EA Unveils Battlefield Labs: First Official Gameplay Revealed

EA has unveiled the first official glimpse of the upcoming Battlefield game, highlighting its development progress and inviting players to participate in testing through a new initiative called Battlefield Labs. This brief pre-alpha gameplay reveal is part of a broader announcement about the game's development and the call for playtesters.

EA also introduced Battlefield Studios, an umbrella term for the four studios collaborating on the new title. These include DICE in Stockholm, Sweden, focusing on multiplayer development; Motive, known for the Dead Space remake and Star Wars: Squadrons, handling single-player missions and multiplayer maps; Ripple Effect, formerly DICE LA, tasked with attracting new players to the franchise; and Criterion, previously involved with Need For Speed, now working on the single-player campaign.

The new Battlefield game marks a return to a traditional single-player linear campaign, a departure from the multiplayer-only approach of Battlefield 2042. EA emphasized that the development teams are entering a critical phase and are eager to incorporate player feedback to refine the game before its release. Battlefield Labs will facilitate this by testing various aspects of the game, though not all features will be fully developed. Participants will need to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to join the testing.

EA expressed pride in the game's current state, even in pre-alpha, and highlighted the importance of player feedback in enhancing the game's core elements such as combat, destruction, weapons, vehicles, gadgets, maps, modes, and squad play. The testing will also cover classic modes like Conquest and Breakthrough, as well as explore new ideas and refine the class system to enhance strategic gameplay.

Initial testing will be limited to a few thousand participants in Europe and North America, with plans to expand to tens of thousands across more regions. This comes after EA's decision to shut down Ridgeline Games, which was developing a standalone single-player Battlefield game.

In September, EA shared more details and concept art, confirming the game's return to a modern setting following previous entries set in World War I, World War II, and the near future. The concept art hinted at ship-to-ship and helicopter combat, as well as natural disasters like wildfires. Vince Zampella, Head of Respawn & Group GM for EA Studios Organization, emphasized the importance of returning to the core elements that defined the series during the Battlefield 3 and 4 era, which he considers the pinnacle of the franchise.

The new game aims to correct the course after the mixed reception of Battlefield 2042, which faced criticism for its Specialists and large 128-player maps. The upcoming title will revert to 64-player maps and eliminate the Specialists feature. With significant investment and multiple studios involved, EA CEO Andrew Wilson described it as one of the company's most ambitious projects. Zampella reiterated the commitment to expanding the Battlefield universe while regaining the trust of core players and attracting new ones.

EA has not yet announced a release date, launch platforms, or a final title for the new Battlefield game.