Battlefield game director Marcus Lehto leaves EA and Ridgeline Games

Marcus Lehto, celebrated for his foundational role in creating Halo and directing Battlefield, has recently severed ties with Electronic Arts (EA). Lehto, who was at the helm of Ridgeline Games in Seattle, a studio under EA focusing on the Battlefield series, has discreetly removed all references to Battlefield and EA from their online profiles. Additionally, an update on their LinkedIn profile confirms their departure from EA.

This development was first noticed by "Battlefield connoisseur" DANNYonPC and reported by Insider Gaming. Moreover, Ridgeline Games' website currently lists no job vacancies, indicating potential changes within the studio. Furthermore, Ridgeline's co-founder and art director, Chris Matthews, also exited the studio in January 2024, subsequently joining 343, the developers behind Halo, as their studio art director.

While Lehto has yet to make an official statement regarding their departure or future plans, the news has left community members and fans of Battlefield deeply speculative about what lies ahead for the franchise. Lehto had been perceived as a guiding force intended to revitalize the series, especially after the underwhelming reception of Battlefield 2042.

In their coverage of Battlefield 2042 back in 2021, Eurogamer highlighted the game's ambitious yet disoriented nature, marking it as potentially the most conflicted installment in the franchise thus far. However, they also noted the possibility for DICE, the studio behind Battlefield, to turn the tide as it had previously done with Battlefield 4 and Battlefront 2, despite their rocky starts. The article reminisced about the sparks of brilliance in Battlefield 2042 and the innovative, although somewhat raw, new concepts that could signal a brighter future for the game with the right adjustments and care.

EA, for its part, has not yet commented on Lehto's exit. The industry and its observers now await further developments, keenly watching how this shift will influence the trajectory of the Battlefield series and what new horizons await Marcus Lehto.