Electronic Arts returned to the idea of conquering the mobile market through the shooter genre. The publisher has put up a vacancy for the position of vice president and head of the entire line – the person will report directly to Vince Zampella, who oversees both Respawn Entertainment and the Battlefield franchise.
From the details of the announcement, it becomes clear: the new boss will have to build tactics for expanding the already promoted IP and simultaneously bring fresh projects to portable devices. Moreover, the focus is clearly shifted to the regions of Asia — Japan, China, and Southeast Asia. Mobile games live their hectic lives there, and EA seems determined to grab its piece of the pie.
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The ghosts of closed projects
Battlefield Mobile and Apex Legends Mobile — both EA projects were shut down in 2023. At the same time, they retired the Industrial Toys studio, which was just working on the mobile version of Battlefield. Back then, the company attributed everything to technical problems and an inability to retain an audience. Players were leaving, metrics were falling — a classic of the genre for free-to-play shooters, where the competition is wild.
But now the picture is changing. In August, EA was already looking for a director of player engagement for Battlefield, and there was mention of mobile devices. Then it gave rise to a wave of rumors: they say, the revival of Battlefield Mobile is just around the corner. Now, taking into account the new vacancy, the rumors are becoming flesh and blood.
What does this mean for gamers?
EA is clearly reconsidering its attitude towards smartphones as a platform for AAA franchises. After the failure with Apex and Battlefield, it would be possible to score, but no, the bet on the mobile segment remains. Perhaps the company has made mistakes: the quality should be higher, monetization should be more transparent, and support should be more stable.
Asian markets are key here. Mobile shooters there are not just entertainment, but a whole industry with billions of turnover. PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty Mobile, Free Fire — all these projects are flourishing in Asian countries. EA wants to get into this game, and the Battlefield franchise, with its massive battles and destructibility, can be a trump card.
There are no official announcements yet. But the publisher’s activity speaks for itself: mobile platforms are once again becoming a priority. It’s only a matter of time before EA announces a new project, and gamers in regions previously deprived of beta testing will finally be able to access the legendary IP.
