Battlefield was, arguably, the best war game out there.
For years, it was one of the games that set the standard for shooters.
Although, somewhere along the way, things went off the rails.
Battlefield V launched with technical issues and felt unfinished, and then Battlefield 2042 changed too much.
The class system was gone, the new Specialist system didn’t work, and the massive 128-player battles felt messy instead of exciting.
So, naturally, fans who once loved the series felt like Battlefield had lost what made it special.
EA and DICE have one last shot to fix things with Battlefield 6.
And they can either bring back the game fans love or risk losing the franchise for good.
Will they turn things around, or is it already too late?
Key Takeaways
- Battlefield 6 is bringing back the old Battlefield style with classic classes, 64-player matches, and gameplay like Battlefield 3 and 4, moving away from the changes that made Battlefield 2042 unpopular.
- Four major studios are developing Battlefield 6 – DICE is leading multiplayer, EA Motive is handling single-player, Criterion Games is assisting both teams, and Ripple Effect Studios is working on a rumored standalone battle royale mode.
- The game is expected to launch in October 2025, with early testing starting in 2025, though some reports say it might be delayed until 2026.
Back to What Made Battlefield Great
The biggest change coming to the next Battlefield game is a return to the classic Battlefield formula.
Vince Zampella, who now oversees the franchise, said in a September 2024 interview with IGN that the new game will return to the style of Battlefield 3 and Battlefield 4—two of the most beloved entries in the series.
That means no more Specialists—thankfully, the traditional class system is back.
The chaotic 128-player battles from Battlefield 2042 are being scaled back to 64 players, practically reversing the actions that drove fans away last time.
Battlefield 2042 tried to be something new, but it lost sight of what made Battlefield fun.
Now, with a bit of luck, EA will follow through and give the fans exactly what they want.
Four Studios, One Goal
EA has hired four different studios to help with development to ensure that Battlefield 6 doesn’t repeat past mistakes.
- DICE, the studio that created Battlefield, is in charge of multiplayer.
- EA Motive, the team behind the Dead Space Remake, is working on the single-player campaign.
- Criterion Games, best known for Need for Speed, assists with multiplayer and single-player.
- Ripple Effect Studios is working on a separate Battlefield experience, rumored to be a standalone battle royale mode similar to Call of Duty: Warzone.
In the past, DICE handled almost everything alone.
Now, EA is bringing in extra help, which suggests they’re serious about getting it right.
However, with so many studios involved, the challenge will be keeping everything on the same page.
Fans Will Get to Play Early in 2025
One of EA’s smartest moves this time around is getting players involved early.
In early 2025, EA is launching a community-driven testing program, a large-scale playtest during which fans will get hands-on time with the game.
Vince Zampella and Battlefield GM Byron Beede have confirmed this, saying the goal is to gather real player feedback before launch.
But don’t get too excited—this first phase will be invite-only and under a strict NDA (non-disclosure agreement).
That means only a select group of fans and content creators will be invited, and they won’t be allowed to discuss it.
But this is still a good sign.
Battlefield 2042 was rushed out the door, and it showed.
This time, EA wants to make sure the game actually works before releasing it.
If the testing goes well, fans could get an open beta later in 2025.
When Will Battlefield 6 Be Released?
At this moment in time, we don’t have an official release date from EA, but reports suggest that the new Battlefield game is targeting October 2025.
This timeline first came from Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson, who reported in February 2024 that EA was aiming for a fall 2025 launch.
Later, Vince Zampella mentioned that EA is already playtesting the game every week, and Byron Beede confirmed that internal playtesting has been happening daily for over a year.
However, not everyone agrees.
An alleged former DICE developer named Rizible posted on social media, warning that fans should “temper their expectations.”
According to them, 98% of the original DICE team who worked on previous Battlefield games has left EA, and the new team operates under a completely different philosophy.
Rizible even claimed that Battlefield 6 might not be released until 2026, though EA has not confirmed this.
So, while October 2025 is still the best guess, delays are always possible.
EA has a history of pushing Battlefield games out before they’re ready, but with the extra studios involved, maybe this time will be different.
No Hope for a Battlefield Hardline Sequel
While most of the focus is on Battlefield 6, some fans got bad news recently: Battlefield Hardline will never get a sequel.
In an interview with VideoGamer’s Lewis White, Thaddeus Sasser, the multiplayer design lead for Hardline, confirmed that EA has no plans to continue the series.
Hardline, which focused on police vs. criminals instead of military combat, was controversial in 2015.
Many players felt it didn’t belong in the Battlefield franchise.
Looking back, Sasser admitted that he wished Battlefield’s name had been removed from the title because it hurt the game’s reception.
Even though some fans now look back on Hardline with nostalgia, it’s officially dead.
Could Battlefield 7 Be Open-World?
Even though Battlefield 6 isn’t even out yet, rumors about Battlefield 7 have already started.
A recent EA job listing hinted that the next game might feature open-world elements.
A Tech4Gamers forum member named cindiestarlight first spotted the listing, which mentioned “experience with open-world design” as a preferred skill, and it sparked a debate among fans.
Some players compared it to Planetside, a game known for massive, ongoing battles.
One Reddit user, poklane, was excited about the idea, saying, “I honestly would love a Battlefield game with maps on that scale and matches which basically go on forever. Wonder how they’d handle destruction tho.”
Others, however, are far more skeptical.
DeeOhEf, another Reddit user, didn’t hold back, saying, “There’s so little reason to have faith in this current iteration of DICE. They should just dial back and show they can still make a BF3/4 scale game before trying bigger. 2042 is still mediocre and 128 players didn’t add much, to the game, in fact, I’d argue it made it worse.”
It’s just speculation right now, but if EA is considering an open-world Battlefield, it would be a huge shift for the series.
Will the Next Battlefield Game Be the Comeback We’ve Been Waiting For?
Battlefield 6 is EA’s last real chance to save the franchise.
Fans have been burned before, and they won’t give the series another shot if this one fails.
But there’s reason to be hopeful.
The return to classic gameplay, the involvement of multiple studios, and the early community playtesting all suggest that EA is serious about getting it right this time.
That said, there are still concerns.
Will EA try to turn Battlefield into another live-service cash grab?
Could the rumored 2025 release date slip into 2026?
If EA truly listens to the community and avoids the mistakes of the past, Battlefield 6 could bring the franchise back to life.
If not, it might be the end of Battlefield as we know it.
What do you think?
Is Battlefield 6 going to be a return to greatness, or is it already doomed?
