In the lead-up to Investor Day on September 17, EA shared the first details about the upcoming Battlefield game, which has yet to receive an official title. According to Vince Zampella, Head of Respawn and General Manager at EA Studios, in an exclusive interview with IGN, the new game will return to a modern setting, reminiscent of the popular Battlefield 3 and 4 entries.

Back to the roots

Zampella emphasized that the game will be a return to the classic Battlefield roots. The decision to return to a modern setting follows the widely criticized Battlefield 2042, which was not particularly well received by fans due to the introduction of specialists and the drastic increase in the number of players to 128 per match. This is reflected in a mixed Metascore of 68, the focus of the new game is on more compact, better designed maps with 64 players and the traditional class system.

The new Battlefield is being developed by four studios: DICE, Motive, Ripple Effect and Criterion. Zampella emphasizes that EA wants to regain the trust of the Battlefield community while also appealing to new players. Despite the problems of Battlefield 2042, the development team has learned a lot and made improvements. With the new game, they want to be successful right from the start.

Release expected in 2025, community program planned

While there is no concrete information on the release date, the aim is to release the game in 2025. EA is planning to launch a community program over the course of next year in order to involve players more closely in the development process. However, it is still unclear whether this will be a closed beta or another form of participation. The Battlefield community reacted to the announcements with cautious optimism. Many players are hoping for a return to the classic elements of the series, such as the traditional server browser and the varied naval combat that made Battlefield 4 so iconic.