EA Unveils Battlefield Labs and Battlefield Studios: A Return to Core Gameplay
EA has offered a first look at its upcoming Battlefield game, alongside details about its development structure and player testing initiative, Battlefield Labs. The brief pre-alpha gameplay footage was revealed in a video announcing the program, which seeks player feedback to shape the game's development.
The announcement also introduced Battlefield Studios, a collective of four studios working on the title: DICE (Stockholm), Motive, Ripple Effect, and Criterion. Each studio is contributing to specific aspects of the game:
- DICE (Sweden): Multiplayer development.
- Motive: Single-player missions and multiplayer maps.
- Ripple Effect: Attracting new players to the franchise.
- Criterion: Single-player campaign.
This new Battlefield marks a return to a traditional, linear single-player campaign, a departure from the multiplayer-only Battlefield 2042. EA emphasizes that Battlefield Labs is a crucial phase, aiming to gather feedback on core gameplay elements, including combat, destruction, weapons, vehicles, and class systems (Assault, Engineer, Support, and Recon). Conquest and Breakthrough modes are also being tested. Participants will need to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).
This ambitious project follows the closure of Ridgeline Games, a studio previously working on a standalone single-player Battlefield title. The new game returns to a modern setting, incorporating elements suggested by previous concept art, such as ship-to-ship and helicopter combat, and natural disasters. The development team aims to recapture the essence of Battlefield 3 and 4, addressing criticisms of Battlefield 2042, such as the Specialist system and large-scale maps. The new game will feature 64-player maps and traditional classes, discarding the Specialist system.
EA has yet to announce a release date, platforms, or the official title for the new Battlefield. The significant investment and the involvement of multiple studios highlight EA's commitment to revitalizing the franchise and regaining player trust.
