The attention around theBattlefieldfranchise has now firmly turned towards the next entry to the series, and DICE is finally taking the first big steps in the post-2042life of the longstanding franchise. A lot of interest has surrounded this next title for quite some time, with many fans seeing it as a make-or-break project for the series. DICE recently outlined some ambitious changes to the development process of the game that could be quite fruitful.
The uncertainty aroundBattlefield’s future largely stems from the high-profile shortcomings of recent titles likeBattlefield 2042and evenBattlefield 5.Many of the IP’s creative decisions have seemingly gone against the grain of what fans expect to see from the series. DICE seems to be very aware of the importance of the nextBattlefieldproject hitting the beats that fans want to see, with the company recently outlining the fan-led Battlefield Labs program. If this new program is implemented well, then Labs could be a massive saving grace for the future of the franchise.
Battlefield Labs Will Hopefully Put the Fans at the Center of the Franchise
The launch ofBattlefield 2042put an infamous dent in the relationship between the series and its fanbase. The initial lack of things like in-game scoreboards, a traditional four class system, and the permanent absence of a single-player experience led to quite a disastrous launch. While2042did well to bolster its gameplay through post-launch seasons, the early damage caused by the title’s release made the next project forBattlefieldvitally important.
Battlefield 2042’s early reception saw the game’s Steam 24-hour peak playercount fall to under 5,000 just a few months after launch, a stark drop from its launch peak of 100,000+.
Some skepticism around the nextBattlefieldwas lifted with the reports that it is being bolstered bythe most comprehensive play-testing phase that anyBFrelease has ever seen, with DICE also affirming how the game is aiming to recapture the gameplay of classic fan-favorites likeBattlefield 3and4. This positive sentiment has only been compounded by the announcement of BattlefieldLabs on February 3.
The Formation of Battlefield Studios Bodes Well For Labs' Success
The announcement of Battlefield Labs came alongside the official reveal of Battlefield Studios, a new coalition of EA studios that includes DICE, Ripple Effect, Motive, and Criterion. This gives a much more holistic understanding of the game tothe development team of the nextBattlefield. The increased capabilities of Battlefield Studios will hopefully be to dissect and implement the fan-generated feedback from Battlefield Labs in the best possible way.
Solid connections between massive franchises and their communities is a growing rarity in the AAA FPS industry, andBattlefieldbuilding and maintaining a direct path of influence with its audience could be a fantastic way tocompete with other franchises likeCall of Duty. If the feedback from Labs is used consistently throughout the life cycle of this upcoming game, then EA could eliminate one of the largest points of criticism that existed in2024, with this ambitious level of playtesting hopefully reaping huge rewards for the franchise and its fanbase.
