A pair of updates from EA has revealed that its Motive Studio, which developed the Dead Space remake, will now be contributing to the Battlefield series, and that Battlefield 2042‘s seventh season of content will be its last.
This is part of a wider plan to build an interconnected universe of Battlefield multiplayer and single-player games. That second detail should excite those who were upset by Battlefield 2042‘s distinct lack of single-player campaign. Considering Motive is best known for its single-player offerings, specifically the aforementioned Dead Space remake and Star Wars: Squadrons, it’s perhaps a perfect choice for developing something single-player for Battlefield.
Between Motive, DICE, Ripple Effect, and Criterion all contributing to Battlefield, though, this all feels eerily similar to how a number of Activision studios primarily serve as support studios on Call of Duty, with little to no freedom to work on their own projects. However, in a blog post by Motive’s general manager Patrick Klaus, it’s explained how Dead Space‘s executive producer Philippe Ducharme and creative director Roman Campos-Oriola are putting together a team within Motive to “work alongside the Battlefield studios around the world creating what’s next for Battlefield—a universe across both multiplayer and single-player experiences.” So, it’s not as if Battlefield is all Motive will be working on.
In fact, Motive is still hard at work on its Iron Man game, which Klaus has said is an “important priority” for the studio, and is progressing smoothly, having hit a major internal milestone earlier this year. Hopefully, this means we’ll see something of it before the end of 2024.
As for Battlefield 2042, a separate blog post by series general manager Byron Beede has confirmed the game will no longer receive new seasons once its current season, Turning Point, wraps up. “As we looked at what the future of the series required, it became clear it was time for us to shift our resources and focus to be fully dedicated to what comes next,” explained Beede, acknowledging this news will be disappointing for regular players. Support won’t entirely end for Battlefield 2042, though. Aside from ongoing maintenance, it’ll still see new challenges, events, and modes.
