Battlefield Labs: Shaping the Future of Battlefield Through Community Collaboration
Battlefield Studios, in partnership with Electronic Arts (EA), has launched Battlefield Labs, a revolutionary player-feedback platform designed to directly involve the community in shaping future Battlefield installments. Announced on February 3, 2025, this initiative marks a significant step towards collaborative game development.
Community at the Heart of Development
The studio recognizes the crucial role of player input in refining the upcoming Battlefield title, stating that it's "entering a critical phase...that will benefit from collaboration with the community like never before." Selected players from European and North American servers will participate in the initial phase of Battlefield Labs. While an official release date remains unannounced, interested individuals can register their interest via a provided link.
Vince Zampella, Head of Respawn & Group GM for EA Studios Organization, emphasizes the importance of this pre-alpha testing phase: "This game has so much potential...now is the time to test the experiences our teams have been building." Battlefield Labs, he explains, empowers the development team to achieve this.
While participation is limited to a select group, Battlefield Studios assures that updates and progress will be shared with the broader community, ensuring everyone can follow the development journey. Future Battlefield titles are also planned to incorporate this collaborative approach.
The Battlefield Studios team comprises DICE (creators of the Battlefield franchise), Ripple Effect, Motive (developers of Star Wars Squadrons and Dead Space), and Criterion (renowned for racing games and contributions to various Battlefield titles).
Testing Core Gameplay Elements
Battlefield Labs will focus on testing key aspects of the unfinished game, allowing for iterative feedback and refinement. The initial testing phases will concentrate on core gameplay pillars:
- Combat and Destruction: Fundamental combat mechanics and the game's signature destruction system will be rigorously tested.
- Weapons, Vehicles, and Gadgets: Balance and feedback on the effectiveness and feel of weaponry, vehicles, and gadgets will be gathered.
- Maps, Modes, and Squad Play: The integration of all elements within maps, game modes, and squad dynamics will be evaluated.
Two established modes, Conquest and Breakthrough, will be included, providing familiar frameworks for testing new ideas and improvements.
Conquest involves large-scale battles centered around capturing control points, with a ticket-based system determining victory. Breakthrough features attackers and defenders vying for sector control, also utilizing a ticket system with additional rewards for successful sector captures.
Refinement of the class system is another key area of focus. While confident in their progress, Battlefield Studios recognizes the invaluable contribution of player feedback in achieving the ideal balance of form, function, and feel.
