EA Delays Battlefield Release to Avoid GTA 6 Competition

2025 is shaping up to be an epic year for gamers with a lineup of triple-A titles that promise to redefine the gaming landscape. From the much-anticipated launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 and its exclusive titles to heavy hitters like *Borderlands 4*, *Mafia: The Old Country*, and *Ghost of Yōtei*, the year is packed with excitement. Of course, we can't forget the annual tradition of a new *Call of Duty* game from Activision, expected in October or November.

However, the crown jewel of 2025 is undoubtedly *Grand Theft Auto 6* from Rockstar Games, slated for a fall release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S. Despite rumors of potential delays, Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar's parent company, remains committed to the fall 2025 window. The looming presence of GTA 6, along with other major releases, poses a significant challenge for EA's next *Battlefield* game, which is targeted for release within EA's 2026 fiscal year, ending in April 2026.

EA CEO Andrew Wilson acknowledged the competitive landscape in a recent financial call, hinting at the possibility of delaying *Battlefield* if necessary. "Certainly, we exist in a competitive marketplace," Wilson stated. He emphasized the substantial investment in the new *Battlefield* title, involving four studios and a significant development time, aiming to make it the biggest *Battlefield* game yet. Wilson also mentioned the importance of choosing the right launch window to maximize the game's potential and grow its community.

"I do believe that this year might be a nuanced year relative to competition," Wilson added. "There may be some things happening in the year that may cause us to think differently about our launch timing. We have an FY 26 launch window that the team is targeting. We believe the game will be great and ready at that time, but if we got close to that timeframe and believed that this wasn't going to be a great window for us, then we would take a look at what an alternate window might be that would give us the appropriate time, energy, and player acquisition opportunity for this *Battlefield* to be all that it needed to be."

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Assuming a November 2025 release for the new *Battlefield* (following the pattern of previous releases like *Battlefield 2042* in November 2021 and *Battlefield 5* in November 2018), the timing could clash with *GTA 6*. In such a scenario, EA might consider shifting *Battlefield* to the first quarter of 2026, still fitting within its fiscal year.

However, if EA already plans a Q1 2026 launch for *Battlefield* and Rockstar delays *GTA 6* to the same period, EA faces a critical decision. They could potentially move *Battlefield* forward or, conversely, delay it out of the fiscal year and into 2027. Wilson's comments suggest that EA is prepared to make such strategic adjustments.

The gaming industry is eagerly awaiting Rockstar's official announcement of the *GTA 6* release date. Once that's clear, whether it's for fall 2025 as planned or delayed into 2026, the rest of the release calendar will likely fall into place, allowing other publishers like EA to finalize their own schedules.