Battlefield™ 6 News

[p]Hello everyone,
[/p][p]Battlefield Labs is returning! As we resume testing the latest updates and content, we’re focusing on refining and polishing the game for launch using the amazing feedback received during Open Beta (thank you!). This includes new maps, and a first look at the Server Browser. We look forward to hearing your thoughts as well as the feedback from people who test this content as we continue to build Battlefield together, leading up to the October 10 launch.
[/p][p]Battlefield Labs Resumes[/p][p]The end of the Open Beta now provides us with the opportunity to return to Battlefield Labs play sessions. This time around, these sessions may occur at more varied intervals as we target finalizing the launch balance and features of Battlefield 6.

Battlefield Labs is intended as an experimental environment where the latest changes and work-in-progress ideas are tested with players in a closed and private space. The content played here will often be in various stages of production, including items in alpha state, which may result in less polished or stable builds during gameplay. This setup allows us to balance and make adjustments much faster as we shape the future of the game with you. work with the community to shape the future of the game.

Before we dive into some areas that we’ll be focusing on, if you’re interested in shaping the future of Battlefield with us, sign-ups for Battlefield Labs have now resumed.
[/p][p] [/p][p]Portal and Server Browser[/p][p]Some of the most frequent questions from the community have been about Server Browser availability and functionality. In an upcoming Battlefield Labs play session, we will enable an early implementation of this Portal functionality within the Community tab. At this stage, our main goal is to observe how it works in practice, with initial feedback focusing on accessibility and UI clarity.

As with the Custom Search functions seen within the recent Battlefield 6 Open Beta, these features should be treated as work in progress. They are not final, and for now, the scope of the Server Browser is intentionally limited so that we can focus on stability and core usability. [/p][p]Battlefield Labs is a vital part of our collaboration with the community, helping us shape and validate these systems together. These tests will be limited in functionality and use cases, allowing us to focus on feedback and ensure stability before expanding further if necessary.

Players will see only a subset of functionality and Community Experiences. Portal Custom Community Experience building will not be available in this test.
[/p][p][/p][p]Upcoming Battlefield Labs play sessions will focus primarily on hosting, where we will concentrate on the ease of setting up player-owned servers via predefined shortcodes, altering descriptions, selecting tags, and joining those experiences. We are aiming to validate this flow to ensure the scalability and accessibility of the feature.[/p]

• [p]Hosting & Customizing: Players can use the experience library to find a verified Conquest experience using a provided shortcode. Enter the shortcode in the search field to access the mode, then choose to “play” (see a pre-filtered list of active servers) or “host” (set up your own server), where you will be able to alter descriptions, rotations, and tags.
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• [p]Joining & Experiencing: Players can join via the experience library as described, or open the Server Browser from the UI to view all currently running servers. From here, you can select servers, join them, and explore tag filters.[/p]

[p]We’ll also use this opportunity to gather feedback on the tag and filtering systems, to identify areas of improvement in live service.
[/p][p][/p][p]Combined Arms Testing[/p][p]Before the Open Beta, Battlefield Labs play sessions have focused on fundamentals of gameplay, such as movement, gunplay, and destruction, alongside ensuring that server stability is efficient for the Open Beta and beyond.

Open Beta has highlighted feedback around a need to ensure balancing occurs across different-sized environments, and we are now entering a phase of Battlefield Labs where this becomes one of our primary focuses as we continue to collaborate and work on future optimizations for the game. Improvements to weapons, large-scale vehicular combat, gadget balancing, and more are set to take place within Battlefield Labs.

New maps such as Operation Firestorm and Mirak Valley are designed for combined arms combat, and vehicles take center stage. Featuring a diverse range of vehicles, from quad bikes to tanks and aircraft, we aim to validate gameplay balance on these new locations and compare it against previously tested maps.

We’ll also be using Battlefield Labs to determine the official setting for Hardcore mode, and we look forward to working with players to define it.[/p][p]Until then, here’s a sneak peek at Mirak Valley.
[/p][p][/p][p]What's Next?[/p][p]Battlefield Labs will continue to be an essential space for testing new features and balance changes as we continue this journey. Your feedback during these sessions is invaluable and will help guide our final and post-launch adjustments. We’ll share more about what's next for Battlefield Labs and our progress in future updates.

To stay connected, share your feedback, and be part of the conversation, make sure to join our official Battlefield Discord server. Stay tuned for more updates, and thank you for being part of the journey!

//The Battlefield Team[/p][p][/p][p]This announcement may change as we listen to community feedback and continue developing and evolving our Live Service & Content. We will always strive to keep our community as informed as possible.[/p][p]
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The Battlefield 6 beta is officially a Thing That Happened, and now comes the terrible ordeal of Learning From The Experience. Here is what developers DICE, Criterion, Motive and Ripple Effect have learned from the experience: you are all playing the game far too much like Call Of Duty. Goodness me, it's like 2007 never ended.

Doing headshots in midair? That's an updatin'. Doing a parkour while carrying a light machinegun? That's an updatin'. Bunny-hopping with prejudice? You'd best believe that's an updatin'. Never mind that those multiplayer reveal montages emphasised footloose quickdraw almost as much as they incited a murderous contempt for helicopters. It's time to play Battlefield the way Battlefield should be played: lying in a hole praying that one of your team-mates spawns on you before a tank rolls over your head.

Read more

The Battlefield 6 beta is well and truly behind us. By EA’s own admission, it had the most players in Battlefield history, for a beta or otherwise. There’s clearly significant interest in the game, but the beta also garnered a lot of criticism.

Read more

[p]Hello everyone,[/p][p]Thank you to everyone who joined us during the Battlefield 6 Open Beta weekends—your passion and feedback have been invaluable. With tens of thousands connecting on Discord to play together, over 600,000 hours streamed, and over 30 million hours watched, your enthusiasm and participation is what made it great!
[/p][h3]Initial Learnings and In-Game Changes[/h3][p]As we approach the launch of Battlefield 6 on October 10, we’d like to take a moment to look back at the recent Open Beta to share our key learnings and in-game changes we’re making based on your feedback and in-game data.

Weapons[/p][p]We’re making targeted adjustments to deliver a more consistent and rewarding gunplay experience. This includes a general pass on recoil and tap-fire characteristics across all weapons, further emphasizing their unique feel and improving range differentiation. We’ve also made changes to encourage more controlled tap-firing and burst-firing, rewarding precision and weapon mastery. Additionally, the M87A1 shotgun now requires more pellets to secure a kill. We are investigating the Time-to-Kill and Time-to-Death experiences, and we will share an update if definitive changes are made in these areas.

Movement[/p][p]Movement mechanics have been adjusted to create a more balanced and traditional Battlefield experience. Momentum, especially horizontal speed, carried from a slide into a jump has been reduced. There is now a greater penalty for consecutive jumps, which lowers jump height when jumps are spammed. Firing while jumping or sliding will result in increased inaccuracy. These changes are designed to make sliding and jumping more situational, so they are no longer ideal options for engaging in gunfights, and will contribute to a gameplay pace that rewards skillful movement without becoming too fast or unpredictable.

Parachute physics have also been re-tuned, with reduced initial acceleration when opening the parachute for more controlled aerial movement.

Maps[/p][p]We observed some players finding a way to reach rooftops and venture out of bounds. This gameplay is not intended for these maps, and the upcoming ladder for the Assault class is also not designed to access these areas. We’re actively working on adjustments to prevent unintended access and ensure gameplay stays within the intended boundaries.

We also heard strong feedback from players excited by the larger-scale maps that Battlefield has to offer. While the Open Beta featured smaller, more fast-paced maps, larger-scale maps are already part of our launch package, delivering action-packed gameplay and memorable, unique moments for every player. As part of the upcoming Battlefield Labs testing, we’ll be testing two new multiplayer maps: one set in Mirak Valley, the other a remake of the fan-favorite from Battlefield 3, Operation Firestorm. These two maps include the full complement of vehicles, like Liberation Peak, along with a more vast combat space.

Modes[/p][p]When it comes to Rush, the conversation we observed wasn’t just about player count, but also about how maps play, and the tactical experience they offer. Rush is a mode with deep roots, originally known as Gold Rush in Bad Company, where matches typically ranged from 12v12 to 16v16 players. Many of you remember this as the golden era of Rush, and it continues to inspire our approach today.

We’ve experimented with larger player counts over the years, such as 64- and even 128-player versions. While these matches created intense, fast-paced moments, they also led to issues: Overwhelming defenses, stalled frontlines, and too many games ending in the first sector. Rush is especially sensitive to higher player counts due to its tactical and strategic requirements; when a player tries to arm the M-COM while more than 20 opponents are defending, the intended gameplay becomes less tangible. Based on feedback throughout recent titles, we’re lowering the default player count for Rush to improve the flow of combat and restore the tactical, methodical experience that defines the mode.

For those who enjoy large-scale Rush, Portal will allow you to experiment with different player counts at launch.

In contrast, Breakthrough is designed to accommodate higher player counts of up to 64 players, and that’s where the mode really shines. Using win/loss data from the Open Beta, we’re continuing to make map-by-map balance adjustments towards our goal of 50/50 win ratio for both Attackers and Defenders.

The Approach to Player Counts[/p][p]There was some confusion around the number of players in different games so we wanted to take a moment to clarify our current direction for how these get determined. Rather than locking maps and modes to a fixed player count, our philosophy is to adapt to best fit the intended experience. This may vary by map or evolve over time with player feedback.

For example, at launch, some Breakthrough layouts will support 48 players, while others will have 64. It’s the one of many factors we adjust to create the right balance and feel for each scenario. In Breakthrough higher player counts work well on open, dynamic maps, while smaller player-groups offer a more focused experience on denser maps. Portal gives players the flexibility to try different settings and find what works best for their group and playstyle.

Finding the right balance is an ongoing process as everyone gets familiar with map size, lanes, and combat spaces. For now, we’ve found that 8v8 provides a solid starting point for small-scale, fast-paced modes like Team Death Match, Squad Death Match, Domination, and KOTH.

Playlist Options[/p][p]A limited variety of playlist options were created for the Open Beta to both showcase and test the flexibility of the matchmaking system. For more details on our playlist adjustments, see our post about Open Beta Week 2 Playlist Options. Playing with both Open and Closed Weapons will continue to be options in Battlefield 6 and we are looking for ways to keep them easily accessible.

We recognize that some players experienced difficulty finding games to complete the Challenge of capturing sectors in Breakthrough or Rush. It wasn’t ideal and we’re actively using your feedback and in-game data to review and improve the Matchmaking system, with the goal of providing a smoother experience in the future.
[/p][h3]Reflecting on the Open Beta & Next Steps[/h3][p]With the insights gathered during the Open Beta play sessions, we will be introducing in-game adjustments in upcoming Battlefield Labs events. Stay tuned for progress updates and future opportunities to get involved.

Join our official Battlefield Discord server to talk more Battlefield, share feedback, and find squadmates.

Lastly, thanks again for joining the Battlefield 6 Open Beta. Your feedback and participation made it an incredible experience.[/p][p][/p][p]//The Battlefield Team[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]This announcement may change as we listen to community feedback and continue developing and evolving our Live Service & Content. We will always strive to keep our community as informed as possible.[/p]