EA have announced that annualised Formula One Series, F1, will be taking a break from a full retail / digital release for the 2026 cycle.
Rather than having a complete absent year from a series that continues to perform commercially and critically well, the publisher will release a full DLC package for 2026. F1 will then return in 2027 with an all new F1 27.
In a statement published online, the publisher had said the 2026 ‘premium content’ DLC will “bring players closer to the sport’s major changes for 2026 that includes new cars, sporting regulations, teams, and drivers”
Looking forward to F1 27, EA will be spending time creating a new game “that looks, feels, and plays differently, delivering more gameplay choices”. Adding to the announcement, EA said “Working in partnership with F1® and all eleven teams, the2027 F1® game will deliver a refreshed experience that expands on what longtime players have loved from the franchise, whilst simultaneously celebrating the excitement of Formula 1® in new ways, immersing new and existing players in the modern era of the sport.”
It’s a strange decision at face value for EA who have made annualised series their cash cow for generations. But for a publisher who regularly faces backlash about minuscule iterations in their sports titles, this is an amicable move. Though, it remains to be seen what the F1 25 DLC for the 26 season will contain and perhaps more importantly, what it will cost.
If you’re looking for something new in the F1 racing space whilst we wait for the F1 25 premium DLC, be sure to check out Formula Legends, an arcade take on Formula One which we scored highly in our review.
Do you see EA introducing year hiatuses for other annualised juggernauts like FC (FIFA), Madden and now College Football? Come and join the active and friendly Gamer Social Club Discord to chat about all your favourite racing games.
