EA Announces Next Battlefield Game Set for Fiscal Year 2026

The highly anticipated next installment in the *Battlefield* series is set to launch within EA’s fiscal year 2026, spanning from April 2025 to March 2026. EA confirmed this timeline during their financial results report for the third quarter of the fiscal year ending March 2025. Alongside this announcement, EA provided a first official glimpse of the game through pre-alpha gameplay footage, showcased as part of the introduction to *Battlefield Labs*, a new player-driven testing initiative aimed at enhancing the game's development.

EA has introduced *Battlefield Studios*, an umbrella brand encompassing four studios dedicated to the new *Battlefield* game. These studios include DICE in Stockholm, focusing on multiplayer aspects; Motive, handling single-player missions and multiplayer maps; Ripple Effect, tasked with attracting new players; and Criterion, which is developing the single-player campaign. This collective effort marks a "critical" phase in the game's development, with EA actively seeking player feedback through *Battlefield Labs* to refine core gameplay elements such as combat, destruction, weapons, vehicles, gadgets, maps, modes, and squad play. Participants in these tests will be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).

The game aims to return to its roots with a modern setting, a move that echoes the success of *Battlefield 3* and *Battlefield 4*. This decision follows the mixed reception of *Battlefield 2042*, which faced criticism for its Specialists feature and 128-player maps. The upcoming game will revert to 64-player maps and exclude Specialists, aiming to recapture the essence of what made the franchise popular.

EA’s commitment to the new *Battlefield* is underscored by the involvement of multiple studios and the emphasis on player feedback through *Battlefield Labs*. The game is set to explore new gameplay mechanics while staying true to its core elements, such as the class system and modes like Conquest and Breakthrough. Concept art released previously hints at features like ship-to-ship and helicopter combat, as well as natural disasters like wildfires.

Despite the closure of Ridgeline Games, which was developing a standalone single-player *Battlefield* game, EA remains "all in on Battlefield," as emphasized by the *Battlefield Studios* tagline. Vince Zampella, head of Respawn and Group GM for EA Studios, has expressed a desire to return to the "pinnacle of Battlefield-ness" seen in *Battlefield 3* and *Battlefield 4*, while also expanding the universe to retain and attract players. EA CEO Andrew Wilson has described the project as one of the "most ambitious" in the company's history, reflecting the significant investment and high expectations for the next *Battlefield* game.

As of now, EA has not announced the specific launch platforms or the final title for the new *Battlefield* game. Fans and newcomers alike can look forward to more details as the development progresses towards its fiscal year 2026 release.