Last year, there were reports that EA was taking a "player first" approach to developing the next Battlefield game. This week, we got a better understanding of what that meant exactly when EA announced Battlefield Labs.
"Battlefield Labs is our most ambitious community collaboration in franchise history, launching as we enter a critical phase in development," EA explained. "We want to build Battlefield with our community."
The developer continued, "So it is a space for play and exploration; an environment where we can test concepts and mechanics with our players before we release them publicly. Our community is at the heart of Battlefield; their feedback is crucial in helping us know what to prioritize, what to improve and what feels like an authentic Battlefield experience."
EA will host the first external test sessions for Battlefield Labs in the coming weeks, and players are already able to sign up. The program is available on PC via the EA App, PlayStation 5 (with a PS Plus subscription), and Xbox Series X|S (with Xbox Game Pass Core required).
While the exact details of the play test weren't revealed, EA explained that it will largely consist of testing concepts and mechanics before public release. "Battlefield Labs will be work-in-progress content, with rough edges, bugs, and crashes," the developer stated.
EA has not formally revealed the new Battlefield game, Colloquially referred to as Battlefield 6. However, in the publisher did give us our first glimpse of gameplay. Toward the end of the Battlefield Labs video (at the 4:42 mark), we see pre-alpha gameplay footage of the new Battlefield game. Although it's just 10 seconds of footage, it contains all of the signature Battlefield elements the franchise is known for: explosive gameplay, destructible environments, and realistic graphics.
In its Q3 FY25 earnings report this week, EA also confirmed that the new Battlefield is expected to be released during the publisher's 2026 fiscal year. This runs from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026. There have been reports that the game could come as soon as October 2025.
EA's flagship first-person shooter, the Battlefield series has struggled of late. Battlefield 2042, released in 2021, is the latest release in the series and was met with mixed reviews from critics and an overwhelmingly negative reception from players. The game was criticized for its technical issues and bugs, lack of features, and changes to the traditional class system. It was EA's worst-reviewed Battlefield game and it failed to meet the sales expectations of the publisher.
Prior to Battlefield 2042 was 2018's Battlefield V, a successor to 2016's Battlefield 1. This game was also criticized for its lack of launch content and generally stale gameplay. It was also considered a commercial disappointment by EA.
After a string of disappointments, EA desperately needs a win with the new Battlefield. That's probably why the publisher is so eager to get player feedback early on.