Battlefield Mobile, the upcoming free-to-play spin-off of Dice’s multiplayer FPS series, could release as early as the end of this year, EA has revealed.
Speaking during the publisher’s latest quarterly earnings call, EA CEO Andrew Wilson was asked about the status of Battlefield Mobile. He said he expects the portable shooter could release later this year if beta tests go according to plan.
"Right now I think we're looking at going into further testing at the end of May, and then, subject to the metrics and the data that we see and the engagement we see, we might look toward the end of this year, the beginning of next year, for a global launch,” Wilson said.
“Remember in mobile, it all really comes down to the tuning and the balancing once we go into that closed beta phase”.
Wilson added that launching the game in the next financial year – that is, before the end of March 2023 – could be a big boon for the publisher. However, the team is keen to not rush the game out the door.
"We want to give ourselves the opportunity to ensure that the game has all the soft launch and closed beta that it needs in order to tune and balance," he said.
“But having played the game, I can tell you we’re excited for the potential.”
Radio silence
It’s been a good while since we’ve heard anything about Battlefield Mobile. The game was officially revealed by series creator Dice back in April 2021, alongside a tentative release date of 2022. Since then, EA has kept quiet about the game’s development and given starkly few updates. While it rolled out a few early playtests, they were only been available in select countries – including Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand.
EA previously described the upcoming spin-off as a “standalone game” that’s been “designed specifically for the mobile platform”. As you might suspect, it’ll be free to play but monetized with its own battle pass, collectible cosmetics, and unlockables. It will also be compatible with both Android and iOS devices
Wilson’s insistence that Battlefield Mobile will need to be rigorously tested before release will be welcome news to series fans. Battlefield 2042 has received a remarkably hostile reception since it dropped late last year, with fans criticizing its persistent technical bugs and dearth of content.
In the same earnings call, EA reiterated its plans to improve Battlefield 2042 over the long term by rethinking its development from the ground up. The team will have to make some major changes if it wants to claw back its disappointed player base.
