Battlefield Mobile, the newest addition to the Battlefield franchise, has begun open beta testing in multiple regions. This is the first open beta for Battlefield Mobile, but there has been closed beta testing before this.
Electronic Arts first confirmed that Battlefield Mobile in April 2021, with a release date set for 2022. However, this open beta session is not a worldwide rollout. This is the first foray into the mobile market for the Battlefield franchise, and it has been confirmed that Battlefield Mobile will not be a mobile port, but instead an entirely new game created specifically for play on mobile devices and tablets.
As of right now open beta testing is live in select regions only. The current live regions are the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. According to the FAQ on the Battlefield website, though, new regions will be eligible for open beta participation as time goes on. Pre-registration is also available for some regions on the Google Play Store page for Battlefield Mobile. These open beta tests follow previous Battlefield Mobile testing sessions in Fall of 2021, which also opened first in the Philippines and Indonesia.
Electronics Arts breaking into the mobile game market with Battlefield Mobile is no surprise, especially considering that Call of Duty Mobile has been quite successful, and the Call of Duty franchise is generally considered to be the biggest rival for the Battlefield franchise. Releasing open beta tests in Southeast Asian countries first is an interesting move, but it makes a lot of sense—mobile gaming is incredibly popular in that region, so this is a prime demographic for Battlefield Mobile to engage with.
While Battlefield 2024 has not been nearly as popular with fans as earlier entries in the series, Battlefield Mobile could be a good way for the franchise to regain goodwill with the playerbase. Leaked Battlefield Mobile gameplay footage confirmed that the classic map Grand Bazaar will be returning, and that the game will have the traditional Battlefield class and loadout system. Sticking to the basics could get fans of the franchise to get on board with this new entry.
Of course, there are going to be some players that prefer to stick to console or PC for their Battlefield experience. Overall though, this game has a lot of potential to engage new and old players, as well as tapping into the significant Southeast Asian mobile market.
Battlefield Mobile is currently in development for mobile devices.