EA has hired the former Call of Duty and Destiny General Manager, Byron Beede, to help grow the Battlefield franchise. According to IGN, Beede will step into the role of Battlefield‘s Senior Vice President and General Manager to develop the franchise beyond the release of the next title.
Beede’s appointment “signals a strategic, long-term commitment to the growth of the franchise” and the main focus of his new job is the future of the franchise over the years ahead. However, he will work with new DICE LA head Vince Zampella to play some part in the launch of the next Battlefield console game and the upcoming mobile title for next year. Beede previously worked on the Call of Duty and Destiny franchises during his 19 years at Activision Blizzard, helping to launch the free-to-play Call of Duty Online and Warzone titles, as well as premium and mobile projects. Beede was key in Call of Duty’s shift to the wildly successful seasonal battle pass model and could indicate the direction that EA hopes to take Battlefield.
The next Battlefield game will be revealed on June 9 and is expected to be released on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. Despite this, the team has promised the game will take full advantage of the newest console. EA claims the game will be of “epic” scale, featuring maps of “never before seen scale.” New modes will give players plenty of “only in Battlefield” moments.
It all sounds like a lot of hype right now with very few actual details. Those we have been told have come from leaks and rumors and their reliability is questionable. A leaked trailer showcased a new island area, a changing weather system, a crash-landing VTOL helicopter, and an exploding rocket, suggesting a near-future setting. Earlier reports suggested the game would feature weapons that aren’t even in general use yet, like military robots and drones, as well as a campaign where players can choose which side they want to help. Battle royale is also expected to return, although whether this will be the rumored free-to-play element of the game remains to be seen.
[Source: IGN]
