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- A former EA executive’s LinkedIn profile reveals the Battlefield series was earning over $1 billion in gross annual revenue before BF 2042.
- This success was most prominent during the releases of Battlefield 3, 4, 1, and 5.
- The franchise’s yearly earnings have since dropped to an estimated $420 million.
A LinkedIn post by Lincoln Hershberger, who was Vice President of product marketing at EA, revealed how the Battlefield series became EA’s biggest money-maker. He mentioned that during his time, Battlefield’s yearly earnings jumped from less than $50 million to over $1 billion, making it the company’s highest-grossing franchise.
That number is impressive. EA usually shares financial results for all its games together, but Hershberger’s profile shows how much Battlefield stood out. This is proof of how successful the series was during its peak.
Why it matters: Only a few video game series reach $1 billion yearly, and Battlefield did.
On his LinkedIn profile, Hershberger highlights his success with the Battlefield series: “Scaled the Battlefield franchise from less than $50M to over $1B in annual gross revenue, making it EA’s most profitable intellectual property.”
This shows that during its peak, around the time of Battlefield 3, 4, 1, and 5, the franchise was EA’s money-printing machine.
However, things changed with Battlefield 2042. When it launched in November 2021, the game was riddled with a plethora of bugs and performance issues.
EA later acknowledged that working remotely during COVID and some questionable design decisions affected its release. Changes like removing single‑player campaigns and focusing on specialist abilities didn’t land with long-time fans.
Current estimates suggest the franchise now makes around $420 million per year—a big drop from its $1 billion heyday.
EA isn’t giving up, however. A new modern‑day Battlefield is in development. The company’s financial outlook relies on live-service gains from top brands like FC, Apex Legends, and The Sims.
The new “Battlefield Labs” initiative shows EA is now involving players early in development before release. Battlefield 6 gameplay showcases the most impressive destruction in the franchise’s history. Moreover, developers reassure the game won’t feature any kind of skill-based matchmaking.
This focus on community feedback could help fix past issues and potentially push the franchise’s earnings back toward, or even past, its $1 billion success. Are you looking forward to playing Battlefield 6? Comment below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.
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