EA has recently unveiled Battlefield Labs, a collaborative project within the gaming community aimed at gathering direct feedback to influence the development of the next installment in the Battlefield series. This initiative involves a consortium of studios including Criterion, DICE, Ripple Effect, and Motive Studios, collectively known as Battlefield Studios.
The announcement trailer also offered a brief glimpse of the upcoming Battlefield game.
Testing for Battlefield Labs is set to commence in the upcoming weeks, with sign-ups now open at battlefield.com/labs. Initial tests will be exclusive to invitees and will utilize players and servers in Europe and North America, with plans to expand in subsequent phases. Participation in the testing requires signing a non-disclosure agreement, ensuring that details remain confidential until EA is prepared to disclose more information about the game.
DICE will take primary responsibility for the game engine and multiplayer aspects, while Criterion will focus on the single-player experience, returning to the franchise after skipping Battlefield 2042. Motive will contribute to multiplayer maps and single-player content, and Ripple Effect is tasked with creating an immersive experience to attract new players, as stated by Senior Producer Ryan McArthur.
The collaboration among these studios under the Battlefield Studios banner is intriguing, given their history of working together on various projects. Criterion has been involved in developing vehicular content for Star Wars Battlefront II and the Firestorm battle royale mode for Battlefield V. Motive’s previous work includes crafting the single-player campaign for Battlefront II, while Ripple Effect, formerly DICE LA, played a significant role in developing Battlefield Portal for Battlefield 2042, which integrated classic Battlefield elements into the new engine. The specific contribution of Ripple Effect to the next Battlefield remains undisclosed, but it is anticipated to appeal to a wider audience.
Finally, the announcement video concludes with a preview of actual gameplay from the upcoming Battlefield installment, showcasing a modern Middle Eastern map with combined forces engaging in intense battles. The focus is on dynamic map destruction, culminating in a spectacular building facade being demolished by an RPG. Fans are left wondering if the beloved full building destruction feature from Bad Company 2 will make a return.
