Former EA DICE dev claims that 98% of developers working on Battlefield 7 didn’t work on previous series’ installments

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Approximately 98% of the team creating the latest Battlefield game were not involved in the development of any earlier editions within the series.

According to Rizible, who claims to be a former employee of EA DICE, he disclosed that during Electronic Arts’ recent financial presentation for investors, they mentioned their long-term strategies, including Battlefield. He added that the new installment of Battlefield is expected to kick off community testing at the beginning of 2025.

EA headquarters kept at a distance

According to a post by Rizible on BlueSky, this news generated a significant amount of excitement, but fans of the series are hesitant as to whether the developers will actually meet their promises and prioritize the players’ expectations. The information that Rizible provided about EA DICE since its acquisition by Electronic Arts in 2006 has definitely not boosted their confidence.

As per Patrick Soderlund, the previous leader of EA Studios, he advocated for DICE’s needs throughout his 15-year tenure, displaying a bias towards the developer. This was crucial because, according to him, studios under Electronic Arts can thrive only when their management can shield them from interference in creative, technical, and business decisions by the EA headquarters, a situation that Soderlund referred to as being “micromanaged to death.

Rizible contends that the problems experienced by numerous studios bought out by EA, such as Maxis, PopCap, BioWare, and Criterion, are largely due to interference. However, DICE fared better, a situation partially attributed to the triumph of Battlefield series. Yet, even DICE’s success was limited over time.

2 years, 3 Soderlund’s failures

In 2016, there were some shifts in the leadership at EA DICE. Patrick Bach departed from his role as the studio head, with Electronic Arts taking over soon after. This transition occurred around the time of the release of Star Wars: Battlefront, a launch that sparked much debate and didn’t meet the level of success the company anticipated.

Shortly following its release, Mass Effect Andromeda didn’t quite live up to expectations for a definitive triumph. In the words of Rizible, this marked the second misstep in a two-year period for the project overseen by Soderlund.

Simultaneously, EA DICE was immersed in the development of Battlefield 5, and Soderlund played an active role in this project. His ambition was for the fifth edition to replicate the success achieved by the earlier installments of the series set before the war.

As a gamer, I can tell you that Soderlund’s emphasis on almost tangible realism diverted EA DICE’s resources from the essential depth needed to complete Battlefield V. This shift, unfortunately, resulted in the controversial game trailer that players harshly criticized for its lack of authenticity and disregard towards World War 2.

Further events unfolded as follows: BF 5 encountered a prolonged setback, debuted with subpar quality, and ultimately became the least successful installment in the franchise. This misfortune led to Soderlund’s departure from Electronic Arts after his third unsuccessful venture.

EA DICE fell out of favor

Soderlund leaving might seem like a positive development following the controversies surrounding Battlefront 2 and Battlefield 5 – that is, until we recall his bias towards the studio. Consequently, after two games that caused quite a stir, DICE’s budget was reduced, and the DICE L.A. division was rebranded as Ripple Effect Studios under Vince Zampella, who heads Respawn Entertainment.

Additionally, it’s worth noting that his new studio, Embark, reportedly attracted DICE employees (some of whom had grown disgruntled with Soderlund due to Battlefield 5). Furthermore, several veteran Battlefield team members decided to depart as well, bringing in a multitude of former colleagues including artists, designers, programmers, and more.

Following that, the state of the studio remained stagnant. The debut of Battlefield 2042 mirrored the release of BF V and marked the departure of Oskar Gabrielson, who had led EA DICE for just five years. This was essentially a turning point for the studio, and after that, EA managers started to carry out plans they had been mulling over for quite some time: rebranding Battlefield in the mold of the Call of Duty series.

Battlefield (almost) like CoD

Despite players often regarding Battlefield as a competitor to Activision’s series, the gameplay experiences between the two cycles were notably distinct, along with significant differences in sales performance. The recent setbacks faced by DICE and the departure of Sonderlund provided Electronic Arts’ management with an opportunity to make their shooter series more competitive.

The outcome involved entrusting the management of “Battlefield” to Byron Beede, an experienced veteran from the “Call of Duty” series (as reported by IGN), along with the concept of collaborating on this franchise between EA DICE and Ripple Effect studios, as well as a fresh team named Ridgeline, which shares similarities with “CoD” teams like Treyarch, Infinity Ward, and Sledgehammer.

For those who had been with the series for a long time at EA DICE, losing control over the brand proved to be the final decision-making factor, leading them to depart from the studio. Some opted to join forces with old colleagues at Embark Studios, while others established their own venture, TTK Games.

It appears that Electronic Arts (EA) has faced unexpected challenges due to the pandemic and gaming industry turmoil. Ridgeline’s offices remain closed, and its former CEO departed from EA under less than favorable circumstances. Presently, the project is being led by DICE, Ripple Effect Studio, Criterion, and EA Motive. The upcoming game in the series is scheduled for release in October 2025.

Quite an exaggeration?

It’s worth pointing out that just because 98% of developers may not be working at EA DICE specifically doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve all left. Rizible made sure to include those from other studios who are contributing to the development of the new Battlefield game in their statistics.

Indeed, there’s another point to consider: the reliability of this information. David Sirland, the lead developer of Battlefield, who rejoined EA towards the end of 2022, has validated that Rizible’s portrayal isn’t entirely off base “in terms of history,” but may not accurately represent the chain of events. Some online users argue that Sirland overstepped boundaries in his assessment and note that many veterans of the Battlefield series are still employed, either at EA DICE or Ripple Effect Studios.

Corporate people and return to the roots

Despite Rizible’s post on BlueSky leading to animated conversations among followers, some aren’t taken aback by the details and are quite skeptical about the future of the series following BF 2024. Cautious gamers, who still hold hope for the seventh installment, express reservations. This skepticism intensifies in light of the assertion that EA executives were primarily focused on creating games for profit, rather than earning money by producing quality games.

Despite some internet users expressing skepticism towards Rizible, there’s a notable amount of trust in the upcoming game, Battlefield 7. This might be due to their lack of trust in Rizible or their belief that he is committed to revisiting the origins of the Battlefield series in the latest installment. It’s worth noting that Vince Zampella confirmed a while ago the revival of features from Battlefield 3 and 4, such as the class system, which could be seen as a reliable choice.

Some players are also emphasizing the comeback of Sirland, a significant event, as it was anticipated to attract other ex-developers from the Battlefield franchise back into the team. This development instills them with optimism that the upcoming seventh installment will be overseen by individuals who have previously delivered more acclaimed entries in the series, rather than the recent games.

As a passionate gamer, I’ve got to admit that the glimpses we’ve seen so far of the new Battlefield are intriguing, but it’s all just speculation at this point. Electronic Arts has shared some concept art, but the last official update was back in mid-November. The only way to truly know where the next installment in the series is headed is by waiting for the official announcement and gameplay trailer.

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2025-01-21 13:04