EA Plays GTA 6 Waiting Game with Battlefield 6 Launch Date

It looks like you can add Electronic Arts and the next Battlefield game to the growing list of publishers and video games waiting on Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar Games and their upcoming blockbuster that everyone, from fans to analysts, assume will be industry defining.

In a recent investor call, the gaming giant announced a target release window between April 2025 and March 2026 for Battlefield 6. However, the exact launch date remains fluid, with EA closely monitoring the competition before finalizing the release date. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that EA is most worried about Rockstar Games and Grand Theft Auto 6.

The upcoming Battlefield game represents EA's most significant investment in the franchise to date. In an unprecedented move, four separate studios are collaborating on its development: series veteran DICE, along with Criterion, Motive, and Ripple Effect. The last release in the series was Battlefield 2042 in 2021

EA CEO Andrew Wilson emphasized the scale of this undertaking, stating, "We've invested more in this Battlefield than any Battlefield before. We have four studios. We've had a meaningful amount of time. We're looking for this to be the biggest Battlefield we've ever made."

While specific details about Battlefield 6 remain scarce, early glimpses of gameplay footage have drawn comparisons to the highly regarded Battlefield 3. This aligns with EA's previously stated intention to return to the series' roots, emulating the success of Battlefield 3 and 4.

The extended development timeline and early testing phase could prove beneficial for the game's quality. However, EA's flexibility regarding the release date is understandable if expected. GTA 6 is expected to launch in late 2025. Just like Microsoft, EA is smart to exercise caution. The closer Battlefield 6 is released to GTA 6, the less likely anyone is going to give it the time of the day.

As development continues and more information becomes available, all eyes will be on EA to see if they can deliver a Battlefield experience that not only meets but exceeds fan expectations. With the franchise's future potentially hanging in the balance, the pressure is on to create a game that can stand tall in an increasingly competitive first-person shooter market.

For now though, EA will focus on improving Battlefield 6 and making it as good as it can be so it's in the ideal position to take advantage of it being released as reasonably far apart from GTA 6 as possible.

As for GTA 6, only Rockstar and Take-Two Interactive know their plans. Their understandable secrecy has led to all sorts of speculation, with some fans calling for the complete shutdown of the r/GTA6 subreddit as a way to try and curb all the madness. But while everyone wants to hear more about GTA 6, it appears Rockstar is intent on getting the most out of Grand Theft Auto 5 first, with the incoming release of Grand Theft Auto V: Expanded and Enhanced and, quite possibly GTA+, on PC.

Fun fact: Rockstar and EA have some shared history. Before the creation of the RAGE engine and EA's acquisition of Criterion Games in October 2004, Rockstar used Criterion's RenderWare engine for the 3D Universe Grand Theft Auto titles, including Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.