EA Combines Forces: The Revival of Battlefield Under One Unified Studio Banner

The “future of Battlefield” is being directed by the aptly named Battlefield Studios. EA’s original lineup for its flagship shooter includes 4 developers—newcomer DICE, Dumb Home’s Motive, the creators of Burnout, Criterion, and Ripple Effect—that aim to “bring a bold and authentic new vision for the series to life.”

Previously, EA hinted at a more collaborative future for Battlefield following the mixed reception of Battlefield 2042, and today’s announcement arrives with another original initiative: Battlefield Labs. Similar to the Xbox Insiders program, players can explore to “test concepts and experiences we’re excited about,” stated the studio. “We want our community to play a significant role in the future of Battlefield, and this is an opportunity for many of you to do just that.”

The Labs’ initial rollout will focus on core gameplay pillars such as combat and destruction, then shift to balance and feedback regarding weapons and vehicles. Prominent multiplayer modes like Conquest and Breakthrough will also be incorporated, and the Labs could potentially be used to “explore new ideas and refine and enhance Battlefield fundamentals like our class system.”

“Players will experience, under NDA, various aspects of an incomplete puzzle so we have time to incorporate your feedback into the final product,” continued Battlefield Studios. They emphasized that not every element of the upcoming game may appear within the Labs, and everything is a work-in-progress as the development cycle has entered a “critical phase.”

Game development is a Battlefield

Following Battlefield 2042, EA opted to draw inspiration from the Call of Duty franchise by involving several studios to work on the series. Criterion has previously contributed to developments in 2042, Battlefield 1, and Battlefield V. Ripple Effect, formerly DICE LA, also assists with several of these titles.

Motive established a Battlefield-focused team in 2024, just weeks after EA had closed down Ridgeline Games. Ridgeline was co-founded by Halo veteran Marcus Lehto in 2021 and was tasked with developing a narrative campaign for the next installment.

At the time of writing, Motive’s Iron Man project is still in development. Regarding Criterion, Battlefield head Vince Zampella informed Eurogamer that the studio was focused entirely on the shooter—indicating that the Need for Speed franchise is currently on hold.

“With a deeper understanding of what our players seek in a Need for Speed experience, we intend to bring the franchise back in fresh and exciting ways,” stated Zampella.

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