Following the establishment of Ridgeline Studios, new development studio helmed by Halo series co-creator Marcus Lehto, Battlefield general manager Byron Beede released a new update. Proclaiming the various Battlefield studios to be “all-in” on the franchise, he revealed that “new experiences” were in pre-production. One of those comes from Ripple Effect Studios, which was previously announced to be working on a “new experience” in the Battlefield 2042 universe.
Beede has since noted that this “entirely new” Battlefield experience will “complement and build upon the series’ foundations.” What this means is currently unknown.
Lehto and his team will be “leading the charge to develop a narrative campaign set in the Battlefield universe that will engage fans in new and exciting ways while remaining true to the classic elements of the series.” It wasn’t confirmed if this was a new game or part of Battlefield 2042’s future content. There will be a “variety of experiences” to expand on the latter’s universe which will appear in “later seasons,” but what this means is also unknown.
DICE will continue focusing on multiplayer, which includes support for Battlefield 2042. However, Beede announced that creative director Lars Gustavsson would be leaving Electronic Arts for a “new adventure.” Known as “Mr Battlefield,” Gustavsson has been with DICE since 2000 and worked on Battlefield 1942, the first game in the series.
“Lars has dedicated a substantial portion of his life to Battlefield and is proud to have helped shape the franchise into what it is today. He is excited to pass the baton to the next generation of Battlefield creators at DICE, Ripple Effect, Industrial Toys, and Ridgeline Games.”
The next Battlefield is rumored for 2024 release and could be a hero shooter. As for Battlefield 2042, it’s in the middle of Season 2: Master of Arms, with two more still to go. Though rumored to have “skeleton crew” while DICE prepares for the next sequel, general manager Rebecka Coutaz said the studio had “no time” for other projects.
Of course, rumors before this indicated that a “large portion” of DICE was working on the next entry which is seemingly in pre-production. As always, stay tuned for official news and updates.