After the disastrous launch of Battlefield 2042, in which the game was plagued with both glitches and bugs, as well as a lack of basic elements that fans of the series have grown accustomed to, it seems that EA is planning a restructuring of sorts. According to a new GameSpot report, several studios are being restructured in order to commit to a ‘Connected Universe’ of projects basis within the long-running FPS series.
Most noticeably within this, and perhaps most fitting, Respawn Entertainment Co-Founder CEO Vince Zampella has been tasked with overseeing the entirety of the Battlefield development moving forward following the departure of DICE general manager Oskar Gabrielson. Zampella was previously tasked with overhauling DICE Los Angeles in 2021, a move that ultimately saw the studio be rebranded as Ripple Effect Studios. Ironically, Ripple Effect Studios’ contribution to Battlefield 2042 was the Portal Mode which has been considered the only major highlight for the game thus far.
In that report from GameSpot, Zampella stated:
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 narratives. 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.
Also involved in this restructuring is former Halo designer Marcus Lehto, who is heading a currently unnamed subsidy of EA, based out of Seattle, Washington. They have been tasked with bringing more narrative to the franchise and will work with both DICE and Ripple Effect Studios to set up “storytelling opportunities now and well into the future.” This was according to former Call of Duty boss Byron Beede, who joined EA as the Battlefield general manager earlier this year.
Again talking to GameSpot, Beede had said:
While Lehto and his team in the Seattle area are just getting started on building the Battlefield world of tomorrow, their work will shape later seasons for 2042 and beyond. This new studio will act as the driver for narrative in tight collaboration with DICE and Ripple Effect Studios to help build great player experiences in the Battlefield universe.
Currently, the only confirmed Battlefield game beyond that of Battlefield 2042 is a mobile spin-off that is planned for release in 2042. Battlefield Mobile, as it is known, is being developed by Industrial Toys which is based out of California and is headed by Bungie co-founder Alex Seropian. There are clearly a lot of people with heavy backgrounds in the FPS genre leading the charge when it comes to creating this universe for the Battlefield franchise. Only time will tell if they are able to pull it off.
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