Electronic Arts is shaking up its development structure as it looks to expand the Battlefield series to a “connected universe,” according to a GameSpot report Thursday.
Among the reported moves, Respawn Entertainment co-founder and head, as well as team leader for DICE LA, Vince Zampella, will now oversee the Battlefield franchise. Additionally, Halo designer Marcus Lehto is building a new Seattle-based development team focused on storytelling for the Battlefield universe. Ripple Effect — the developer of Battlefield Portal — is said to be developing a new player experience set in the Battlefield 2042 universe. Meanwhile, DICE GM Oskar Gabrielson has announced that he is leaving EA at the turn of the new year to pursue an endeavor elsewhere. Replacing Gabrielson will be Rebecka Coutaz, the former studio director at Ubisoft Annecy.
Our vision for Battlefield starts with our commitment to 2042 and grows beyond that into a new future. Hear more about our road ahead with Vince Zampella and others in a new interview.https://t.co/ZdKqQOMVuz
— Battlefield (@Battlefield) December 2, 2021
According to the GameSpot report, in addition to improving upon the well-criticized buggy launch of Battlefield 2042, EA and Zampella are gearing up for the franchise series to have its own connected universe that seemingly spans multiple games and offerings developed by multiple studios both in North America and Europe.
“This is an ‘And’ strategy in many ways,” Zampella told GameSpot. “We will continue to evolve and grow Battlefield 2042, and we’ll explore new kinds of experiences and business models along the way that we can add to that foundation to provide an awesome array of experiences for our players. In this universe, the world is interconnected with shared characters and narrative. This universe is also built with our community as we harness the power of Portal and user-generated content that puts creativity in the hands of our players.”
GameSpot also confirmed that the new position for Zampella, well-known for working on hit titles such as Call of Duty, Medal of Honor and Apex Legends, should not affect his existing responsibilities with Respawn’s projects.
“He creates culture-defining entertainment that resonates beyond games,” EA COO Laura Miele told GameSpot. “We are bringing one of the most influential and talented individuals in entertainment to a franchise that is ready to be unleashed into the modern era of gaming. It’s an extraordinary inflection point in game history. His ability to lead studios and bring developers together so they can create world-class experiences is unmatched. I believe the structure, process, and vision he brings will enable Battlefield to excel like never before. No one knows shooters and live services better than Vince.”
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