Battlefield’s publisher, EA, has acknowledged that it hasn’t always connected seamlessly with the fans of the FPS series, but the reactions from playtesters regarding the upcoming installment have reportedly been positive.
During EA’s Q4 2025 earnings briefing, CEO Andrew Wilson discussed why Battlefield Labs is “the most extensive playtesting effort in franchise history.” In doing so, he cautiously acknowledged that Battlefield 2042 wasn’t exactly a fan favorite.
“We have consistently collaborated with the community, but we haven’t always engaged as effectively as we could,” Wilson stated during the Q&A segment of the call. “We haven’t necessarily done enough to communicate what we are developing while also understanding the expectations of our players. When we execute correctly, Battlefield emerges as a substantial franchise and often stands out as the leading shooter of the year.”
EA’s strategy to address its lack of connection with the Battlefield community is straightforward: open the next game to the largest playtest in the series’ history and actively respond to the input received. As Wilson mentioned in scripted comments, over 600,000 playtesters from North America and Europe have logged “thousands of hours of gameplay,” with the feedback exceeding expectations.
Due to “this remarkable global interest,” EA is inviting more participants from North America and Europe to join Labs and is also expanding the program to Asia.
Battlefield 6 is being developed across four studios, with long-time developer DICE leading the multiplayer aspect and other vital game systems. Meanwhile, Criterion, known for Need for Speed and Burnout, is halting its racing titles to focus entirely on Battlefield.
While there is no release date available yet, EA has stated that Battlefield 6 is set to release before April 2026.
