It’s been a rough couple of years for the Battlefield franchise, with Battlefield 2042 failing to meet player expectations. On launch, the game was arguably one of the least complete Battlefield games to date, comprising of countless bugs and core design choices that did not resonate with the community. As a result, Battlefield 2042 saw lackluster sales compared to its predecessors and a major restructuring for the franchise as a whole.
Respawn Entertainment’s Vince Zempalla is now head honcho leading the series, with Christian Grass heading Ripple Effect (formerly DICE LA) and Byron Beede becoming the new General Manager of the franchise. Marcus Lehto was also put in charge to be the Creative Director of Seattle-based Ridgeline Games but has since departed on his own accord.
So where does that leave Battlefield now? Well, officially, we don’t know much apart from that there are multiple Battlefield projects in the works, which will all be integrated into the new “Battlefield universe. EA CEO Andrew Wilson has also hinted that the next mainline Battlefield game will not be released until 2025. Insider Gaming understands that the game currently has a tentative target release date of October – putting it in line with past Battlefield releases.
Insider Gaming has also learned that the next Battlefield title is taking somewhat of a “back to its roots approach” with the likes of 64-player matches, the return of its four-class system, and an overhaul to its destruction systems. As for the game’s setting itself, it will be set in the modern day somewhere around 2025 – 2030, with a strong story-driven emphasis on modern technology used in war.
Ripple Effect, the studio that is working on a ‘new experience’ for the Battlefield franchise is working on a new Battle Royale title that’s currently aimed to be free-to-play and follow a similar strategy to the highly successful Call of Duty: Warzone that will see the free-to-play experience tie-in with its premium release. The game is said to be the brainchild of Byron Beede, who had been previously leading live service for Call of Duty. Currently, the game has two different game modes including the classic Battle Royale experience and a mode named ‘Gauntlet’, which will see teams of players compete in objective-based modes with the lowest scoring team being kicked out after each mission.
The news may come as a shock to some, but past Battlefield third-game mode experiences, including Battlefield V’s Battle Royale Firestorm and Battlefield 2042’s Hazard Zone missed huge opportunities with the titles not being free-to-play.
What do you think of Battlefield’s next mainline game having a Battle Royale? Let us know in the comments below.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that a new Twisted Metal Game was canceled.
