EA Boss Willing to Move Battlefield Release Date to Account for 'Nuanced Year Relative to Competition' (*Cough* GTA 6 *Cough*)

2025 is shaping up to be a monumental year for AAA video games. The launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 and its exclusive titles will undoubtedly create a buzz, but the real heavy hitters are slated for later in the year: Borderlands 4, Mafia: The Old Country, Ghost of Tsushima (presumably a sequel, given the title), and the inevitable new Call of Duty title from Activision (likely October/November). However, the undisputed king of the hill is Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto 6, currently scheduled for a Fall 2025 release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

The question remains: will GTA 6 be delayed? Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar's parent company, is currently sticking to the Fall 2025 window, but the uncertainty surrounding this, coupled with the other major titles launching, presents a significant challenge for EA's upcoming Battlefield installment.

EA aims to release the next Battlefield within its 2026 fiscal year (before April 2026). This directly overlaps with the potential release windows of GTA 6, Call of Duty, and Borderlands 4. The impact of competitor release dates on EA's Battlefield launch strategy is substantial.

EA CEO Andrew Wilson acknowledged the competitive landscape in a recent financial call, stating that a delay for Battlefield is a possibility. He emphasized the significant investment in this Battlefield iteration (four studios involved), aiming for it to be the largest and most successful yet. The launch timing needs to ensure the game's potential is fully realized and the community grows accordingly. He admitted that 2025's competitive landscape might necessitate a re-evaluation of their launch timeline, leaving the FY26 window as a target, but not a guarantee.

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Currently, Battlefield is slated for release before April 2026. A November 2025 release (mirroring Battlefield 2042 and Battlefield 5's launch months) would create a direct conflict with a similarly timed GTA 6 release. This might prompt EA to postpone Battlefield to Q1 2026, remaining within its fiscal year. Conversely, a GTA 6 delay to Q1 2026 could lead EA to either advance Battlefield's release or push it into the following fiscal year – a significant decision, but one Wilson suggests EA is prepared to make.

The industry is keenly awaiting Rockstar's official GTA 6 release date announcement. This will be the pivotal event determining the release strategies of many other third-party publishers, including EA. Once the GTA 6 date is confirmed (whether Fall 2025 or a 2026 delay), the subsequent release schedules will likely fall into place.