EA amassing “largest Battlefield team in franchise history” to double down on live-service multiplayer

EA is amassing its “largest Battlefield team in franchise history” to work across “connected multiplayer and single-player experiences.”

Yesterday, EA released its latest financial report, with CEO Andrew Wilson sharing his excitement for the future of the shooter franchise.

“Our teams have listened to the community, have learned valuable lessons, and are driving to the future,” Wilson said. “Motive, armed with cutting-edge Frostbite technology and compelling storytelling, is joining DICE, Criterion, and Ripple Effect to build a Battlefield universe across connected multiplayer and single-player experiences. This is the largest Battlefield team in franchise history.”

He added: “A few weeks ago, I was visiting with the teams and I couldn’t be more excited about what they showed and what we were able to play.”

Last month, Motive general manager Patrick Klaus first revealed news the studio would be working on Battlefield, with Dead Space directors Philippe Ducharme and Roman Campos-Oriola leading the team.

Ducharme and Campos-Oriola’s “proven expertise in storytelling, immersive battles and developing on the Frostbite engine uniquely positions them to help advance the vision for Battlefield,” Klaus said at the time.

Wilson’s comments reiterate the future of Battlefield, adding a “connected” single player mode to its live-service multiplayer. It’s an interesting move when, according to a survey by the Game Developer Collective, 70 percent of developers are concerned about the sustainability of live service games.

Still, there’s a precedent here at EA. As Wilson also shared, Apex Legends has now surpassed $3.4bn in lifetime revenue. “We engaged with the community, increased transparency, and thoughtfully addressed their feedback, and, as a result, saw dramatic improvements in player sentiment scores around the world,” he said, mirroring his comments on Battlefield.

In the future, the company is looking to expand Apex’s appeal and broaden the audience “by building upon the epic characters and storytelling of this world that goes beyond the current Battle Royale.”

The next Apex Legends season, named Upheaval, launched earlier this week.

As for Battlefield, a single-player campaign was previously being worked on by studio Ridgeline Games led by ex-Halo co-creator Marcus Lehto, but the studio was closed in February.

Lehto later commented he didn’t have “anything positive to say about EA”.