Electronic Arts (EA) Sports has officially confirmed that there will be no standalone F1 26 video game release in 2026, marking a significant shift in the franchise’s annual release cycle for the first time since 2009. Instead, the company will deliver the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship season through a paid expansion to the recently launched F1 25 game, which serves as a premium content update sold separately from the base title. This expansion is designed to align closely with the sport’s substantial regulatory and technical changes coming in 2026, incorporating new cars, updated sporting regulations, refreshed teams, and the latest drivers to ensure players can experience the evolving Formula One landscape without needing a full new game.
The decision stems from a multi-year strategic investment in the EA Sports F1 franchise, backed by Formula One Management and the F1 teams, amid the series’ growing popularity—over a third of current fans have joined the sport in the last four years alone. F1 25 has already garnered widespread acclaim from players, media, content creators, and even F1 drivers for its authentic representation of the 2025 season, including features like the Braking Point story mode, a revamped My Team career mode where players act as team owners, and cooperative gameplay events tied to real-world F1 themes through ongoing live service content, such as the current Season 4 with new liveries and time-limited challenges. By opting for an expansion rather than a new title, EA aims to extend the excitement from F1 25 while building toward a more ambitious future, with timing and pricing details for the 2026 update to be revealed next year.
Looking ahead, EA Sports plans to launch an all-new, reimagined F1 game in 2027 that promises a deeply authentic and innovative take on the thrill of Formula One, expanding into a broader experience with fresh ways to engage fans worldwide. This next entry is being crafted to immerse both newcomers and longtime players in the modern era of the sport, capitalizing on F1’s global expansion and on-track momentum. Lee Mather, Senior Creative Director at Codemasters (the studio developing the series), emphasized the rationale in a statement: “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. Our multi-year plan extends this year’s excitement with the 2026 expansion and reimagines the F1 experience for 2027 to deliver even more for players at every level around the world.” Additional content like F1 The Movie-inspired chapter scenarios is available as a separate purchase for F1 25, further enhancing its replayability leading into the expansion.
Source: @EASPORTSF1
