want... And then it's expanding out and getting more players into the universe," he explained in a 2024 interview with IGN.
As of now, EA has not disclosed the launch platforms or the official title for the new *Battlefield* game.
