It's now official, we have the first images of the next Battlefield, the first details and you might be able to play it in preview to discover a taste of what awaits you and give feedback directly to the developers. Last night, EA lifted the veil on its next game by presenting the first gameplay sequences and announcing its Battlefield Labs community program.
Battlefield Labs: the community at the heart of development
Electronic Arts did not lie last September when it announced its new Battlefield. The goal is to listen to players, more than ever and to return to the sources, by taking inspiration from cult games like Battlefield 3 and Battlefield 4. In November 2024, Vince Zampella, the director of Respawn Entertainment, confirmed that this new opus was simply the most ambitious episode of the saga.
No fewer than four studios were actively working on the project, including DICE, Criterion Games, EA Motive and Ripple Effect. Zampella also confirmed the return of 64-player multiplayer and fully destructible MAPS. For its part, Insider-Gaming informed us that Electronic Arts was carrying out internally the largest testing sessions ever carried out on a Battlefield game with a record amount of data collected. All this was promising, but it remained promises and it was not really possible to see the scale of the project.
But with the first presentation, there is reason to be reassured and to see that indeed, it is getting closer to the Battlefield of the good old days. We thus learn that at the development level:
- The DICE studio is at the head of the multiplayer systems
- The EA Motive studio is working on the multiplayer maps and the solo
- The Criterion Games studio is mainly working on the solo campaign
- The Ripple Effect studio is in charge of a "new Battlefield experience" that is part of the DNA of the franchise
The first presentation video gives us a glimpse of a muscular confrontation, highlighting the destruction of buildings. We also discover the return of the urban battlefield, with infantry troops and a tank. Basically, a real Battlefield chaos as we like them.
This first video, which shows us non-final images of the game, currently in development, is an opportunity for EA to present its Battlefield Labs program, a community program that will allow players and fans to test the game in preview to provide feedback and allow the developers to optimize the game and make it as perfect as possible for the community.
Register now. If you’re one of the lucky players selected, you’ll play directly with the developers to provide direct feedback to help build “the best Battlefield possible”.
Official Battlefield Labs description from Electronic Arts:
“Battlefield Labs is where we play with you the concepts and experiences we love. Because we want the community to play a key role in the future of Battlefield, this is an opportunity for many of you to participate in the development process.
We’ll test (almost) everything, but what you see won’t be final. To ensure your feedback impacts the experience, you will be introduced to pieces of an unfinished puzzle under a non-disclosure agreement. This will give us time to incorporate your feedback into the final product.
We are proud of the game we have now, even in pre-alpha. We are testing it out, but your feedback will inform development as we strive to achieve the perfect balance between form, function, and feel.
This is an unprecedented initiative in the history of Battlefield. We will first test the fundamental elements of the game, such as combat and destruction. Next, we’ll move on to balancing weapons, vehicles, and gadgets, and finally, we’ll focus on maps, modes, and squad play.
Of course, we’ll be testing Conquest and Breakthrough, which are at the heart of our total warfare experience, but BF Labs will also be the perfect environment to explore new ideas and improve the foundations of Battlefield, such as the class system (Assault, Engineer, Support, and Reconnaissance), in order to develop an even more strategic game.”
To sign up for the program, go to the Official Battlefield Discord. Registration is open for Europe and America, but be aware that places are limited to a few thousand and that long waiting lists are already in place. You will have to pray to your lucky stars, but you never know!
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