EA Sports to Delay Standalone F1 Game Until 2027, Citing Focus on 2026 Tech Regulations

EA Sports has announced a significant shift in its Formula 1 video game strategy: the next standalone installment, F1 26, will not be released. Instead, the 2026 season content, featuring the sport's major new technical regulations, will be available as a paid add-on to the existing F1 25 game. The next full, dedicated F1 game, F1 27, is now slated for release in 2027.

Why it matters:

This decision marks a major departure from the annual release cycle that Codemasters has maintained since 2009. It reflects a strategic move by EA Sports to dedicate more development time to thoroughly integrate the sweeping 2026 technical regulations, aiming for a more immersive and innovative F1 gaming experience in 2027. This could lead to a more polished and feature-rich game, but it also means fans will have to wait longer for a completely new title.

The details:

• No F1 26 Standalone: The traditional yearly release of F1 26 has been canceled.
• 2026 Content as Add-on: The 2026 season, including its significant technical regulation changes, will be delivered as a paid expansion to the F1 25 game.
• F1 27 Release: The next full game in the series is now scheduled for 2027, giving developers two years to work on it.
• Development Goals: EA Sports and Codemasters aim to create 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 for fans around the world" for F1 27.
• Executive Comments: Lee Mather, Senior Creative Director at Codemasters, emphasized the success of F1 25 and the commitment to building for the future, calling it a "multi-year plan" to extend excitement with the 2026 expansion and reimagine the F1 experience for 2027.

The big picture:

Formula 1 is undergoing a significant transformation with the 2026 technical regulations, which will introduce new power unit specifications and chassis designs aimed at promoting closer racing and sustainability. Capturing these radical changes accurately and innovatively within a video game requires substantial development effort. By extending the development cycle, EA Sports appears to be prioritizing quality and depth over the traditional annual release schedule, a strategy that could ultimately benefit the franchise and its players.

What's next:

Fans can anticipate a substantial update for F1 25 in 2026 to incorporate the new season's regulations. The true test of this strategy will come in 2027, with the release of F1 27. The success of this extended development period will depend on whether the resulting game lives up to the promise of delivering a "reimagined" and "expansive experience" that justifies the longer wait and the shift from an annual full game release. This move could set a new precedent for how sports simulation games handle major real-world rule changes.