Battlefield to Announce Details of Upcoming Community Testing Program

On February 3, Electronic Arts is set to reveal details about a new Battlefield community testing program. Fans eagerly await this initiative, which is set to provide some lucky players an exclusive opportunity to experience the next game in the Battlefield series, currently referred to by fans as Battlefield 6.

Electronic Arts’ iconic FPS series has faced some challenges in recent years. Battlefield 2042 launched in 2021, riddled with technical issues, and its predecessor, Battlefield 5, wasn’t much better off when it released three years prior.

To prevent a repeat of these issues, EA has laid out plans for a community testing program, something they’ve been hinting at since September 2024. More information about this initiative is slated for release on Monday, February 3, at 8 am PDT / 5 pm CET. The aim of this extensive playtest is to gather substantial user feedback, allowing developers to pinpoint and address significant issues before the game officially hits shelves.

As of September 2024, Vince Zampella, the EA Executive Vice President overseeing the Battlefield franchise, noted that DICE has been internally testing the upcoming series entry for about a year. This project, casually dubbed Battlefield 6 by fans, involves at least three development teams. DICE is heading the multiplayer component, EA Motive, known for the Dead Space remake, handles the single-player campaign, and Criterion Games, famed for their work on the Need for Speed series, lends their expertise as a support studio.

The forthcoming Battlefield 6 playtest potentially signals the game’s final development phase. However, its 2025 release is anything but set in stone. While it’s shaping up to be the longest-developed mainline Battlefield game, this extended development period aligns with the industry’s trend towards lengthier AAA game production cycles. With EA’s habit of launching Battlefield titles around the holidays, the new game could follow this pattern, possibly hitting the market in late 2025 or perhaps in Q4 2026.

Fans can expect a flood of Battlefield 6 updates post-playtest, as developers sift through player feedback to gauge how much polished work remains. Historically, previous Battlefield games have been announced around late spring or early summer, suggesting that might be when EA officially unveils the game, particularly if they’re aiming for an autumn release.