EA has confirmed that Battlefield 6 will be getting an alpha sometime this year, and that it'll be coming sooner than previous titles. EA made the announcement via a blog post that outlined the status of the highly anticipated shooter, noting that it's shaping up to be something truly incredible.
Battlefield 6 has a lot riding on it, as EA is investing a lot of time and resources into the title. The game will unite a handful of EA's top developers, all of whom are contributing different things, such as a potential battle royale. It's also set to be one of the most ambitious titles in the series to date with a reported player count of 128 players and a high level of dynamic destruction. After Battlefield V was met with underwhelming sales and reception, it's likely EA decided to go all-in on this new title to ensure the series doesn't begin to develop a faltering reputation and get left behind. It seems EA will even be going out of its way to try and showcase these big, ambitious changes to the public sooner rather than later in an effort to right some wrongs.
EA Chief Studios Officer Laura Miele wrote in a blog post today (via ComicBook.com), detailing the fact that Criterion would be delaying its new Need for Speed title in order to help give Battlefield 6 the support it needs. Miele also noted that the game will be getting an alpha, seemingly very soon. “The project is tracking towards the franchise’s earliest Alpha, the gameplay is at an unprecedented scale, and we are taking full advantage of the technology in the next-gen consoles,” Miele said. “The team has done an incredible job despite the challenges of working from home. We want to build on our position of strength, focus on the opportunity in front of us, and set our game makers up for success to deliver the best experience possible to our players this fall.”
The exec went on to note that a rough cut of the Battlefield 6 trailer has already been finished and seen internally. At this rate, it's entirely possible the game could be revealed as soon as April. “We have an exceptional year ahead with our next Battlefield, so we thank everyone for coming together with the energy and determination to do something special,” Miele went on to say. “We’ve recently seen the first version of the reveal trailer for Battlefield and it’s shaping up to be a truly amazing first look at this groundbreaking game. I think fans are going to love it!”
Battlefield 6 has already been confirmed for a spring reveal and a holiday 2021 release, so it's entirely possible that the alpha will come shortly after the reveal. When Battlefield: Hardline had its E3 showing, EA put up a beta on PS4 and PC to give players instant access to the game. It's entirely possible EA may pull a similar move for Battlefield 6 and debut the alpha following the game's initial reveal. If the studio is aiming to have the "earliest alpha" for the series, it would have to come before June as that's when Hardline had its first playable build to fans.
Sources: EA (via ComicBook.com)