EA Reveals First Look at Battlefield: Echelon, a Return to Tactical Modern Warfare

Electronic Arts has officially lifted the curtain on Battlefield: Echelon, the next major installment in its long-running shooter franchise—and from early reports, it’s shaping up to be a return to strategic, modern combat after the divisive reception of Battlefield 2042.

Revealed during today’s EA Play showcase, Battlefield: Echelon is set in the near future, focusing on geopolitical tension and squad-based tactics, rather than the chaos-heavy sandbox that dominated its predecessor. The reveal trailer showed off a gritty urban landscape ravaged by drone warfare, precision strikes, and tense building-to-building engagements. Developed by DICE with support from Ripple Effect Studios, the game promises to refocus on “boots-on-the-ground realism” while keeping the large-scale mayhem fans expect.

In a notable change of direction, EA confirmed that Echelon will feature a full single-player campaign directed by Marcus Lehto, co-creator of Halo and head of Ridgeline Games. The campaign will reportedly center around a multinational special ops unit tasked with unraveling a global conspiracy, marking the franchise’s first narrative-driven experience since Battlefield V.

On the multiplayer front, DICE says it heard the community “loud and clear.” Echelon will shift away from the specialist system—heavily criticized in Battlefield 2042—and return to traditional class roles like Assault, Medic, Engineer, and Recon. Combined with destructible environments powered by an updated Frostbite engine, the multiplayer ambitions aim to rekindle the classic Battlefield feel while modernizing gunplay, movement, and squad coordination mechanics.

Battlefield: Echelon is slated for a Spring 2025 release, with an early alpha test expected later this year. PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S players can sign up for pre-release access starting today.

While EA has been tight-lipped on Battlefield’s future in recent years, Echelon appears to be a bold step toward revitalizing the franchise’s core identity. With renewed focus on tactical realism, grounded storytelling, and beloved legacy systems, Battlefield: Echelon could well be the comeback fans have been waiting for.