Will the upcoming Battlefield installment manage to rejuvenate the franchise and reclaim its spot as a top contender in the shooter genre? That’s the burning question, and if you ask EA, they’re certainly hoping for a resounding ‘yes’ to both. The gaming giant is pulling out all the stops to ensure they hit the mark this time around.
However, these high hopes could be dashed by a poor launch, leaving only the hardcore fans who have stuck with Battlefield all these years to appreciate it. As someone who’s been a fan for a long time, I really hope the next Battlefield not only succeeds but also becomes a go-to first-person shooter that I find myself returning to often.
At this point, we know very little about what’s in store for the next Battlefield game. EA hasn’t locked down an official release date, but if you look at the timeline and what’s happening with their various studios, a 2025 release seems like a safe bet.
EA appears keen to emulate the success of Call of Duty: Warzone with this new installment. This means we might see the main game launch towards the end of 2025, with a free-to-play battle royale mode rolling out in early 2026.
There’s word that testing will kick off in early 2025. However, expect this to be a hush-hush affair with strict NDAs, so we may not get the insights we crave. The signs point towards a modern-day setting and a return to the classic class-based system that Battlefield fans know and love.
Of course, this doesn’t automatically guarantee a “good” game, but it does show that EA is focused on what players want, and that aspect has me eager to see and experience the game for myself.
Let’s face it: Battlefield’s core elements—combined arms combat, class-based gameplay, sprawling maps, tactical destruction—are out there in other games. Still, no one else blends them quite like Battlefield does. Even the new Delta Force release serves as a reminder of why replicating this formula is no easy feat, no matter how tempting it might be.
That said, with each Battlefield stumble, the franchise’s unique appeal diminishes. We’ve all seen former Battlefield fans gravitating towards other shooters, and I doubt any of them would say these games fully satisfy their craving. They fill the gap, sure, but none truly stand out as “the next Battlefield.”
