After Battlefield 6, publisher Andrew Wilson seems eager to push the series toward more frequent releases. But could this strategy revitalize the franchise or risk burning it out?

Historically, the Battlefield franchise has always had longer release gaps compared to many other big names in the FPS genre, and in recent years the gaps have been even more pronounced. Looking back, the series was extremely active in the late 2000s and early 2010s, but since then releases have slowed. The gap between Battlefield 5 and Battlefield 2042 was three years, while the wait for Battlefield 6 stretched to four — the longest break since the franchise debuted in 2002.

Industry analyst Michael Pachter recently claimed in a video that EA wants Battlefield to become an annual series, much like Call of Duty. According to Pachter, he spoke with managing director Byron Beede, who said the goal is for three different studios to work on the franchise in rotating three-year cycles, allowing for yearly releases. Still, Beede admitted that it takes five to six years for two games to be developed consecutively, so this transition will take time.

On paper, the idea of annual Battlefield entries sounds promising, especially with multiple studios collaborating. But in practice, such strategies often lead to franchise fatigue. Many game series have tried the same approach, only to face diminishing enthusiasm from players. While it doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t work for Battlefield, the risk of oversaturation is real.

That said, fans are excited to see the series back in the spotlight. The open beta for Battlefield 6 gave players a strong sense of what to expect, and apart from some complaints about map size, the reception has been largely positive — especially compared to the rocky launch of Battlefield 2042 four years ago.

Earlier this year, an ex-DICE developer suggested on Bluesky that new Battlefield games would launch annually, though at the time he said the next release wouldn’t arrive until 2026. That prediction has already been disproven.

Source: GameRant, Bsky