Black Angel Team - Notizie

EA Sports Announces 2026 Expansion for F1 25 and New Game Coming in 2027

A strategic shift for the franchise: no F1 26, but a paid expansion and a completely revamped game in 2027

In a move that has surprised the sim racing community and Formula 1 enthusiasts, Electronic Arts and Codemasters have officially announced that there will be no new F1 game in 2026. Instead, the 2026 Formula One season will come to F1 25 as a paid expansion, with a new game not planned until 2027.

A Strategic Reset for the Franchise

The decision represents a significant paradigm shift from the traditional annual release model that has characterized the F1 series for years. The premium content update will bring players closer to the sport's major changes for 2026, including new cars, sporting regulations, teams, and drivers.

Lee Mather, Senior Creative Director at Codemasters, stated: "F1 25 has been an incredible success, fueled by the passion of fans and the energy of the sport. With Formula 1's momentum on and off the track, now is the perfect time for us to look ahead and build for the future. We're fully committed to the EA Sports F1 franchise".

The Major Changes of the 2026 Season

EA Sports' choice comes at a particularly significant moment for Formula 1. The 2026 season will bring some of the most substantial changes to technical and sporting regulations in recent years:

New technical regulations: Cars will become smaller and slightly lighter, with completely revised hybrid systems and the introduction of more sophisticated active aerodynamic elements. The traditional DRS will be replaced by a push-to-pass system and driver-adjustable aerodynamic configurations.

New teams: Cadillac will make its debut as a brand-new team, bringing the number of cars on the grid to 22 for the first time since 2017. Additionally, Audi will make its entrance into the championship following the acquisition of Sauber.

New circuit: With the Spanish Grand Prix moving from Barcelona-Catalunya to the new Madrid street circuit, the expansion will also need to include this new track.

A Necessary Expansion, Not Just an Update

Unlike the simple roster and livery updates that characterized previous annual games, new car models, revised drivetrains, and completely new aerodynamic systems will require players to purchase the expansion to fully enjoy the 2026 season.

This decision allows Codemasters to focus on two parallel objectives: on one hand, creating a faithful and accurate expansion to represent the revolutionary changes of 2026; on the other, dedicating more time and resources to developing a completely revamped game for 2027.

The Success of F1 25

F1 25 appears to have surpassed EA's sales expectations, after CEO Andrew Wilson told investors it "delivered a 27% year-over-year increase in net bookings" in July. The strong commercial and critical success of the title, with praise from players, media, content creators, and even F1 drivers, has provided the foundation for this long-term strategy.

The game also benefited from the inclusion of content related to the F1 movie featuring Brad Pitt, which helped attract new fans to the franchise.

Towards 2027: A Completely Renewed Experience

The real leap forward will occur in 2027. EA Sports will deliver the next full game in the series, described as "a deeply authentic and innovative representation of the action and thrill of Formula 1, reimagined into a more expansive experience with new ways to play".

According to the official announcement, in 2027, a new game will be released that looks, feels, and plays differently, delivering more gameplay choices. Codemasters is working in partnership with F1 and all eleven teams to create a refreshed experience that expands on what longtime players have loved from the franchise while celebrating the excitement of Formula 1 in new ways.

Some industry experts speculate that the game could move to Unreal Engine, given the extended development time available to the team.

Community Reactions

The sim racing community's reaction has been generally positive. Many players had been asking for years for EA to adopt this model for its sports games, recognizing that annual changes often didn't justify purchasing a completely new title.

However, some have noted the irony of the timing: precisely in the year when Formula 1 will undergo one of the biggest regulatory overhauls in its recent history, EA has chosen not to release a full game. The most plausible explanation is that even the real teams don't yet know exactly how the new cars will behave, making it difficult for Codemasters to create an accurate simulation before seeing real on-track data.

A Precedent with WRC

This isn't the first time EA has adopted this strategy. The 2024 WRC season came to EA Sports WRC 2023 via a paid expansion pack, allowing the base game to evolve continuously. However, that proved to be EA's final involvement with the sport, with the rights returning to previous holders Nacon.

When Will the Expansion and New Game Arrive?

Although EA has not yet announced a precise release date or price for the 2026 expansion, over the last three years, EA has released F1 titles in late May or mid-June. It's therefore reasonable to expect the expansion to follow a similar timeline in 2026.

Regarding the full 2027 game, further details will be revealed later. Meanwhile, with the 2025 calendar approaching a thrilling climax, EA invites players to experience F1 25, available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

Conclusions

This strategic move represents a significant change of direction for EA Sports and Codemasters, offering players a more sustainable model and allowing developers to dedicate more time and resources to meaningful innovations. If the strategy succeeds, we might see a new standard for annual sports games, with expansions covering intermediate seasons and full releases only when there are substantial technical or gameplay changes to introduce.

For now, F1 fans can expect to enjoy F1 25 for two complete seasons, with the 2026 expansion promising to bring all the revolutionary changes of the sport, before the major leap forward planned for 2027.

https://www.ea.com/