Battlefield 6needs to be a big hit, and that’s something EA clearly understands. The formation of Battlefield Labs before launch could make a world of difference in breakingBattlefield’s launch curse, while the formation of Battlefield Studios (which pulls in devs from DICE, Ripple Effect Studios, Criterion Games, and Motive Studio) shows the resources being poured into this one game. And already, it seems that faith and investment inBattlefield 6is paying off.
“Spiritual successor toBattlefield 3andBattlefield 4” has been ringing in my head since a dev said as much at theBattlefield 6multiplayer hands-on event in Los Angeles, California. There, fans around the world got their first glimpse atBattlefield 6’s multiplayer gameplay, while media and content creators got to go hands-on with the game. Game Rant played roughly four hours ofBattlefield 6, and after that time, it’s pretty easy to say that it has all the necessary underpinnings for a damn goodBattlefield. What I played will be available to everyone duringBattlefield 6’s open beta periods, which also have no real limits to entry. That confidence is incredible, but beyond that,Battlefield 6’s gameplay feels equally confident.
During our time with the game, we were able to play the followingBattlefield 6game modeson the following maps:
Battlefield 6’s Maps Lend Themselves to Incredible Plays
The decision to craft “combat zones” fromBattlefield 6’s mapsis a smart play in and of itself. This helps each map feel consistent and tailored to each game mode, while ensuring there is enough variety across the board that each combat zone feels unique. I played four maps, which resulted in a handful of different combat zones, corresponding to each game mode, and there’s a total of 9Battlefield 6maps at launch. Not only will the upcoming open beta have more content than Battlefield has ever put into a beta, but the amount of content that’s going to be available at launch hits that goldilocks zone. Too many maps, and there would be diminishing returns. Too few maps, and it would be hard to invest in the map design. But overall, there seems to be enough maps and combat zones that are uniquely applied to ensure the visuals remain top tier.
Of the ones I’ve played, Siege of Cairo is an early favorite. Whether it was engaging on the streets, under bridges, going to war in tanks, or navigating the buildings, it simply understood the Battlefield “all-out war” fantasy that I specifically enjoy the most. It felt like being on the streets of a real battle, and while that could be said of the other maps, each has its own vibe to it. Empire State, for example, felt more in line with direct urban modern warfare (where Siege of Cairo feels more classic all-out warfare, if that makes sense). The fact that I only played Team Deathmatch on Empire State could contribute to that, but then, that would only speak to the excellent pairing of game mode and combat zone.
And, of course, destruction is incredible. While there are some obvious marketing plays inBattlefield 6’s gameplay descriptions, there’s really none that directly apply to destruction. It doesn’t treat destruction as a gimmick, like somepastBattlefieldgamesdo, and that speaks volumes in my mind. It’s just raw destruction, and every explosion counts. More than once, I collapsed buildings on other players who, in turn, collapsed buildings on top of me. Jumping out of windows into a combat roll is a hell of a rush, and just knowing no cover lasts forever ensures players keep pushing.Battlefield 6’s moment-to-moment gameplay is a little faster than some entries, but it uses that to its advantage.
Battlefield 6’s Gameplay Feels Confident
Time-to-kill inBattlefield 6is quick—so quick, in fact, that I can only imagine thatBattlefield 6’s battle royale modewill slow it down considerably, but that TTK joins otherwise quick gameplay. There are a lot of movement options, and while I wouldn’t describe it as a direct competitor toBlack Ops 6’s omnidirectional movement, I wouldn’t say there are any real limits either. Short of something anachronistic like wall-running, there isn’t a type of movement players could want that’s not in the game. And while the speed is definitely there, it doesn’t sacrifice tactics or reactions in its delivery.
How to approach a building, how to capture a zone, the various angles of surrounding buildings, the amount of cover,the abilities ofBattlefield 6, and more are all present in the moment. Players do have to think quickly, but there is often plenty of time to outthink the enemy. Running and gunning works, sure, but anyone who does that is going to get quickly punished. Thinking through options and reacting appropriately when anything from a stray shot or a collapsing building comes into play are all key points of theBattlefield 6experience.
Battlefield 6’s Classes Are Right on the Money
In those moments, of course, classes matter.Battlefield 2042’s specialistsdidn’t really hit the mark, as it was more of a “trying to fix something that ain’t broken” scenario that lacked the teamplay and class identity of its predecessors. That’s not true inBattlefield 6; the classes are back in their full glory. Choosing a good class is important in any match, and each has a strong identity. The Assault class can carry more weapons than the others and unlocks abilities that can turn the tide of battle, like an extra adrenaline stim. The best defensive and healing options are available to Battlefield 6’s support class, while Engineers are important to counter and defend vehicles, and Recon understands the sniper fantasy fully. The extra info from the latter can be a game-changer, while the only real immediate critique that comes to mind is how the Sniper glare is Bright with a capital B.
Teamplay is incredibly important too. Each class needs to live up to its role, and communication is make or break too. More than once, I was on the ground in front of a Support class who wouldn’t revive me. When they were in a firefight or trying to secure the area, that made perfect sense, but there were plenty of times they were just vibing, and I wasn’t. That’s how you knowBattlefield 6’s classesare back: they realize a certain value of teamplay that randoms (at least in this context because we had no communication set up) just don’t. But beyond that, Engineers need to be on top of machinery (which is so fun to play as well), Assault needs to be on top of firefights, and Recon needs to be all about that information. Class identity is alive and well inBattlefield 6.
I’ve played four hours ofBattlefield 6and would dare say it’s the most fun I’ve had in a first-person shooter in a long time, at least all year. For me,Battlefield 6needs to land its campaign, its development of Portal, and its battle royale mode, all while launching successfully when October 10 comes around because multiplayer already seems locked in.Battlefieldhas always seemed a little cursed when it comes to launch, but between Battlefield Labs and Battlefield Studios, it feels like this is the one that sticks a successful landing.Battlefield 6isn’t out of the fight by any means, and at the very least, it’s entering the war for player attention fully equipped, kitted, and ready to blow shit up.
Battlefield 6 releases October 10 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X. Game Rant was provided travel and lodging for the purposes of this preview.
