2025 is shaping up to be an incredible year for triple-A video games. With the anticipated launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 and its exclusive titles, gamers have much to look forward to. But that's just the beginning. Later in the year, we can expect major releases like Borderlands 4, Mafia: The Old Country, and Ghost of Yōtei. Not to mention, Activision is sure to drop a new Call of Duty title around October or November.
However, the crown jewel of 2025's lineup is undoubtedly Grand Theft Auto 6 from Rockstar, slated for a fall release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S. While Take-Two remains committed to this release window, there's always the looming possibility of a delay. This uncertainty, coupled with the onslaught of other major releases, poses a challenge for EA's Battlefield in finding a prime launch slot.
EA has scheduled the next Battlefield for its 2026 fiscal year, meaning a release before April 2026. This timing puts it squarely in the shadow of GTA 6, and potentially other giants like Call of Duty and Borderlands 4. So, how does EA navigate this crowded calendar? According to EA CEO Andrew Wilson, release dates of competing games are a significant consideration.
In a recent financial call, Wilson acknowledged the competitive landscape, stating, "Certainly we exist in a competitive marketplace. I've had the great fortune to be in this company for 25 years and we have done a great job of competing with all of our great franchises over time. That being said, we've invested more in this Battlefield than any Battlefield before. We have four studios. We've had a meaningful amount of time. We're looking for this to be the biggest Battlefield we've ever made. And we of course want to make sure that we launch that into a window where we can deliver on the fullness of the promise of what Battlefield can be and grow the community to a level that is commensurate with the size of the game that we're making."
Wilson also hinted at flexibility, noting, "I do believe that this year might be a nuanced year relative to competition. 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."
99 Details in the GTA 6 Trailer - Slideshow
51 Images
Currently, the new Battlefield is slated for release before April 2026. If we speculate a November 2025 launch (following the release pattern of Battlefield 2042 in November 2021 and Battlefield 5 in November 2018), and GTA 6 also launches around that time, EA might consider delaying Battlefield to the first quarter of 2026, still within its fiscal year.
But what if EA already plans to release Battlefield in Q1 2026, and then Rockstar delays GTA 6 to the same period? EA could potentially move Battlefield forward or, if necessary, push it beyond the fiscal year into 2027. Wilson's comments suggest that EA is prepared to make such strategic decisions.
It's clear why EA, and many other third-party publishers, are anxiously awaiting Rockstar's announcement of the GTA 6 release date. Once that's known—whether it's for this fall as planned or delayed into 2026—the entire industry's release calendar will likely fall into place.
