While the expectations surroundingBattlefield 6are understandably high following the divisive life cycle ofBattlefield 2042, the upcoming project is already doing well to build hype. A lot is already known about the title thanks to its ambitious and widespread approach to early play-testing, with DICE seemingly looking to put the community at the center of a lot of the game’s creative decisions.
Battlefield 6’s early reputation is built around the title’s alleged focus on traditional game mechanics, although this does not mean that the project will completely shy away from bold gameplay features that did not feature in iconic past entries likeBattlefield 3and4. The most recent wave of rumors and leaked information concerningBattlefield 6alleges that the game will feature its own battle royale mode, and as ambitious as this might sound, the shortcomings of the franchise’s previous Firestorm BR mode could provide DICE with some valuable lessons.
DICE Can Learn a Lot From Battlefield’s Recent History With Battle Royales
ManyBattlefieldfans are quite skeptical of a battle royale experience for the franchise, instead hoping for a focus on gritty large-scale traditional multiplayer for the franchise’s future. While this classic gameplay should take precedence over ambitious modes like battle royale experiences,Battlefield 6’s 2025 releasewill be one of the biggest opportunities that the series has had in some time, making increased competition within the battle royale space all the more important for the title.
2025 will be a huge test of the longstandingcompetition betweenBattlefieldandCall of Duty, and with 2025’sCoDrelease being rumored to be another entry to theBlack Opsfranchise,Battlefield 6can really stamp its mark on the shooter industry with the right gameplay variety. The large-scale gameplay of theBattlefieldfranchise is more conducive to traditional battle royale elements compared toCoD’s more fast-paced mechanics, yet Activision’s flagship franchise has, of course, found a lot of BR success withWarzoneover the years.
According to dataminers and prominent leakers,Battlefield 6will feature a battle royale mode, with this seemingly being a huge statement of intent from DICE to go toe-to-toe withCall of Dutyin 2025 and beyond. Supposedly, thisBattlefield 6BR will be free-to-play and standalone, much likeWarzone, hopefully allowing the experience to breathe away fromBF6’s core multiplayer while potentially developing its own community.
Other leaked and rumored features forBattlefield 6include smaller maps, a return to 64-player matches, and a revamped movement system compared to2042.
DICE’s Mistakes Surrounding Firestorm Could Be Invaluable For Battlefield 6’s BR Mode
TheBattlefieldfranchise infamously took its first steps into the battle royale genre withBattlefield 5’s Firestorm game mode, which initially drew a lot of attention for possessing the largest map inBattlefield’s history. While Firestorm did have a tight-knit community, a lack of subsequent updates and bug fixes from DICE significantly dampened the mode’s longevity, with its presence behindBF5’s paywall being another factor that made the mode struggle within the massively competitive world of battle royale experiences.
From the leaked information surroundingBattlefield 6’s mode, it seems as if DICE is already learning from these stark lessons, with Firestorm’s largest sticking points likely being avoided with the upcoming battle royale’s approach. As a reportedly free-to-play and standalone experience, it seems likely thatBF6’s battle royale will attract and maintain a lot more players than Firestorm, with this increased accessibility putting more onus on DICE to offer consistent and noticeable updates to the mode. Of course, the wider range of modern technology withinBattlefield 6’s contemporary setting might also be more conducive to a varied BR experience compared toBF5’s WW2-set Firestorm mode, adding just another way for DICE to evolve its past approach tobattle royale modes.
