EA Planning a 'Connected Battlefield Universe' Spanning Different Games and Studios
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Friday, December 03, 2021
Following the rocky launch of Battlefield 2042 and several updates, EA has revealed plans to create a “connected Battlefield experience”, which will encompass multiple games and development teams. The announcement comes as Battlefield studio DICE undergoes a shift in senior management, as General Manager Oskar Gabrielson confirmed he's leaving the company.
“A winter just like this 13 years ago I stepped into the DICE studio pitching a new way to play Battlefield games. That pitch later become what we know as Battlelog. Little did I know I would spend the next decade with these amazing game creators,” Gabrielson said in a Twitter thread announcing his departure.
“My last decade with the team at @EA_DICE has been nothing short of amazing. There have just been so many great memories working with our teams. But I have now made one of the hardest decisions of my life, to leave DICE and Electronic Arts,” he added. “DICE has some of the best talent in the industry and the team is in great hands. I'll be here to support the transition over the next few months before I head out on my new adventure. I can promise you all there is a lot to look forward to on the Battlefield!”
Wit Gabrielson's departure, Respawn Entertainment's Vince Zampella will become franchise boss for Battlefield, simultaneously fulfilling his current managerial role as Studio Head at the Titanfall and Apex Legends developer. Zampella revealed the plans for Battlefield's “connected universe” in an interview with GameSpot (via Eurogamer).
"This is an 'And' strategy in many ways," Zampella explained. "We will continue to evolve and grow Battlefield 2042, and we'll explore new kinds of experiences and business models along the way that we can add to that foundation to provide an awesome array of experiences for our players. In this universe, the world is interconnected with shared characters and narrative. This universe is also built with our community as we harness the power of Portal and user generated content that puts creativity in the hands of our players."
As well as Battlefield Mobile from developer Industrial Toys, Ripple Effect - the new studio headed up by Halo co-creator Marcus Lehto - will focus upon world-building and narrative components as part of EA's grand plans to expand Battlefield across a “variety of experiences”. With Battlefield 2042 the subject of a fairly underwhelming reception, it seems that EA is looking to double down on the franchise, the plans a first step in what looks to be an expansive endeavour.