Battlefield hasn’t seen better days since the disappointing launches of Battlefield V and Battlefield 2042, two back-to-back, polarizing entries that also changed the core design philosophy of its hallmark multiplayer offerings by following current trends. In 2021, EA handed the keys to Vince Zampella, CEO of Respawn Entertainment and Ripple Effect. In February 2025, Battlefield Studios, which comprises many previous support studios alongside DICE and Ripple Effect, is not only working on the next entry but also aiming to deliver a polished product at launch. By opening the Battlefield Labs environment, a few eager players were allowed to QA and test a constantly updating build.
The wait wouldn’t take long, as Battlefield 6 was officially announced on July 22. Information released from the multiplayer event suggested a return to form without chasing modern shooter trends; this sounded too good to be true, as Battlefield 2042 had also made such lofty promises in the past. However, after playing hours of the Open Beta for the first weekend, I found Battlefield 6 to be nothing short of fun. There are some downsides for PC Players, but this could be the return to form that Battlefield has needed for a decade.
Chaos in the Heart of the Battlefield
Conquest is the hallmark mode for any Battlefield game, as it provides large-scale battles with 64 players. Each map has an affixed point that needs three or more captured points to reduce the other team’s reinforcements. Alongside that, the open beta featured the return of Breakthrough, a mix of Conquest and Rush. This mode pits the opposing force’s advances against the defenders, aiming to protect the point, with each captured point opening a new section of the map. The open beta featured shorter modes like Domination and King of the Hill. These shorter modes are to break the pace and have something far more fast-paced. During the second weekend, Squad Deathmatch and Rush were enabled.
Within these game modes, the chaos that is Battlefield 6‘s core gameplay loop manifests. While shooting isn’t to write home about, it’s the number of boots on the ground that strengthens the chaos. It gives a layer of unpredictability; a team can dominate another, and sometimes a tank can decimate many squads without a way to deal with it. Adapting to the combat zone is the true heart of a Battlefield game, as sometimes your best bet is finding a class that works best, while other times it’s best to use a class for the situational advantage. It’s this friction that makes it fun, and Battlefield 6 does an excellent job of capturing this, following the previous two entries.
Many Toys Within the Destructive Sandbox
With three available maps in the Open Beta, EA made quite an impression during the first weekend. The Siege of Cairo and the Iberian Offensive are more urban-based maps with an emphasis on ground combat. Already, these urban maps give a familiar feel to Operation Metro and Operation Locker with verticality and tight corners. Each building is destructible, which reduces the amount of available cover. Liberation Peak is the more traditional open map with minimal cover. During the second weekend, a fourth map was added: Empire State, a map featuring points within a tall set of buildings.
These maps allow for player expression to be explored once again after so long. Classes make a full return with the removal of advantageous specialists. Assault is the infantry DPS class that can hold three weapons, a grenade launcher, and an adrenaline booster. An Engineer can repair vehicles and carry a rocket launcher, and a Medic can support and resurrect any player or drop a supply box, which not only heals but also gives ammo. Lastly, there’s Recon, which can tag any enemies by simply looking and drop a spawn point.
When riding a vehicle, you can gain both a transportation and tactical advantage. On the ground, Light Artillery vehicles can swarm the streets, allowing players to reach the next point with ease. Tanks can dominate the street with a group of Engineers following for repairs, as they deal a large amount of damage to another person in the gunner seat. In addition to ground vehicles, aerial vehicles like Fighter Jets and Helicopters swarm the skies on Liberation Peak. Jets can dive and drop bombs on the ground while soaring in the skies, or choose to start dogfights with the opposing force.
Some Assembly Is Required
During gameplay, weapons can achieve mastery levels by killing opposing soldiers, which unlocks attachments that can be equipped onto the guns. Each weapon has a point system up to 100, allowing some customization. This is also in addition to the Field Specs, permanent perks achieved through experience points that boost each class. They function equally to the old Scorestreak system from Call of Duty, giving emergent advantages during gameplay. This is a good inclusion without needing specialists; Field Specs make loadouts more individualized and unique.
Battlefield could continue to follow trends; however, by returning to its core design, it is embracing what made it unique in the first place. Of course, since this is an Open Beta, some feedback can be given by players to even further shape this experience. Some of the biggest pain points for me included Gadgets, which act as part of the identity for classes, the confusing and sometimes misleading mini-map, and a few other areas. I noticed the Infantry’s Incendiary Launcher puts a stop to all movement while dealing damage, and I always felt the animation speed for Defibs is so fast that it can kill two entire squads.
That being said, it’s good to play a new Battlefield game after so long. Being on the ground again alongside other fodder is nothing short of fun. The mix of classes and field specs adds a nice balance to the gadgets and the loadouts. Hearing helicopters and jets soaring in the sky while ground vehicles roar on the ground only adds to the adrenaline and atmosphere. Overall, the Battlefield 6 Open Beta is looking like a promising return to form for the series from Battlefield Studios, and I’m looking forward to the full launch later this Fall.
Battlefield 6 releases on October 10 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
