Marcus Lehto’s new studio is working on some Battlefield
Electronic Arts is officially revealing its newest studio. Ridgeline Games is the Seattle-based studio led by Marcus Lehto, and it’s working on a project set in the Battlefield universe.
Lehto’s move to Electronic Arts was announced almost a year ago, in October. Today, we have confirmation of both the studio’s name and its first project. Ridgeline Games is working on a narrative campaign, set in the Battlefield universe.
“It is a great honor to have the opportunity to collaborate with DICE and Ripple Effect and lead the charge on expanding the narrative, storytelling and character development opportunities in the Battlefield series,” said Lehto in a press release.
The Battlefield universe
In a new blog, Battlefield general manager Byron Beede confirms that longtime DICE developer Lars Gustavsson is leaving the studio. Gustavsson was the creative director on the Battlefield series.
“As we build for the future of Battlefield, we must remember to thank those who got us here,” said Beede. “Creative Director Lars Gustavsson, who has been with the franchise since the beginning and is affectionately known as Mr. Battlefield, has decided he is ready for a new adventure. We would like to thank him for his invaluable experience, expertise, and friendship for all these years.”
Meanwhile, Beede says the vision for the future is “all-in” on Battlefield. Last December, EA locked in Respawn co-founder Vince Zampella as the one overseeing the Battlefield franchise. Now, this plan for a connected Battlefield universe looks to cover many different studios.
And there’s a lot of Battlefield on the way, too. A Battlefield Mobile is on the way from Industrial Toys. DICE is continuing to work on the multiplayer side of Battlefield, while Ripple Effect is working on an “entirely new Battlefield experience that will complement and build upon” the foundation of the series. Now, Ridgeline also joins the lineup of EA studios working on Battlefield projects.
