EA managed to act a little morose earlier this year when it forced Battlefield 6 studios into "realignment" and laid off workers, but it seems CEO Andrew Wilson is doing fine. The executive made 305-times the average EA employee's salary in fiscal year 2026.

The publisher explains, in a newly amended annual report (thanks, Eurogamer), that "the annual total compensation of our median employee was $126,612," while "the annual total compensation of Mr. Wilson, was $38,649,984."

That's $8,120,149 more than Wilson made in fiscal year 2025, though the boss' base salary remained at a humble $1.3 million. Ultimately, the "Compensation Actually Paid" to Wilson, which EA describes on page 31, totaled $77,231,168. So "the ratio of these amounts is 305 to 1," EA says of the $38.6 million figure, but the full picture is even more sobering.

Additionally, the publisher notes on page 29 of its financial report, Wilson could be eligible for an additional estimate of $125 million under any "qualifying termination," which includes firing "in connection with a change in control." EA has no doubt strategically baked in this "'double-trigger' severance" benefit, as the publisher calls it.

A team of investors under Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake, and the investment firm led by US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, Affinity Partners, currently stands to acquire EA in a $55 billion deal recently approved by the European Commission. That $125 million could be very useful for Wilson if things dramatically change for him during or after the merger.

It also sounds like Wilson was recently allowed to fly around in the company plane for fun: "In fiscal year 2026, Mr. Wilson was permitted to use corporate aircraft for personal travel, subject to a 75-hour cap," writes EA. So that's nice for him, too.

Meanwhile, many laid off Battlefield 6 developers are probably still looking for work after, EA admits again, delivering a "high-quality launch" that "achieved meeting all milestones." It's a shame they didn't benefit from that launch. Andrew Wilson, however, is still doing fine.

Dragon Age veteran says a series comeback would be difficult with EA's "frightening" graveyard of dormant IP: "I suspect that it wouldn't happen."

Battlefield 6 Season 3 is out imminently, bringing new content, guns, and even a new map to BF6 and Redsec. While there doesn't really seem to be a theme to the content coming in Season 3, that doesn't change the fact that it looks pretty extensive, with the Railway to Golmud map being the biggest one added to the game so far. Below we'll cover everything you can expect from Season 3 of Battlefield, including laying out the known release dates and times accordingly.

Battlefield 6 Season 3 release dates and times

BF6 Season 3 will go live at different times depending on your time zone, as laid out below:

• PDT (West Coast USA): 4:00 A.M., May 12, 2026
• EDT (East Coast USA): 7:00 A.M., May 12, 2026
• BST (UK): Midday 12:00 P.M., May 12, 2026
• CEST (Europe): 1:00 P.M., May 12, 2026
• JST (Japan): 8:00 P.M., May 12, 2026

It's not clear yet if there will be a pre-loaded update released in advance of Season 3 going live, which will then be implemented at that time, or if players will have to download the update after the release.

Battlefield 6 Season 3 roadmap and all new content

Season 3 of Battlefield 6 is being released in three stages at the following dates:

• May 12, 2026: "Warlords: Supremacy"
  • Map: Railway to Golmud
  • Guns: M16A4 (Assault Rifle), RPK 74M (LMG), L115 (Sniper Rifle)
  • Redsec game mode: Ranked Battle Royale
  • Attachments: Speed Holster, Aftermarket Buffer, Burst Mode
• June 9, 2026: "Blastpoint"
  • Map: Cairo Bazaar
  • Gun: PP-19 (SMG)
  • Gadget: Handheld Jammer (Recon)
  • Multiplayer game mode: Obliteration
  • Limited-time event: "Explosive Charge"
  • Attachments: #00 Buckshot, Cryogenic Barrels
• June 30, 2026: "High-Value Target"
  • Multiplayer game mode: Tactical Obliteration
  • Redsec game mode: Casual Battle Royale
  • Limited-time event: "Wetwork"
  • Melee weapon: EOD Bot Arm
  • Attachments: Compensator, Subsonic Ammo

The initial Season 3 update will also include numerous balances, patches, and tweaks to gameplay. These include:

• A major overhaul to vehicle handling.
• A broad pass on Gadgets, especially the launchers.
• Balance changes across weapons.
• The introduction of an in-game seasonal statistics page
• Improvements to netcode and combat feedback

For more info, check out the official EA press release on Season 3. Otherwise, we'll cover the major elements below.

Season 3 maps

There are two maps being added to BF6 across Season 3:

• Railway to Golmud (May 12). A remade version of the Golmud Railway map from Battlefield 4, this massive map focuses on a village in hilly terrain with an industrial site, as well as a moving train that rolls through the whole thing. Railway to Golmud will be the biggest map in BF6 to date.
• Cairo Bazaar (June 9). A reworked version of the Grand Bazaar map from Battlefield 3 added later in the season, this Egyptian marketplace will be focused on tight conflict and close quarters combat.

Season 3 guns and weapons

There are several new weapons and major loadout options being added to BF6 in Season 3, spread across the three updates:

• May 12
  • M16A4 (Assault Rifle): Customizable AR with both full-auto and burst fire options, designed for medium range.
  • RPK 74M (LMG): A long-range light machine gun with less recoil and damage than other LMGs.
  • L115 (Sniper Rifle): Very long-range bolt action sniper with high damage per shot.
• June 9
  • PP-19 (SMG): Short-range weapon with a large magazine clip and steady damage output.
  • Handheld Jammer (Recon Gadget): Device that temporarily jams nearby smart or electronic devices. Can be carried with you to disrupt nearby tech, thrown short distances, or carefully placed on the ground.
• June 30
  • EOD Bot Arm (Melee weapon): Non-class specific melee weapon. Large robot arm.

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If it weren't clear already, we're fully in video game movie mania now, as a Battlefield adaptation is on the way.

Long-time Mission: Impossible helmer Christopher McQuarrie is set to write and direct, with Sinners star Michael B. Jordan on board as producer, per The Hollywood Reporter. It is also said that Jordan, who most recently won the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in Ryan Coogler's vampire horror, may also star in the Battlefield adaptation.

The project has yet to find a home, but THR reports that Jordan and McQuarrie are meeting with big Hollywood studios and streamers this week, including Apple and Sony. This could well be the biggest bidding war of the year.

Created by Battlefield Studios and published by DICE and Electronic Arts, Battlefield is a military first-person shooter video game focusing on large-scale, online multiplayer battles between conflicting military forces. Players must work as a team to take out other squads, but each player gathers their own stats to receive rank promotions and unlock weapons based on their performance.

The franchise kicked off in 2002 with the World War II-set game Battlefield 1942, which has sold over 3 million copies over the years. Since then, 12 more mainline games and many more spin-offs have been released, each taking place in a different era, some even in the future. The most recent installment, Battlefield 6, had a record-breaking launch in October 2025, pulling in 7 million players in its first 3 days.

Battlefield is often compared to fellow long-running military first-person shooter game Call of Duty, which is ironic, as that franchise also has a movie adaptation in the works. The Call of Duty movie is currently in development at Paramount, with Peter Berg set to direct and Taylor Sheridan co-writing the script. It is unclear whether Paramount have their eye on the Battlefield project too.

The Battlefield movie does not yet have a release date, whereas the Call of Duty movie will hit screens on June 30, 2028. For more, check out our list of the best Battlefield games, and keep up with other upcoming video game movies heading your way.

Despite a purportedly huge launch, 2026 hasn't been especially kind to Battlefield 6, what with EA laying off a number of devs associated with the FPS back in March. Now, in order to generate some renewed buzz for the shooter, the roadmap for the rest of the year has been unveiled, and I hope you like new maps, because there are plenty.

To start us off, in May, two classic areas have been re-imagined to the "visual fidelity and gameplay" of Battlefield 6, a press release states. First up is the one players have been waiting for, the remake of Railway to Golmud, from Battlefield 4.

Not only is this the return of a fan-favorite sandbox, but it'll be the biggest map of the current selection to date, helping to ease some of the displeasure at the lack of substantive playgrounds in the sixth mainline entry so far. Right on the heels of Railway to Golmud, then, is a redux of Grand Bazaar from Battlefield 3, renamed Cairo Bazaar.

A quads mode for Redsec is coming, and some new weapons to boot. Moving into July for the next phase, another two maps are included: Tsuru Reef and Wake Island. They both contain large bodies of water, which is fitting because naval battles are coming in tandem. Custom lobbies and spectator mode are part of the July rollout as well.

Proximity chat is on the docket too, for an undetermined date, and a further three maps will come in the fall, as we head into the one year anniversary of the game's release. Likewise, there'll be further avenues for especially skilled players to test their mettle.

"The Open and Elite competitive series, the pinnacle of competition in Battlefield, will arrive this year following our work with players in evolving the Ranked Play experience," says the press release. "This series will showcase the absolute best competitive play that Battlefield has to offer on the global stage."

"The fundamentals of FPS should drive our decision": Battlefield 6 designers say developers have a "responsibility" to make games intuitive

Battlefield 6 launched in October to generally very solid reviews, with our own writeup awarding the FPS 4/5 stars and calling it "a carefully-crafted and layered multiplayer" experience with a lackluster main campaign. The game has a "generally favorable" 83 Metascore and EA has said it was "the biggest launch in franchise history" (which doesn't gel with the studio's recent layoffs, but that's beside the point).

So, what's the key to Battlefield 6's success compared to its closest competitor, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, which launched a month later to a much less enthusiastic reception? Well, no one knows for sure, but in a panel during this year's Game Developer's Conference, Battlefield designer Jac Carlsson explains the developer's philosophy toward game feel and stresses the importance of function over form.

"How do I balance the aesthetic goals versus the core function of the game?" says Carlsson. "So if we lean into a kind of military fantasy, right? A military simulation, in a way, Battlefield also has a dash of arcade shooter to it, but at the top and foundation of it all, the team agree that the fundamentals of FPS should drive our decision. This means solid input, so low input latency, and movement and firing that is connected to the reality of the gameplay and the rhythm of the game.

"Good game feel, in this sense, starts with understanding what game you have. If you strip away everything and just look at the core function of it, it's an FPS, so the first person movement, firing, damage, has to guide what I call the alignment of perception in gameplay."

It's here that things get a little nebulous, but essentially, it sounds like Carlsson is saying DICE has a certain vision for how a new Battlefield game will look, but it builds that vision around core elements of gameplay rather than vice-versa.

"So response time and aesthetics are important, but they're not enough, because the qualitative behavior of that response is what's going to determine the player's ability to intuitively sequence motions and actions," says Carlsson, adding that he feels a "responsibility" to "convey the sensory input you will get in the real world, but in the game world." In essence, to make the game's controls feel intuitive, if I'm picking up what Carlsson's putting down.

Again, it's vague, but it's still an interesting insight into DICE's broad-level approach to FPS game design, especially when Battlefield 6 so recently dethroned Call of Duty for the FPS crown.

Skate dev announces layoffs days after breaking paywall promise and announcing more aggressive monetization, but "our work on skate. continues."

By all visible metrics, Battlefield 6 had a wildly successful launch far exceeding any previous entry in the venerable FPS series – a fact which EA was keen to brag about last year. But that hasn't saved the devs who worked on it from wide-ranging layoffs, according to a new report.

EA has laid off workers at Criterion, Dice, Ripple Effect, and Motive, according to a new report from IGN. All four offices are part of what EA calls "Battlefield Studios," and collaborated on Battlefield 6. Employees were reportedly told that this was part of a "realignment" effort across the studios, and one not connected to the company's impending $55 billion buyout, though specific numbers and more detailed reasoning for the layoffs have not yet been made public.

Shortly after the game's release in October, EA called Battlefield 6 "the biggest launch in franchise history," with over 7 million units sold in the first three days alone. In December, analysis firm Alinea estimated that the game had sold over 20 million copies, with a total of 26 million players once you figure in the free-to-play Redsec battle royale.

It was even the best-selling game in the US last year, beating the new Call of Duty release for the first time in the 23 years that the two military FPS franchises had been going head-to-head. But success has never offered much insulation from layoffs in the game industry, especially with pre-release reports suggesting that EA had poured $400 million into Battlefield 6 and expected the game to reach more than 100 million players.

While the game was well-received at launch – Joel called it "deep enough to be tactical and simple enough to be accessible" in our four-star Battlefield 6 review – its post-launch content has struggled to keep players coming back for more. The devs have been taking steps to address specific complaints about things like map size as part of Battlefield 6 Season 2, but the 'mixed' recent review on Steam suggest those changes aren't really breaking through.

Skate dev announces layoffs days after breaking paywall promise and announcing more aggressive monetization, but "our work on skate. continues."

Battlefield 6 producer Alexia Christofi has explained why Battlefield 6 is only releasing two maps per season when previous games had more going on by this point in their lives.

Battlefield 4 – what many consider to be the last great Battlefield game before 6 released – had ten maps on launch, but by the time it hit the one-year mark, it had 22 extra maps added to its rotation. And while Battlefield 6 is adding two maps per season, some players are a bit disappointed things aren't happening faster, given that Battlefield 4's launch year had what equated to almost two maps per month.

Speaking to Gamesbeat in an interview, Christofi explains, "We're releasing on a cadence where we feel the maps are up to quality and we're happy with how they play, the variety they give to the players." She adds: "There are worlds in which we release hundreds of maps, but they're not fun. We never want to do that. We have to make sure that the maps feel good to play, that they're fun to play."

Christofi continues, "I completely empathize with players when they want more maps and more content. They talk about that because they're passionate about the game, passionate about the franchise." However, she emphasizes, "we're a team of a certain size. We don't want to sacrifice quality."

Of course, it's a double-edged sword, because if maps are taking too long to come out, people won't be happy, but if maps release constantly and feel like rushed trash, people still won't be happy. Not to mention Battlefield 4 charged for maps back in the day, which in the era of battle passes and live service likely won't work out well for anyone.

Battlefield 6 Season 2 delay "broke that pace" of the "smooth launch," but lead hopes update will be "the foundation"

Equipping a Battlefield 6 gas mask is very simple as you just need to hold your Class gadget input, but a bug is preventing many players from being able to do so. That's a rather big problem as parts of the new Contaminated map are often covered in clouds of hallucinatory VL-7 gas, causing you to see and hear soldiers that aren't really there. Gas masks let you safely enter these areas without having visions so it's important that you at least know how to equip a gas mask in Battlefield 6, even if you can't currently do so.

How to put on a gas mask in Battlefield 6

To equip a gas mask in Battlefield 6, you need to hold either D-Pad Up if you're using a controller or the X key if you're on mouse and keyboard.

In other words, you need to hold down whatever button you have set for using a Class gadget in Battlefield 6, such as the supply bag or repair tool, to put on or remove a gas mask. If you're one of the unlucky few that can't equip a Battlefield 6 gas mask, this is unfortunately a bug, but the development team is aware of it, so hopefully a hotfix is inbound soon.

With a gas mask donned, you won't suffer the hallucinatory effects caused by being in a cloud of VL-7 gas, but your view will be restricted with a thick, black vignette around your screen – the gas is only on a select few Battlefield 6 maps with it being a key feature of Contaminated. All players start with one gas mask but can get more by standing near Battlefield 6 Support resupply bags and can hold up to five at once. Although, you don't need to worry about equipping a gas mask in an enclosed vehicle.

While wearing a gas mask and standing in a VL-7 cloud, you'll notice that the HUD icon empties over time, representing the durability of your mask's filter, preventing you from safely staying in a gas cloud. If the icon empties fully, you will consume one of your gas masks and automatically switch to a new one, assuming you have any spare.

However, if you have only one gas mask and your filter degrades fully, your gas mask will stop working and you'll start hallucinating as though you were not wearing a mask at all. But, as soon as you remove your mask, the filter will start regenerating, and you'll be able to put it back on shortly after. Just be aware of how much time you're spending in VL-7 gas so as not to chew through all your gas masks.

Take a look at all the new maps, modes, and more that Battlefield 6 Season 2 is adding in the coming months.

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Battlefield 6 Season 2 is finally here, and producer Phil Girette thinks not only is it the FPS' "strongest season" so far, but it's also going to be "kind of the foundation going forward," hopefully making up for its delay's disruption to the game's "smooth launch."

Battlefield 6 Season 2 was meant to launch last month, but Season 1 ended up being extended to "allow extra time to further develop and refine Season 2 as a result of community feedback." Speaking in a recent interview with TechRadar Gaming, Girette says the devs "were super happy to have had a smooth launch for once" when Battlefield 6 first released, but acknowledges that this was disrupted.

"Going into Season 1, I think the key thing there because, [...] there were a lot of people spending a lot of time playing it, what kind of broke that pace is the extension we did of Season 1," he admits, even if Season 2 needed that extra time "in the oven" for improvements.

"Season 2 is definitely bigger than what we have done in Season 1," he says. "We have the maps, we think they're going to be quite strong. We have the additional gameplay mechanics. We have popular vehicles coming back like the Little Bird. There's a whole new addition in REDSEC itself as well."

Although Girette questions if "the perfect Battlefield season" even exists, he says: "Everyone sat together and said, 'This is really, really strong.' We want to use Season 2 as kind of the foundation going forward – this is the level we need to hit. We hope that the players think the same, but I think this is going to be the strongest season [yet]."

Elsewhere, it's been acknowledged that Battlefield 6 fans are begging for larger maps, but "maps are one of the most time-intensive things that we build," so the devs are going to "need some more time" for that particular bit of feedback.

As Battlefield 6 loses more ground to Arc Raiders after Season 2 delay, lead says devs have "taken a lot of different steps" to prevent more holdups: "We need to make sure those hit as expected."

A recurring complaint of Battlefield 6 has been the size of the maps, with the FPS lacking the bigger playgrounds the series is known for. The devs are aware of this, and on the back of Battlefield 6 Season 2's launch, they're keeping player requests in mind, but it's not a simple creative choice.

Phil Girette, a producer on Battlefield 6, explained to TheGamer why it can't be an immediate shift. "We see that feedback, and hear it very loudly," he says. "More maps is, of course, something that we will look more into. But also maps are one of the most time-intensive things that we build. We'll need some more time."

He points out, rightly, that Season 2 has two maps, one of which is on the bigger end of the scale. These things are part of what EA and the Battlefield studios want to bring to the shooter, but getting them to standard is, as he suggests, a process.

"We need to make sure that the maps hit the quality and match the expectations of what the players want," Girette states. "We're already testing Golmud Railway early on Labs now, so that's a step in the right direction."

Indeed, Golmud Railway, a fan-favorite map from Battlefield 4, is getting remade for the current installment. Although it's in playtesting, it might be a while before we actually see it, and understand what changes were made. Nonetheless, it'll bring some of the scale and explosive energy people are clearly yearning for.

While it mightn't be everything you'd like from Battlefield 6, Season 2 still has plenty to offer, even if it did arrive slightly late. Two modes, on top of a pair of new maps, should provide ample chaos, while we wait and see what the next major updates have to offer.

As Battlefield 6 loses more ground to Arc Raiders after Season 2 delay, lead says devs have "taken a lot of different steps" to prevent more holdups: "We need to make sure those hit as expected."

After a huge launch, some of the wind was taken out of Battlefield 6's sails with the delay of Season 2. Originally meant to arrive in January, it was pushed back a full month, rolling out today, February 17, instead. In the face of competition from the likes of Arc Raiders and the imminent Marathon, a prominent dev says the hope is for Battlefield 6's rollout to be tighter going forward.

"We saw the content we had planned for Season 2 and we wanted just to give that a little bit more time in the oven to polish things and make sure we hit the expectations that players have," Phil Girette, producer at Battlefield 6 studio DICE, tells Gamereactor.

"Obviously, once you plan out seasons, there's a lot of things that come with that like the marketing work behind it, making sure the timings affect not only the game itself but many, many other things," he continues. "Absolutely, we need to make sure those hit as expected and we have taken quite a lot of different steps in different departments to make sure that the players get the seasons immediately once the season is planned to end."

In other words, measures have been taken to mitigate this happening again. Maintaining something the size of Battlefield 6 is an all-consuming prospect. You have to constantly monitor and balance how players are engaging with the existing modes and features, while putting together the additions that'll keep the FPS feeling fresh and exciting.

Two new maps and a pair of new modes is a lot of work across development and playtesting. Besides the internal quality control, you have the added pressure of whatever other games are competing for your community's attention. A tough reality the devs on Battlefield 6 have to be aware of is there are other shooters people can be playing instead, and once they leave, they might not come back, regardless of what you do.

At least Battlefield 6 Season 2 is providing plenty for the community to blast into. With any luck, the rest of the roadmap from EA and the Battlefield studios will hold steady.

Battlefield 6 season 2 finally delivers a big map and more, but I have bad news for anyone who doesn't like being poisoned or shot in the dark: you're going to be poisoned and shot in the dark.

Battlefield 6 Season 2 has been unveiled, and somewhere in the world, a monkey's paw has curled. After months of players begging for larger maps, season 2's first update – titled Extreme Measures and set to launch on February 17 – will introduce Contaminated, a gorgeous mountainside airbase featuring a mix of wide-open spaces and subterranean complexes. There's just one catch: it will also feature VL-7 poison gas at launch, which causes auditory and visual hallucinations unless you come prepared with a gas mask.

In addition to poisoning players, Extreme Measures will add three weapons: the close-quarters VCR-2 assault rifle, the M121 A2 light machine gun, and the GRT-CPS, a semi-automatic DMR. That's along with two new gadgets – the 9K38 launcher for Engineers, and the more interesting HTI-MK2 for Recon, which can detect enemy gadgets, suppress recon drones, and remotely detonate enemy rockets. Last but not least, the AH-6 Little Bird will finally make its way to Battlefield 6, and I give it two games before the noise of its miniguns haunts my dreams once more.

The second phase of season 2 – called Nightfall – will launch on March 17 with another map, called Hagental Base. Set in a military complex built beneath Contaminated's mountain range, Hagental Base will be significantly more close-quarters and see (or rather, not see) players scrapping in darkness. Torches and night vision goggles are encouraged, but in Nightfall's limited-time game mode – which darkens Hagantel Base even more – they'll be outright essential.

While fighting in the dark doesn't thrill me, the thought of queueing up solely to flashbang players using NVGs fills my heart with the same perverse glee that made shotguns in Battlefield 3's Operation Metro so fun. Speaking of shotguns, two more guns will arrive with Nightfall – the CZ3A1 SMG and VZ.61 auto sidearm – along with a dirt bike, which is already fated to be strapped with C4 and crashed into much larger vehicles.

Looking further afield, season 2's third phase will launch on April 14. While details here are thinner, Battlefield Studios has confirmed it will feature an Operation mode that combines both Contaminated and Hagental Base, with attackers using VL-7 gas to push from the outdoors map to its subterranean sibling. Expect to hear more on this third phase nearer to April – but for now, prepare to slurp down your poison and be grateful for it.

Here are the best games like Battlefield that you can play right now. Yes, right now.

The next season of Battlefield 6 kicks off soon, and we've gotten a quick rundown on what's in the offing for the FPS. Two new maps and a pair of limited modes headline the additions, while progression is getting more fine-tuned to make playing all the more rewarding.

Contaminated is a new map that'll be in the first part of Battlefield 6 Season 2. It's "designed to deliver focused combat with multiple pathways and flanking opportunities," according to an official preview. It sounds intense, but also quite tactical.

The first new, limited mode is actually unnamed as yet, but it'll expand the storytelling and "introduces a new element of tactics in the fight against Pax Armata." All very intriguing! Details are low for the second map and mode, but the former is described as "high intensity," and the latter "will require players to battle through an underground base covered in darkness."

The Battle Pass will be "more rewarding," letting you move through the ranks more quickly, and challenges have been altered to be more "streamlined." There won't be as many mode-specific hurdles to jump through, the sidearm challenges are being taken away, and assists will count for your dailies, making earning those rewards considerably easier.

Weapon balancing and player movement have both been tweaked, along with change to make audio clearer and more useful in active combat. EA and the devs at Battlefield Studios provide an update on the revamped Golmud Railway map. Originally from Battlefield 4, it's getting a rework for this installment, and players have been testing it.

Reactions are good thus far, apparently. "Players noted that the map feels familiar while still offering something new, including improvements to the northern town area and added cover that better supports infantry movement and engagements," the post states.

Golmud Railway will come in a later season. For now, Battlefield 6 Season 2 starts on February 17.

Battlefield 6 was the US' best-selling game of 2025, finally dethroning Call of Duty after a 23-year-long feud between the juggernaut shooters

Battlefield and Call of Duty have been wrapped up in a seemingly eternal feud for as long as both have been around, which is give or take 23 years. They're the shooter equivalent of Ares vs. Athena, Tom vs. Jerry, Coke vs. Pepsi - forever destined to be at odds for the title of the military shooter – and for the first time ever, Battlefield has come out on top.

Veteran games industry analyst, Circana's Mat Piscatella, recently released a list of the best-selling video games of 2025 in the US based on dollar sales. Lo and behold, for the first time in series history, Battlefield 6 comfortably topped the list ahead of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Here's the full chart:

1. Battlefield 6
2. NBA 2K26
3. Borderlands 4
4. Monster Hunter Wilds
5. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
6. Madden NFL 26
7. EA Sports College Football 26
8. EA Sports FC 26
9. The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
10. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

The rest of the list also includes the immortal Minecraft, Elden Ring: Nightreign, and Pokemon Legends: Z-A, which may have actually charted higher if Circana's data included digital Nintendo sales.

In over two decades, a Battlefield release has never placed higher than a Call of Duty game on the chart until now. What's more impressive is that, since 2009, only three games have beaten the annual shooter franchise on the year-end list: 2013's GTA 5, 2018's Red Dead Redemption 2, and 2023's Hogwarts Legacy.

This is also the first time since 2008 that Call of Duty hasn't managed to cling onto at least the second-place position, back when Call of Duty: World at War had stiff competition from multiple Wii games and GTA 4.

Franchise fatigue might finally be part of the reason why Black Ops 7 underperformed this time around, but a less-than-stellar reception didn't do the game any favors, either. The latest Call of Duty currently has 'Mostly Negative' reviews on Steam, as well as one of the worst Metacritic scores in the series' record books.

Activision makes big Call of Duty announcement: "We will no longer do back-to-back releases of Modern Warfare or Black Ops" mainly "to ensure we provide an absolutely unique experience each and every year"

Battlefield Studios has revealed a new community update detailing some of the plans for Battlefield 6 season 2, including a brand new multiplayer map and the return of the classic Battlefield 4 map, Golmud Railway.

EA gave a fairly comprehensive overview of its plans for Battlefield Labs testing for season 2 "and beyond" on its official website. The season 2 update was recently delayed because EA wanted to give Battlefield Studios more time to refine the new content following community feedback, and in this new community update, it's revealed that one of the things being tested in Battlefield Labs is a new map called Contaminated.

"We'll be evaluating how vehicle gameplay and aerial presence interact with infantry combat, alongside cover and asset placement, and objective boundaries," EA says. "We'll also be testing how the map's unique gameplay mechanics function in live matches, as well as the tools available to players to interact with them."

EA didn't share a whole lot of specifics about the new map, but it did confirm that it's comparable in size to older Battlefield maps like Battlefield 1's St. Quentin Scar and Battlefield 5's Arras, and falls somewhere between between Eastwood and Mirak Valle. It also revealed the first official image of the map, showing off some sparsely forested mountainside terrain, which you can see below:

EA confirmed that Golmud Railway is coming to Battlefield 6 at some point, but not exactly how you remember it from Battlefield 4. EA says the classic Battlefield map is "being rebuilt for today's Battlefield, not simply ported forward," and that its goal "is to preserve what made the map so memorable in Battlefield 4, particularly its combined arms gameplay, while improving how it plays and supports Battlefield 6 systems."

Likewise, EA confirmed Golmud Railway will be the biggest Battlefield 6 map to date, giving the developers the chance "to expand gameplay on a larger scale."

In terms of gameplay testing, future Battlefield Labs sessions geared toward season 2 content will focus on the new AH-6 Little Bird vehicle, "allowing us to evaluate how it fits within the broader vehicle ecosystem and how it performs across different combat scenarios."

Beyond season 2, Battlefield Studios will be doing some early testing on Aircraft Radar, as it will be "an important part of the aircraft gameplay experience," and exploring "a tuning package focused on rocket and vehicle interactions, including early adjustments to weapons such as RPGs and TOW launchers, as well as vehicle handling considerations when countering rockets."

Finally, EA declined to give a firm answer on the oft-requested solo playlist in Battlefield 6's Redsec battle royale mode, saying more internal testing is needed.

"This work is focused on understanding where Solo play can best fit within the broader Battle Royale roster, including how it affects match flow, survivability, and long-term engagement when featured alongside other Battle Royale experiences," says EA. "These tests are part of our ongoing effort to make informed decisions about how Battle Royale is structured and presented over time, rather than committing to a single permanent configuration."

Battlefield 6 season 2 is now due to launch on February 17, with an extension for season 1 having been released on January 20.

Battlefield 6 update nerfs jets for some reason and makes melee attacks quicker ahead of Season 2: "You guys really hate the thing you're famous for"

A new Battlefield 6 patch is coming tomorrow, to parlay the slightly longer wait for Season 2, since it was delayed into February. The tweaks and changes are mostly minor, sorting out small bugs and tightening up different aspects, but there are a couple of gameplay changes that you’ll definitely feel, for better or worse.

One that immediately stands out is nerfing jets, making it so their cannons have to land 40% more hits to opposing flying vehicles to take them down. You’d think, reading that, there was some exceedingly apparent imbalance. But there isn’t, and in fact, jets are disproportionately weaker in terms of vehicles, even compared to other air transports.

So, err, good luck using one for any length of time if you decide to take to the skies during a match. Players aren't too pleased either. "Another nerf to vehicles. You guys really hate the thing you're famous for," says one response. "Did you just reduce damage from jet cannons, but air radar is still broken after three months? True joke," says another.

At ground level, melee attacks are becoming smoother and, by extension, deadlier. Knives will be quicker, and they and sledgehammers are being tweaked for less buffering. Timing of melees is getting mercifully refined as well, to help in those instances where a split second can make all the difference. Sprinting is getting tightened up to boot; using a melee attack will only interrupt your run up to when it lands, instead of stifling your flow from the moment you press the button.

There are a couple of handy little UI changes as well, including letting players change the reticle color on weapon and gadget scopes. Numerous fixes are included, among a selection across nearly every facet of the game, making this a relatively unexciting patch for tangible gameplay, but one that should make playing quite a bit smoother.

Redsec gets a look in, too, with the most notable bullet point being the disappearing armor bar now being fixed. This update goes live tomorrow, January 20, while Season 2 kicks off on February 17.

Battlefield 6 gets unwanted Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 comparison as AI accusations fly against "hollow and low effort" new artwork

Battlefield Season 2 has arrived, adding the Containment map, the Little Bird Scout Helicopter, and several new weapons. They're all part of the first monthly content drop of the season, Extreme Measures. With two more monthly updates to follow, expect night vision goggle-based modes and a new map from Nightfall, and a new light transport vehicle and even a limited-time Operation mode to tie the two new maps together in Hunter/Prey. There's a lot coming in Season 2 of Battlefield 6, so here's a full rundown and roadmap of all the maps, modes, guns, and more that have already been added and are still to come.

Battlefield 6 Season 2 end date

Season 2 of Battlefield 6 and Redsec is scheduled to end on May 12, 2025, lasting for a total of 12 weeks – expected everything listed below to either be in the game or to have already run by this date. Assuming there isn't a delay for Season 3 as there was with Season 2, May 12 should also mark the start date for Season 3, which we don't really know anything specific about yet.

Battlefield 6 Season 2 roadmap

Battlefield 6 Season 2 follows the same monthly content drop format as Season 1, having launched with Extreme Measures, which will then be followed by Nightfall on March 17 and end with Hunter/Prey on April 14. Extreme Measures looks like the biggest of the lot in terms of content, with Nightfall being a bit smaller and focused on fighting in the dark and Hunter/Prey adding little in terms of permanent content.

Each drop includes at least one new weapon, vehicle, and limited-time mode, with the first two including new maps set in a German mountainside military base. Everything included in each drop will also be free and available to all Battlefield 6 players, but certain things, particularly guns, must be unlocked by reaching the required Season 2 Battle Pass tier – you can read the Season 2 launch patch notes here!

Here's everything that will be releasing over the course of Battlefield Season 2:

Battlefield Season 2 weapons and gadgets

Over the course of Season 2, players will be able to unlock six new weapons and new gadgets for the Engineers and Recon classes – given that they all seem to have high fire rates, some of these may prove to be some of the best Battlefield 6 weapons for close-quarters shootouts:

• Extreme Measures: All of the following are found within the Season 2 Battle Pass.
  • VCR-2 – unlocked by reaching level 22 of the Woodland Rangers Season 2 Battle Pass path: An assault rifle that's almost more like an SMG, which means it's great in close-quarters gunfights but has a high fire rate and high recoil.
  • M121 A2 – unlocked by reaching level 14 of the Death Stalkers Season 2 Battle Pass path: An LMG that also has a high fire rate and high recoil.
  • GRT-CPS – unlocked by reaching level 14 of the Death Stalkers Season 2 Battle Pass path: A fast-firing DMR with a generous magazine.
  • 9K38 IGLA – unlocked by reaching level 5 of the Recruit Season 2 Battle Pass path: A new launcher gadget for the Battlefield 6 Engineer class that can reacquire a lock on after a missile even after the enemy aircraft uses flares or goes out of range. Not quite fire-and-forget, but also not quite laser-guided, you'll need to keep aiming at your target to keep your missile on course.
  • HTI-MK2 – unlocked by reaching level 21 of the Hazardous Front Season 2 Battle Pass path: A new gadget for the Battlefield 6 Recon class that releases a pulse that can counter up to three enemy gadgets. The HTI-MK2 needs to recharge after each pulse so you can't use it that frequently.
• Nightfall:
  • MZ3A1: An SMG that appears to be based on the Scorpion Evo 3, so it will likely have a very high fire rate. This could turn out to be one of the best Battlefield 6
  • VZ. 61: The classic Skorpion machine pistol will be available as a sidearm.
• Hunter/Prey:
  • Kapok 14" machete: A highly impractical knife with a hooked blade and unique takedown animations.
  • New Battle Pass Bonus Path for Redsec and Battlefield 6

Battlefield Season 2 maps

Season 2 expands the Battlefield 6 maps roster by two, with one large and one smaller infantry-only map:

• Extreme Measures:
  • Contaminated: A vital mountainside airbase in Germany, featuring rocky terrain, tall trees, and military structures, accommodating a range of vehicles ground vehicles and helicopters. It's on the larger end, sitting between Mirak Valley and Eastwood in terms of overall size.
• Nightfall:
  • Hagental Base: A map that sends players into the subterranean tunnels within the mountain range seen in Contaminated. It's an infantry-only meat grinder with destructible walls that allow players to create new paths through the underground base.

Battlefield Season 2 vehicles

Each monthly update adds three new Battlefield 6 vehicles to the game, including the highly requested Little Bird Helicopter:

• Extreme Measures:
  • Scout Helicopter: The long-awaited agile-but-fragile helicopter type is finally in the game. The AH-6 Little Bird and its MH-350 Pax Armata counterpart are available on Contaminated and several other maps. It has enough seats to transport an entire squad and packs some surprisingly powerful armaments, including miniguns and light rockets.
• Nightfall:
  • Dirt bike: A nimble motorbike that can rapidly traverse rough and narrow terrain that other vehicles simply can't at the cost of no protection for its driver and passenger.
• Hunter/Prey:
  • LTV: The Light Tactical Vehicle is another light transport vehicle that looks like it offers protection and speed at the cost of no mounted guns.

Battlefield Season 2 modes

• Extreme Measures:
  • VL-7 Strike: VL-7 gas clouds choke the map, causing visual and audio hallucinations for players in the gas. But if you don a gas mask, you won't be affected by these trippy illusions. All soldiers start with a mask, but you can find more masks and filters over the course of a match.
• Nightfall:
  • Nightfall limited-time event: Set in Hagental Base, this mode features low visibility and grants night vision goggles to all players as a free gadget to help see in the dark. However, they have a limited battery life and players wearing them can be blinded by lights, but thermal scopes will really shine in this mode.
• Hunter/Prey:
  • Operation Augur limited-time mode: Remember Operations from Battlefield 1? Operation Augur is an LTM that combines Contamination and Hagental Base into a single narrative. While we don't know much beyond that, I imagine it'll be one team attacking and defending, starting in Contamination and then moving to Hagental Base if the attackers are successful.

Battlefield Season 2 Redsec updates and features

• Extreme Measures:
  • Gauntlet Altered State limited-time mode: This sounds like regular Gauntlet but with the addition of VL-7 gas.
  • BR – Synthesis limited-time mode: VL-7 has seeped out of its manufacturing plant and into Fort Lyndon, meaning Battle Royale players will need to loot gas masks and filters stave off the gas's psychoactive effects. But areas that have been engulfed in gas will also have high-value loot. You can also grab a VL-7 Strike Package to place your own perilous smoke strikes.
• Nightfall:
  • Gauntlet Nightfall limited-time mode: Gauntlet but set in Hagental Base and with a smaller selection of objective modes and different team sizes. You'll get access to night vision goggles in this LTM too.
  • Defense Testing Complex 3 Point-of-Interest: A new zone to explore on Fort Lyndon in Battle Royale matches. It's an underground testing facility full of tunnels and plenty of good loot, but you don't want to get trapped down there when the ring of fire closes in.

Future Battlefield 6 updates and content

The recent Battlefield Labs Season 2 Testing article mentions a few things that will be tested in the future for upcoming updates.

It seems likely that most of these changes will come out either later in Season 2 or in a subsequent Season, so not particularly soon, but here's what the developers will be testing:

• Vehicle testing and Aircraft Radar: Battlefield 6's developers are looking to run "exploratory tests across aircraft and vehicle combat system". That's obviously very vague but initial testing for Aircraft Radar is specified and is being "actively evaluated". For those unaware, air vehicles in Battlefield 6 currently use the normal minimap with an expanded view, but past Battlefield games, starting with Battlefield 3, had a bespoke Aircraft Radar system. This allowed pilots to see all air vehicles on a much larger minimap, usually at the cost of not being able to see marked ground vehicles.
• Missile tuning: A tuning package for rocket and vehicle interactions is planned, which includes adjustments to RPGs and TOW launchers.
• Hit registration improvements: Future Labs tests will be used to validate improvements to hit registrations and overall combat consistency. There are several changes being worked on to cover this issue, with some planned to arrive early in Season 2 with more impactful updates coming later.
• Battlefield 4's Golmud Railway returns: Golmud Railway is being rebuilt for Battlefield 6 and will be the game's largest map to date. It will feature in future Labs sessions and will be released in a "future season", not Season 2.
• Redsec solos: A solo playlist for Redsec is also being considered and tested internally, but there are no indications on when, or if, this will be implemented.

Finally, last year, Twitter user temporyal released a leak that showed several new weapons set to arrive with Season 2 that has proven to be accurate, mentioning the Scorpion Evo 3 and Skorpion machine pistol (they have different names in the game). In a reply to their initial leak, they also mentioned a remake of the Propaganda map from Battlefield 4 exists, originally set in North Korea but now placed in Bulgaria – in fact, this map was also mentioned in leaks from before the game even released and has been spotted in the game's files after launch. However, it doesn't look like it'll be added in Season 2, and it could even be a red herring in the files but perhaps Season 3 is when we'll finally get to play it.

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EA has just announced that Battlefield 6 Season 1 has been extended – which, more pertinently, means that the Season 2 release date has been delayed. The new season will land roughly a month after it was previously expected, which the publisher says will allow for more development time in order to address feedback from fans.

"The first season will now run until the launch of Season 2 on February 17, with the Season 1 extension update being released on January 20," EA says in a press release. "This extended launch has been implemented to allow extra time to further develop and refine Season 2 as a result of community feedback." There are no details on what, specifically, is set to change with this extra development time.

The Season 1 extension update will include a variety of "fixes and stability improvements," as teased in an official blog post, but details on those have not yet been provided. The extension will include some minor bonuses to keep you playing, like daily login rewards, double XP weekends, a duos-themed Valentine's Day event, and a Portal showcase.

EA's biggest offering for the extended Season 1 is the Frostfire bonus path, which you can complete concurrently with the Season 1 battle pass. This will unlock a weapon package, soldier skin, and some XP boosts.

By all accounts, Battlefield 6's launch has been wildly successful, but some of that inevitable post-launch live-service malaise has already started to set in. Players are making AI accusations against "hollow and low effort" new artwork, the current selection of Battlefield 6 maps is starting to wear pretty thin, and balance issues have been drawing complaints for months. Here's hoping Season 2 can help set things back on track.

Looking for the best Battlefield 6 guns and weapons? We've got you covered.

If you're settling in to some Christmas/New Year's Battlefield 6 or Redsec for the first time, then you've got a lot to learn. This beginner's guide collects together everything GamesRadar's learned since the game came out, and collects together the combined knowledge of several players on the team. Whether you need help with the basics, or core principles like combat and classes, everything we've learned is gathered here to help you stay alive.

What is Redsec exactly?

Redsec is obviously the big thing for the new installment, this free to play Battlefield 6 battle royale adds in an unashamedly Warzone like experience. We have a whole range of basic Battlefield Redsec tips to help you get started, but there's a lot more know beyond that.

While one is paid for and the other free, Battlefield 6 and Redsec have shared progression, so you don't lose anything jumping between the two. But there are some specific things to think about like the unique and massive Redsec map.

There are also some specific battle royale mechanics like how to get your loadout in Redsec, or find the Redsec unique stashes, and how to get a tank in Battlefield Redsec - which involves more than just hopping in and taking a ride.

One thing you won't find that you might be expecting is the ability to play Battlefield Redsec solo. The developers are aware people want that and seem to be hinting it could be on the way. But currently it's teams or nothing.

What's in Battlefield 6 and Redsce

The current Battlefield 6 roadmap has ended, adding three content drops over three months to the base game's launch content. That's added a range of new Battlefield 6 maps, Battlefield 6 game modes and more. There is also a single player element, so if you want to know how long it is to beat the Battlefield 6 campaign, I can help you there too.

Battlefield 6 and Redsec multiplayer and sever info

While the majority of Battlefield 6 server issues and errors were confined to launch and saw people queuing to get into a game, they still pop up from time to time. So check that out if you're seeing any issues when you try to get a match, especially during peak playing times. If you're trying to play with friends then you'll want to read up on Battlefield 6 crossplay if it's across different platforms. And, if you're looking for the Battlefield 6 server browser, it's there. Just maybe not quite as you were expecting.

Classes explained

There are four Battlefield 6 classes in total, each with their own Training Paths you can complete to further specialise them and complete Battlefield 6 Class Challenges and Assignments.

The Assault, Engineer, Support and Recon all serve very specialised roles on the literal battlefield, fighting, healing, specialising in vehicle support and damage, and providing long distance cover and overwatch. So you need to think about how you want to play to pick the class closest to you - there's no point picking the sniper focused Recon and then running headfirst in the heart of the battle.

Whatever you go for, these Battlefield 6 build guides will help you get the best out of your choice with advice on weapons, attachments, gadgets and a few tips as well:

Weapons

There are a lot of best Battlefield 6 weapons to choose across across six main categories - Assault Rifles, SMGs, LMGs, Carbines, DMRs (Designated Marksman Rifle) and Sniper Rifles. In BF6 the range of maps, roles and modes mean you probably want to play around with your loadouts and options depending on what you're doing, but with the battle royale, which has more consistent gameplay, there's a clear Battlefield Redsec weapon tier list and meta.

Whatever weapons take your fancy, here's our best choices for all of them in Battlefield 6 and Redsec:

Obviously everyone had their own tastes so if you find something else that works for you, just go with it. As long as you're getting kills, who cares?

Vehicles

Battlefield 6 vehicles play a big part in matches and, well used, can turn the tide of battle as tanks help advance or hold a line, or Jets and Helicopters reign down chaos from above.

Like with weapons and classes, there's ways to optimise what's there so make sure you check out both the best battlefield 6 tank loadouts and the best Battlefield 6 helicopter loadouts

Whiles tanks are fairly easy to master you might need some Battlefield 6 flying tips once you know how to get Jets and Helicopters in Battlefield 6, as there have been some changes from previous games that not everyone's entirely on board with.

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A number of major games from this year have come under fire for apparently using AI-generated assets in some form or another, including Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, and now Battlefield 6 might be among them. Players have discovered a growing list of instances in which artwork shows hallmarks of generative AI, leading to cynicism about its creation.

One of the most prominent examples is for the spotlighted RPGs Vs Golf Carts mode in Portal. The image is a cartoon depiction of a guy in a cart, surrounded by soldiers launching rockets, and, aside from looking extremely out of place compared to the other pictures using more in-game imagery, players reckon it has the look and feel of something made with artificial intelligence.

Fans have been collating further examples across EA's juggernaut FPS. These range from 'poor-looking' weapons to bizarre tags that make no logistical sense when you look at them for more than five minutes.

Guns that have no trigger and an unnecessary number of barrels and parts that seem fused or melted on, and fish and other animals whose bodies have extra limbs, or straight up just look messy and distorted. One eagle's wing is flat out going in the wrong direction. While there's no way to know whether AI generated these pieces of work definitively, players find them to be sloppy and believe they put the release in a negative light.

"This game was made as cheap as possible to maximize profits. It's hollow and low effort with no love or passion," says one user on Reddit. "Now I'm considering even booting up this game. Like this is just stupid. This game has barely any content how dare they give us fucking slop like that?" another asks.

EA and the Battlefield studios have yet to comment on or address the use of AI. We'll update accordingly if or when that happens.

Battlefield 6 devs know Winter Offensive update is filled with "unexpected behaviors," and they're working on it: "Your experience and your feedback matter."

Battlefield Studios has responded to player complaints around Battlefield 6's 1.1.3.0 Winter Offensive Update, which unintentionally brought in widespread issues including gameplay stuttering, sluggish main menu navigation, and much more.

"I want to make it clear, your experience and your feedback matter," community manager Kevin Johnson tweeted earlier this week in light of online chatter around the update. "All of our Battlefield Studios teams are working to address the issues picked up and ensure your experience is the best it can be. Thank you for keeping us focused, fixes are either here - or on the way."

"The team has been reviewing all reports since the update, including items related to Breakthrough, the Firing Range, Portal, the Main Menu, and performance topics such as micro-stuttering on PC, along with several other issues raised by the community," a separate statement published on social media reads.

Several issues are currently being dealt with right now if they weren't already squashed in the update that hit PC earlier in the week, which focused on stuttering and a Firing Range bug. You can see the full list of problems and resolutions in the statement above.

"We will continue validating the resolutions already in development, gathering additional data from your reports, and prioritizing remaining issues based on severity and player impact," the statement continues. "Several items have already been resolved, or will be through our upcoming hotfixes. More improvements are planned in upcoming updates."

Battlefield 6 adds more vehicles to Breakthrough, but players have one specific demand for the mode: "Bring back 64 player Breakthrough you cowards!"

Breakthrough is getting some attention is the latest Battlefield 6 update, with changes to make the mode more enjoyable for the attackers. Specifically, there'll be more vehicles available, and their positioning will be fairer for either side (in theory, anyway). Some players aren't too pleased though, with more specific demands for the game type.

In Breakthrough, an attacking team attempts to commandeer parts of the map from a defensive squad against a timer. For Battlefield 6, the player count has been reduced to 48 players, from 64, and that’s proving contentious in the community.

"Bring back 64 players to every single map except Cairo," says one Reddit user. "Breakthrough 64 players back ASAP thank you," says another. "Bring back 64 player breakthrough you cowards!!" a third commenter states.

Some frustration lies in seeing things be altered for the mode, without addressing the desires of those who enjoy and want to play it more. The amount of tanks is a particular bugbear, as more have been added to Siege of Cairo. "Adding tanks is just going to increase the rate of steamrolling among good teams while doing very little to help bad teams play better since they're not relying on armor to bludgeon the defenders to the point their poor attack strategy doesn't matter," one player writes.

"I stopped playing because being a defender is just 24/7 fighting tanks, while attackers farm you," another commenter states. "We used to have tons of vehicles, including jets, tanks and helis, on the defender side in BF3, so vehicles could fight vehicles and infantry can fight infantry. Adding tanks won't fix poor map design, it just makes defending extremely one-dimensional."

Funnily enough, tanks are part of the changes to RedSec too, with the frequency of the armored vehicles getting lowered as a first measure in addressing complaints. EA and the myriad Battlefield studios will be glad to see nobody seems to have to have a problem with that part.

Some Battlefield 6 players still can't hear enemies creeping up on them, so devs are doing "a full pass" to fix niggling sound issues for good: "Hoping we can share more details on that soon."

Battlefield Redsec unique stashes are scattered around Fort Lyndon, each containing a powerful Battle Pickup weapon that might help you to victory in the battle royale. Finding them is the tricky part though, as they aren't marked on the map at all, leaving you to just keep an eye out for their smoke clouds as you dive in. Cracking these containers open and using the weapons within is also relevant to a couple of California Resistance event challenges too, so if you want to level up your battle pass and get some exclusive event rewards, here's where to look and how to open unique stashes you find in Redsec.

Now that you've opened the stash, you can loot it. Based on the stashes I've cracked open, you're guaranteed to find one Rare chest (black and red), an Intel Case providing XP, and one Battle Pickup weapon – currently either the Rorsch Mk-2 SMRW railgun weapon or the MP-RMG minigun. Both are very powerful, with the former being best against vehicles and the latter being best against infantry, but they are not especially easy to use and have limited ammo. Victory is not certain just because you've got one, so make sure you check out our Battlefield Redsec tips too.

Just watch out for other players, as the guarantee of decent loot and a Battle Pickup weapon means they can be quite popular.

Make sure you also know how to get your loadout in Battlefield Redsec so that you can get your personalized guns to take into any fight. And if you want even more firepower, make sure you know how to get a tank in Battlefield Redsec too.

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Battlefield Labs is making a comeback very soon, and things are kicking off with an early look at the December 9 game update for Battlefield 6. But the devs are already teasing far bigger and more experimental features and changes for the program, offering the community a chance to drop feedback and change the shape of these additions. Just, uh… y'all remember this stuff is NDA'd, right?

"Tomorrow, we're bringing Battlefield Labs back online," the devs say in a message to the community posted on social media. "Earlier phases of Battlefield Labs helped us gather fast, focused feedback on new ideas before they reached our live game. We're now evolving and building on that foundation on how we test together as a part of our commitment to deliver the biggest and most exciting Battlefield live service in franchise history."

The first of the new Labs playtests runs on December 2 from 4 to 6pm PST on NA servers and 7 to 9pm CET on EU servers, and it will only be available on PC through the EA app and Steam. This test will offer an early look at "some of the changes and content arriving in the December 9 game update," including those promised audio fixes, improvements to networking and hit registration, and "broader adjustments across key combat systems that influence all experiences."

The devs also offer a "reminder" that "participation within Battlefield Labs continues to be subject to an NDA." If you paid any attention to the Battlefield 6 leaks prior to launch, you'll know that many players treated that NDA as more of a suggestion than a binding agreement, so maybe that reminder is necessary.

"In the months ahead, we’ll use Battlefield Labs to look at a broader range of early concepts and experimental scenarios that benefit from real player insight," the devs say. "Beyond that, we are preparing future Labs sessions that explore changes to map layouts, pacing, and alternative team compositions such as smaller player counts or vehicle-focused setups."

Map size and pacing has already been hot topic that the devs have promised to address, and it looks like Labs playtests might be how they gather essential feedback on what to change. The devs also note the following as a few examples of what might be in future Labs playtests:

• New maps and experiences
• New modes and experimental rulesets
• Prototype mechanics and systems
• Environmental changes
• Future seasonal beats before they fully solidify
• Stability and performance

There will be two main types of Labs playtests going forward. "Planned play sessions" will include "either experimental, or future focused and recurring sessions around specific features or content" that players will help shape with their feedback. "Quick, short-notice sessions" will offer quicker rounds of feedback on more focused gameplay changes.

You can sign up to participate in Battlefields Labs playtesting on EA's official site.

Here are the best FPS games you can play today.

If you've been encountering problems with Battlefield 6's audio, as many players have, then there's a top-down revamp coming to EA's blockbuster FPS. A complete review of the sound and effects is underway, with the intention of ironing out niggling frustrations people have had since launch.

As much was revealed by Florian Le Bihan, principal game designer on Battlefield 6, in response to a complaint about not hearing in-game footsteps. "The entire in-game audio is receiving a full pass to solve those issues, including fixing some issues that caused some sounds to completely cut," he says on Twitter.

"We're still working on it and verifying the changes but hoping we can share more details on that soon!" he adds. Sound is crucial to playing something like Battlefield 6, where hearing where enemies are can be paramount to your approach.

Footfall has been one of the bigger niggles here, with players suffering from getting blindsided by adversaries they would've been able to counter had they heard their steps nearby. But it's not just reserved to regular boots on the ground.

There have been reports of the same happening for vehicles, whereby literal tanks are pulling up on unsuspecting victims who couldn't hear the thunderous rolling, and other quibbles. Even just from responses to Le Bihan's own tweet include a myriad of examples, suggesting this is close to being game-wide. A fix is in the offing though, and don't worry, you'll definitely hear about this one coming.

At the cost of his "sanity," Battlefield 6 player hits max rank with what is by far the worst vehicle in the game, sagely concludes: "It's a bad vehicle."

One Battlefield 6 player has maxed out what is undoubtedly the worst vehicle in the game for no reason other than to flex it.

Battlefield 6's worst vehicle is undoubtedly the Light Ground Transport (LGT), a jeep that offers no protection to the soldiers riding inside. Despite its mounted machine gun being a menace to anyone who appears in its sights, chances are that won't ever be a problem, as whoever decides to go onto that machine gun will likely have already been blown to pieces. This has led to it being called the "death trap" by some members of the community.

Battlefield player and Reddit user Renegade_Soviet posted onto the Battlefield subreddit showing that he has become perhaps one of the only people to level the vehicle up to rank 50, saying the reward is an "insane skin for a badge that makes you lose your sanity." Meanwhile, the comments are a mixture of calling it a badass feat and asking why someone would put themselves through that.

Rank 50 for the death trap, never removing this badge from r/Battlefield

After posting his feat of endurance onto Reddit, Renegade caught up with PC Gamer to explain the thought process. He explains, "I wanted to have the level 50 [jeep] badge on my profile as kind of a flex, since I know not too many people will get it."

And with such a universally hated vehicle, naturally the other question is how he actually managed to pull it off. Renegade explains, "I would wait at the objectives or narrow pathways and wait for [enemies] to come towards me." The whole process took place "off and on over the course of a month." Plus, it's not even like he could make it easier by doing this in casual playlists, as he adds, "I didn't do it on casual mode since it only gives a fraction of the XP for bot kills."

And after a month of using the derided vehicle and countless hours of grinding, Renegade has come to the conclusion: "It's a bad vehicle." He explains: "Even a simple shield on the machine gun would greatly improve your ability to be effective as a gunner."

Battlefield 6 lead says recoil will be "100% fixed," but "it's a pretty complex issue" that'll take some time to resolve: "We're already cooking some improvements."

A recurring theme of Battlefield 6's issues since launch has been the recoil. The bloom, knockback, and sensitivity are sticking points, the latter being the most egregious problem, with sections of the community continually requesting for some sort of patch or change.

Updates are coming from EA and the Battlefield studios, but they're going to take a minute because, well, it's not an easy problem to solve. "We'll get it fixed, it's a pretty complex issue, but we're already cooking some improvements that will help quite a bit with the issue until it's 100% fixed," Florian Le Bihan, a principal game designer on Battlefield 6, said on Twitter.

His post is in response to a player's frustration over the recoil, where they state the mechanic itself "needs to go." Alas, removing something integral to the gunplay from a release as large as Battlefield 6 is much easier said than done, and there's likely some extreme Jenga going on behind the scenes to make sure the changeover is as seamless as possible when the recoil is altered somehow.

One suggestion in response to Le Bihan is to dial the recoil down to wherever it was during the open beta. This is something the teams behind Battlefield 6 have done previously for other aspects of the FPS, in order to put a band-aid on the problem while they tinker on something longer-term.

We could very well see the same happen here. Whatever comes next and however it's delivered, Le Bihan's comments make it clear EA, DICE, and the other studios involved in Battlefield 6 are aware of people's issues, and are looking for a resolution that will fix more problems than it causes. Watch this space.

EA claims Battlefield 6 is the "best-selling shooter game of the year," but that's actually selling it short according to sales data.

We've had some big shooters this year, including Borderlands 4, Doom: The Dark Ages, Arc Raiders, and of course, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. But the biggest is Battlefield 6, at least according to the game's official website.

There's a blurb on the landing page, encouraging people to buy it and join the fray. In the last line is a bold claim: "There's never been a better time to jump into the best selling shooter game of the year." No figures are present, there's no acknowledgment of this on the social media of EA or any of the Battlefield studios, but it's there, clear as day.

New sales data for the year from Mat Piscatella, senior director at Circana, supports EA's claim. According to his numbers, not only is Battlefield 6 the highest-selling FPS or shooter of 2025, but it's also a contender for the best-selling game of the year, full stop.

He states the sequel is already number one on PC and Xbox, but sits in second on PlayStation behind NBA 2K26. Losing out to any of the major sports franchises is never a big defeat, just demonstrating how big this installment is right now.

It may go without saying, but Battlefield 6 has also set a mighty series record, becoming the best-selling entry in the franchise thus far. Sales for the month of October exceeded lifetime copies sold for Battlefield 1, the previous benchmark for such things.

We still have Christmas to go, and figures for Black Ops 7 will factor in more come December. Never count out Call of Duty.

Battlefield 6's "awful" new Sabotage mode is being torn apart by FPS players who "cannot fathom how this mode was approved" outside of existing "to retain some CoD players."

There's a new mode in Battlefield 6, Sabotage, an 8v8 skirmish where one team tries to stop the other from exploding parts of the map. It arrived in the latest update, and some players have a strong distaste for playing it, believing it feels too much like Call of Duty.

Sabotage strips down the gameplay to be just infantry and more close-quarters combat. While that may seem like a decent idea on paper in contrast to the vehicular chaos of other Battlefield 6 modes, quite a few people are bouncing off it hard.

"How and why did this ever get approved at any level of its development?" One impassioned player writes on Reddit. "Between the actual mode itself, which is just not Battlefield gameplay at all and promotes zero substance, to the absolutely egregious map layout that leads to the worst spawn camping I have seen in a Battlefield, I just cannot fathom how this mode was approved by multiple people and was stated as something that we as a community would enjoy?"

Their post is one of an increasingly large number of complaints. "I like the concept of the mode, but the execution is really poor," says another commenter. "Why the fuck does the team attacking second get extra 'overtime' if they failed to destroy the objectives in the same amount of time as the first team? It just makes zero sense."

Several posters have said they're simply playing Sabotage to complete the challenges, but otherwise have less than zero interest. Others believe this is actually a strategic move as Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 just came out.

"Just played a round of this on Castle Road and probably one of the WORST BF experiences I've ever had. It's so awful. Nothing but RPGs flying through alleys, grenade launcher spam, incendiary spam," one Redditor says, while another plainly states: "It's not made for us Battlefield players. It's made to retain some CoD player."

Sabotage is available until December 9, if you want to see what all the fuss is about.

Chaos hits Battlefield 6 as update leaves support players with "busted" defibrillators that only work some of the time: "I let at least 4 teammates die because I couldn't get the defib to register"

Battlefield 6's latest update has left defibrillators "busted," but thankfully the devs are already on the case investigating the issue.

Battlefield 6 update 1.1.2.0 went live yesterday, "reverting aim assist back to the values some of you experienced during Open Beta and Battlefield Labs," adding the new Eastwood map, and more. However, one change that clearly wasn't supposed to happen involves the shooter's defibs – the support gadget that's meant to quickly revive downed teammates. Unfortunately, that's not always been happening since the latest patch, leaving support players in shambles.

"Ever since today's update I can't consistently defib a downed teammate or squad mate," one player reports on Reddit. "I dunno if the tool requires more precision or if its just borked but I've had to stand on top of a teammate for 10 seconds constantly defibbing until it actually registered and I let at least 4 teammates die because I couldn't get the defib to register and revive."

"Is it just me or are defibs broken," another questions. "I feel like whenever I don't press it directly onto the head or chest of a player it won't revive. It would be nice if the hitbox were bigger."

They're clearly not the only ones to notice. YouTube creator Westie took to Twitter to report the "busted" defibs, prompting Battlefield 6 principal game designer (and former professional FPS player) Florian Le Bihan to respond. "I've seen quite a few reports yeah, will investigate what's happening," he confirms.

While it's not clear when we can expect a fix, it thankfully sounds like we can expect one sooner rather than later. For now, players will just have to try extra hard not to require revives in the first place, I suppose.

Battlefield 6 devs say map size is "under review," and for now it looks like they're already cutting player counts on some of the biggest meat grinders.

The latest Battlefield 6 update is now live, and it's a doozy. Besides bringing the California Resistance additions of Season 1, the patch addresses some latent glitches and tweaks aim assist, though the latter is proving slightly divisive.

To start, Eastwood, a map themed around sunny Southern California, is now live, with slight differences across various modes. Rodeo has been added to Gauntlet, and Sabotage is a new mode, playable for a limited time. The DB-12 Shotgun and M357 Trait Sidearm are now selectable weapons, as well.

But, like any of Battlefield 6's patches, the real juicy stuff is in the fixes and alterations. There are a lot of minor changes, sorting out glitches and fine-tuning the experience. Aim assist, a recurring theme of player complaints, has been reverted to an earlier state.

"After reviewing player feedback and gameplay data, we're reverting aim assist back to the values some of you experienced during Open Beta and Battlefield Labs," the patch notes read. "This will now serve as the default, whilst still providing you with the ability to alter the aim assist to your preference and playstyle via settings."

Members of the community believe this may cause more problems. "I think more reduction in spread/dispersion is actually bad for the game and might now feel very similar to 2042 where you could beam people out to 150m+ no problem," one player states.

"Core multiplayer is close to unplayable right now from the changes to spread/accuracy in the last patch," another tweet says. "The whole game/weapons need to be rebalanced with more extreme damage fall off."

Concern lies in other changes we've been told are coming around bullet dispersal. "It might be cooked because another bloom bug is getting fixed too on top of the overall reduction of bloom. Some guns are going to feel insane now," another Twitter user adds.

Feedback will come thick and fast now these tweaks are live, and we'll see what the next Battlefield 6 patch has to offer.

Battlefield 6 devs say map size is "under review," and for now it looks like they're already cutting player counts on some of the biggest meat grinders.

The Battlefield 6 devs say they're keeping a close eye on the community's response to the size of the maps and the pace of the action, as some fans feel that the game's become a bit of a meat grinder. While they haven't publicly announced any specific changes, it seems that a handful of maps have quietly had a pretty notable reduction in player count.

In the latest community update blog, the devs list "map design size" as one of the top topics that's currently "under review." They say "Battlefield is at its best when maps offer different ways to play and constant action around every corner. Striking that balance is always a priority, and we are committed to a variety of map types across future Seasons."

That line about "constant action" immediately proved controversial, since historically Battlefield has given you time to breathe between firefights, and that's been a primary differentiator between it and other FPS titles like Call of Duty.

But according to community account Battlefield Bulletin, the devs are taking feedback about some maps being too chaotic onboard, saying in a tweet that "Battlefield Studios has quietly reduced the player count in Breakthrough from 64p to 48p in some maps." The affected maps include Empire State, Manhattan Bridge, Liberation Peak, New Sobek City, Blackwell Fields, and Siege Of Cairo.

"With Eastwood arriving in the California Resistance Update," the devs conclude, "we will continue monitoring existing maps and modes for targeted adjustments (like what’s planned in Winter Offensive) while also learning from community creations in Portal."

Battlefield 6's bouncy terrain and class active abilities glitches are getting fixed next update, lead says, but aim assist and hit registration problems are still being worked on.

The point of battle royale matches is often to outkill your way to the very top of the leaderboard. It's rare that it happens, but on occasion, a disconnect or slip-up will occur, offering competitors a free win but denying them that climactic encounter. It's even rarer that someone purposefully avoids any fights at all and lives to tell the tale, but after 65 attempts at a pacifist run, one Battlefield Redsec player has pulled off the feat, and they did it in the riskiest way imaginable.

YouTube content creator Jamcowl was the one to clinch the amazing zero-kill win, and they've shared a video detailing their ballsy method. To start, they formulated about three strategies that might help them out. The first involved using stun or flash grenades on an enemy running from the firestorm, Battlefield Redsec's gnarly equivalent of the closing circle in typical battle royale modes.

The hope was to impede the competition long enough for the closing ring of fire to consume them, thereby avoiding a fight, but it didn't work too well for them to actively seek out enemies while simultaneously trying to avoid a fight.

When that didn't work, Jamcowl moved over to a new strategy, which saw them trying to bait enemies into shooting C4 charges atop a recon drone and blowing themselves up. You certainly can't fault them for their ambition, though this bore little fruit too.

Finally, they settled on the move that would ultimately secure the win: outrunning the competition by playing dangerously close to the firestorm and hiding in out-of-the-way spots. In the final moments of Jamcowl's 65th (And winning) attempt, they eventually moved over to a sort of makeshift trench with a bit of exposed pipe, one which they then hid in by continuously crawling backwards into the thing.

Though their teammate does get downed, eventually even providing a bit of cover as they die, Jamcowl continued hiding as enemies darted past them and the fires closed in. They get extremely close to Jamcowl's position but never quite spot them, eventually being swallowed by the firestorm while Jamcwol giddily watches from the safety of their pipe, netting them the win.

Impressively enough, both Jamcowl and their dead teammate managed to go the whole game without a single kill, making for an even more stunning double-zero-kill victory.

Battlefield Redsec devs wanted to create the "deadliest ring" a battle royale has ever had: "There's nothing that glorifies that destruction better than a massive wall of fire."

Battlefield Redsec is here, but as with any live service game, launch doesn't mean that the work is over. The devs are already working on fixing issues that players report, and they're even studying on YouTube to figure out where their efforts are needed most.

Creative director Thomas Andersson tells GamesRadar+ that he feels "really proud" of launching a free-to-play Battlefield experience.

"I was traveling last week, so I haven't been able to play for a week, and I'm itching to get in to see what's going on," Andersson says. "But I've been trying to keep up on YouTube, and we're always monitoring and seeing how people are getting on. Seeing if there's anything that we want to adjust, and then continuing on with our plans for ever evolving that content, making sure that it's fresh in there."

Similarly, design director Justin Wiebe says he "couldn't be more thrilled with the way the game's launched," adding that "the team is so hungry."

Wiebe says the team is "going through, watching all the videos, taking notes on things. Some things we've already improved, and we're like, 'Okay, we've already got that that's coming in a quick patch,' and other things that caught us by surprise, that you only experience when it's wild. Then it's like, 'okay, so here's a few things that we take note of.'"

The jury's still out on how the battle royale will be received in the long term – our Battlefield Redsec review awards it three stars out of five, saying that it "strays from Battlefield's core identity." The 44% positive 'mixed' reception on Steam suggests the community feels similarly.

But, as Wiebe explains, the devs are working on improvements "as well as continuing to work on our constant live service updates to make sure we're creating a plan that's going to evolve the content from there. But we think this is a really solid foundation from which we're then launching our major live services platform on."

Battlefield Redsec devs wanted to create the "deadliest ring" a battle royale has ever had: "There's nothing that glorifies that destruction better than a massive wall of fire."

Between the powerful vehicles and the large, destructible map, Battlefield Redsec truly imbues the battle royale formula with the militarized chaos the series is known for. One big change the free FPS brings is insta-death if you're caught in the encroaching circle of wildfire, something that was part of a particular MO for the developers.

"We talked a lot about what we don't want to see; people camping outside of the ring area and those kinds of things," Thomas Andersson, creative director on Battlefield 6, tells GamesRadar+ about making Redsec. "Justin [Wiebe, studio design director at Ripple Effect Studios] and I were both very passionate about that. What would happen if we did the deadliest ring in battle royale? Like, [what if] people truly feared this thing."

Something akin to a "Yes, and?" philosophy drove development forward. "We didn't want to shy away and say, 'Oh, maybe we shouldn't, it's too powerful,'" Wiebe explains. "We said, 'No, let's add combat vehicles, but then let's make sure teams are empowered against them,' that they can learn how to take them on, that they don't feel like victims."

There's definitely a more frenzied atmosphere when the numbers start dwindling in Redsec compared to Warzone, Fortnite, or PUBG. If you're caught in the ceaseless fire, you can't recover. Your round is simply over. It makes the final ten more ruthless and forces you to be that much more cunning as you navigate the map.

"Battlefield is all about massive scale, just enormous maps and destruction," Wiebe adds. "There's nothing that glorifies that destruction better than a massive wall of fire, burning everything, and sending it crashing to the ground around you."

Battlefield 6's bouncy terrain and class active abilities glitches are getting fixed next update, lead says, but aim assist and hit registration problems are still being worked on

Updates are coming thick and fast in Battlefield 6 at the moment, as EA and the game's disparate studios handle various post-launch glitches and wrinkles. The bouncy terrain bug and class active abilities are among what's coming in the next patch, and the devs are working on a bunch of other choice changes.

As collated by Battlefield Bulletin, the rollout post-version 1.1.1.6 will impact the FPS in a few key areas. The hilarious terrain bouncing glitch, where players are jumping around the map as if the floor is a giant trampoline, is getting sorted out - though if you ask me, that only made the game more fun, but alas.

Certain class active abilities not working is getting remedied as well, and on the more technical side, the 300 FPS cap on Nvidia Reflex will be tweaked. These are all confirmed by Florian Le Bihan, the principal gameplay lead on Battlefield, who's been extremely active on social media since launch, responding to players and providing further details.

A few issues are on a longer timeline right now. Problems with recoil and aim assistance are being worked on, but Le Bihan adds devs can't reveal more just yet. Glitching in hit registration is being investigated as well. These have been recurring problems that the team has been working to eliminate for a little while now, and it seems likely devs want the hotfix to deal with it all for good.

More on all of the above is coming soon. Maintaining one of the biggest multiplayer games of the year is no easy feat, and fires are continually being identified for the teams to work on. We'll keep you informed, and if you spot anything unusual, make sure to flag it as soon as possible.

Finally, Battlefield 6 is putting an end to drone-surfing with sledgehammers as EA fixes "an exploit allowing players to ascend and access unintended areas"

Weeks later, EA is finally fixing Battlefield 6's game-breaking drone glitch which – while admittedly pretty funny – was absolutely ruining online matches. The devs just detailed a new quality of life update with a myriad of small improvements, but none more important than the long-awaited death of the drone-surfing exploit.

The 1.1.1.5 update, which launches on November 11 at 1am PT / 4am ET / 9am GMT, was announced today, with a set of patch notes on the official site to peruse ahead of launch. The very top line, listed highest among the "major updates" in this patch, is this: "Fixed an exploit allowing players to ascend and access unintended areas when standing on a XFGM-6D Recon Drone by hitting it with the Sledgehammer."

That'll be a massive relief for the players who've been complaining about the drone exploit since it became widely known in mid-October. It became a massive issue in online matches, especially since it was so easy to execute – you just needed to stand on top of a drone and hit it with a sledgehammer, with repeated shots sending your makeshift platform high into the air.

From there, you'd have a perfect sniping position, or you could simply use the drone to reach otherwise inaccessible parts of the map and reign down fire from above. To say that it was interfering with matches is a bit of an understatement, but at least it's finally fixed – even if the patch is coming a few weeks later than you'd hope.

The other major updates in this patch include making countermeasures against lock-guided missiles more reliable, fixes for issues with vehicle spawning in Breakthrough and Conquest modes, and improvements to a wide range of battle royale, progression, audio, and UI issues.

Battlefield 6 tank skins might create weak points that kill you, but some fans think more bugs are the price of fashion: "They look cool. I'd rather die."

The Gold Standard vehicle skin in Battlefield 6 appears to be anything but, as it seems to create gaping holes in your tank defenses. The apparent debuff has been noted by several players now, who are hoping for a fix soon.

The Battlefield Bulletin posted about it with screenshots on Twitter, explaining how Gold Standard seems to hurt vehicle health. "There's currently an issue which is causing a massive (unintentional) weak spot from the entire front," the post reads. "Around 70% damage without Armor Upgrade and 64% damage with Armor Upgrade vs one single RPG."

The update account also pointed out the Chimera tank skin brings similar problems. In the replies, a user states they noticed this two weeks ago, posting on the official forums, but the post got no traction. "When you use Gold Standard skins on a tank or IFV, it starts taking significantly more damage compared to when using a regular skin," the forum post reads. "I tested it both with and without skins, and the difference in received damage is huge."

The Battlefield player points out a massive 70% damage hit, too, aligning with Battlefield Bulletin's findings, and they finish on a simple plea to EA developers: "please fix this issue."

As these tank skins are meant to be cosmetic, with no change to your stats and performance, these revelations aren't going down well. "So that's not 'skin' in a traditional sense, somehow they're selling specific armor layouts as skins?” says one response on Twitter. "I really doubt they can handle that business model without problems."

Others simply believe Battlefield 6 devs need to give vehicles more attention. "Vehicles are still getting ignored since launch," another reply adds. "No fixes, no major balance improvements. There are a lot of instances where MBTs and IFVs are getting one-shotted or two-shotted by RPGs."

There's been no official response just yet from Battlefield devs, but watch this space, and don't have Gold Standard equipped. Unless, of course, you prefer the aesthetics, as one player puts it: "They look cool. I’d rather die."

Battlefield 6 lead agrees "we need more of the large sandbox" maps but also defends small maps: "There are different types of Battlefield maps in all games"

Dropping into the sun-soaked coastal hills of Fort Lyndon in my first Battlefield Redsec mission, it's immediately apparent which other battle royale game is its core inspiration. Scrabbling for guns that I've never used in regular Battlefield 6 multiplayer, shoving armor plates down my vest while getting shot at from any number of abandoned military installations, and trying to make sense of all sorts of tactical jargon objectives to get better loot for the endgame – it's all a bit Call of Duty: Warzone.

That's hardly surprising given that Warzone is also based on the bones of a modern military shooter and was a big success – why wouldn't EA and Battlefield Studios want to use that as reference for its own modern military battle royale? But Battlefield Redsec arriving late to the party, wearing the same outfit as someone else, and riding the coattails of an old friend, means I can't help but feel a little disappointed. The instant familiarity from both Battlefield 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone means Redsec is easy to dive into, but it doesn't exactly stand out for its innovations in the battle royale space, especially this late to the game.

However, that's not to say Battlefield Redsec is a bad time overall. While Battle Royale is its focus, this free-to-play Battlefield 6 spinoff clearly has ambitions to become much bigger and last for years to come. There's certainly promise as Redsec at least packs a few flourishes and refinements, too, making for a foundation that is undeniably solid, but not necessarily the most exciting if you're after something truly fresh.

One battle royale after another

Battlefield Redsec's Battle Royale mode is, to put it concisely, perfectly adequate – it ticks all the right boxes for a battle royale, but it's not especially unique either. After getting my first win from a tense few minutes of riding the inescapable ring with only a pathetic bus shelter for cover, only to be forced to charge the final duo, the celebration I mustered was more a relieved sigh than a victorious cheer.

The problem I've found with Battlefield Redsec's battle royale is that, even after just a few matches, I feel like I've seen everything already – it just feels like a streamlined version of Call of Duty: Warzone. The Missions system offers powerful rewards directly rather than using Warzone's cash approach. Gadgets and killstreak reward-like items, such as air strikes, UAVs, and defibrillators, are available as floor loot rather than from Buy Stations. And everyone gets a free second chance to drop back in after dying, skipping the nerve-shredding one-on-one Gulag fight. I certainly prefer this streamlined approach as it keeps things simple, circumventing the money middleman, but it's not exactly exciting innovation.

Even when it tries to be different, I'm still not totally convinced by its efforts either. One of the major differences I've noticed in Redsec compared to other battle royale games is that its chemical fire ring is always closing in and lethal right from the start. It's not something I've personally seen before, save for a limited-time mode in Apex Legends, and I think there's a reason for that. The looming threat of incineration means matches are sometimes a blur of mild-to-severe panic rather than a rollercoaster of intensity that comes from a traditional multi-stage ring. Some players will relish that tension, but I much prefer having the chance to catch my breath and plan with my team.

Although, these improvements make Battlefield Redsec Battle Royale an undeniably solid foundation. Fort Lyndon is a good first stab at a battle royale map with a nice mix of landmarks, mixing urban and suburban architecture with military installations, verdant hills, and dust bowls with the California sun keeping drab tones at bay. Tanks are also present to add some all-out warfare zing but aren't easy to get and thankfully can't always run riot due to the amount of anti-tank gear squads can come by.

However, it lacks a killer element to really set it above anything that has come before, especially with the signature Battlefield class system feeling sidelined despite each class having bespoke Training Paths and perks. Redsec's refinements over Warzone feel more like quality-of-life improvements rather than a unique take on the formula.

Running the gauntlet

But Redsec doesn't start and end with Battle Royale as (for now) there's another game mode that has been an unexpected delight. In Gauntlet, eight four-player squads are pitted against each other in short, chaotic rounds where playing the objective is all that matters. At the end of each round, the two lowest-scoring teams are eliminated, with the fourth round being a final showdown between the top two teams for ultimate victory.

The variety of objectives means your first few matches can be a trial by fire, but once you've got the hang of things, Gauntlet is fantastically intense and highly competitive – the scoreboard in the top-right corner marking which teams are up for elimination feeling like a guillotine over the neck of every squad.

Whether you're delivering batches of data drives to drones, blowing up M-COMs, or asserting control over a hex grid, making it through any round is an exciting rush, especially if evenly matched teams are jockeying for position right until the last second. Communication and objective play being crucial to success means teamwork is richly rewarded and every win feels hard-fought and supremely satisfying, particularly with friends.

Strangely, that all makes Gauntlet "feel" like the more Battlefield-y of the two Redsec modes, despite also butchering some of the franchise's hallmarks, arguably more so than Battle Royale. While the class system is the same as in regular multiplayer, my friends and I quickly figured out that the constant rushing around for objectives, long respawn times, and points for revives meant that the Support class was preferable in every round, making the other three classes almost redundant – we’d typically run four Supports, only occasionally swapping one for an Engineer if an IFV was proving especially troublesome. This isn't to say Recon and Assault are useless, but simply being able to revive and heal quickly, and coordinate well, meant we could easily make up for the lack of class variety.

Furthermore, the relatively small maps made from Fort Lyndon's points-of-interest heavily favor chaotic infantry combat, with the signature combined arms warfare of Battlefield – one of my favorite aspects of the franchise – being lost. IFVs make appearances in the early rounds and can be disruptive, serving as a neutral, Halo-style power weapon for any team to grab, but the tight focus on objectives means vehicles are almost exclusively for getting around. It'd be nice to see some vehicle-oriented rounds get added to mix things up from the constant footslogging and make the most of Battlefield 6's sandbox.

Battle plans

Battlefield Redsec is far from a flawless package that, for me at least, is largely held up by Gauntlet, with Battle Royale lacking a unique identity to keep me dropping back in. Where Gauntlet feels like a great fit, in spite of its problems, Battle Royale perhaps reveals that the franchise's all-out warfare and objective-based gameplay just isn't compatible with the free-for-all nature of the genre.

However, it's clear that EA isn't stopping here with Battlefield Redsec, calling it the "ultimate free-to-play FPS destination built on Battlefield’s iconic DNA" – almost certainly a playground of engagement a la Fortnite or Roblox, but everyone's a NATO or Pax Armata soldier rather than a pop culture reference, and it's all powered by a rather hideous microtransactions store.

My biggest concern is how this will sit alongside the premium Battlefield 6 and the eventual plans for yearly Battlefield releases – Call of Duty hasn't exactly been cannibalized by Warzone, but it's clear that the need for all games to be Warzone-compatible has impacted development. Bearing all that in mind, it's difficult for me to get on board with Battlefield Redsec on the whole, but after its first week or so, it remains a smooth and competitive experience in its own right that will be sticking around for the long run whether you like it or not.

Battlefield Redsec was reviewed on Xbox Series X, with a code provided by the publisher.

Take a look at our best Battlefield Redsec weapons tier list for some starting tips!

Battlefield 6 lead David Sirland has explained why bots exist in the game, and that players will have to make do for now.

While the current trend in multiplayer complaints is centered on skill-based matchmaking (which Battlefield 6 appears to have, although EA hasn't fully confirmed how it works), players have been vocal about the prevalence of bots in their games. As such, Battlefield 6 lead David Sirland says, "It's clear there is confusion on what makes bots be in games in BF6," before breaking it down in a lengthy thread on Twitter.

Sirland explained that bots enter a game only when the pre-round takes too long before filling up to 24 players per side. He explains that each time a player from the same region and playlist joins, the bot will be filtered out. If two teams of 24 are in the game, the bots won't appear, even if the lobbies can handle 64 players.

Sirland added that "The alternative to doing this, would be full on waiting (possibly forever) to play on the playlist of your choice in regions with low population." He adds that players who keep leaving when they see bots "stick it out (or atleast give it a minute or two, or how may you are willing to try and wait for)" before deeming a match to be too packed with bots.

When a fan responded saying EA refuses to "acknowledge there is a problem," Sirland responded, "I am looking for detailed, specific issues. And first you need to understand what it is SUPPOSED to do. Then I can see what is happening (outside of that) - and look for the problem and a fix." So, if the community sincerely believes there is a problem with Battlefield bots beyond them working as intended, the team seems open to fixing it.

Battlefield 6 lead agrees "we need more of the large sandbox" maps but also defends small maps: "There are different types of Battlefield maps in all games"

A recurring criticism of Battlefield 6 has been the map sizes compared to previous entries. Even during the open beta, players were noticing how intimate the play areas felt for a game where large destruction was a hallmark. It seems the devs are aware of this, and are potentially looking at remedying the problem.

David Sirland, lead producer on Battlefield, posted on Twitter asking if there were any issues his team had missed recently. A fan replied, calling the maps the "biggest issue," listing criticisms about their scale, and giving Blackwell as an example of one where players have been able to camp and snipe exceedingly well.

"That is an issue with that map for sure, and the tightness of the flight space," Sirland responds. "I don't agree that is true for all maps, however, there are different types of Battlefield maps in all games."

He does add, though, that "we need more of the large sandbox types." Even a broad overview suggests this to be the case. One player actually did a painstaking breakdown of the map sizing across several Battlefield games, only to find this sixth mainline installment is nowhere near the top when it comes to landmass.

Sirland has a point in that there's room for all kinds of Battlefield experiences, from tense, close-range gunfights, to wider destruction derbies where all sorts of artillery is flying across the map. But right now, Battlefield 6 is offering a lot more of the former than the latter, and it's to the game's detriment.

With only one other new map still to come Season 1, Eastwood, it'll be Season 2 before some of this feedback may be used. Whatever maps are added, you can be sure they'll be heavily scrutinized.

A Battlefield 6 bug is killing some players for committing the heinous crime of jumping, dev says "We don't break knees on purpose."

The life of a pilot in Battlefield 6 just got much easier, as those dreaded homing missiles have been turned off for the time being. This comes after consistent complaints about players being killed soon after spawning because it's simply too hard to shake the weapon once fired.

The official Twitter account of Battlefield 6 shared the update today, October 6. "We've temporarily disabled the Lock-Guided Missile (MR Missile) for the Infantry Fighting Vehicle as we work to address inconsistencies witnessed with this vehicle's countermeasures," the post reads.

The change should be live from now, and further tweaks resolving the problem are expected to roll out next week. Not a moment too soon, as people have been noticing how hard it is to defend against or dodge one of these missiles once they're fired practically since launch.

Essentially, if you're in a helicopter or a jet, and someone's using an IFV, you're in for a world of hurt. Primarily designed to move soldiers across the map, the IFV comes with a lock-on rocket for offensive and defensive.

The locking on is a bit too quick, has a large radius of effectiveness, and comes with a swift cooldown and plenty of ammo. Once one is fired, you're very likely to be hit and taken down, and another round can be shot within seconds. Flares out the back end is the only real defense mechanism pilots have, and it's not always the most useful.

This is one alteration that's been in the offing for some time, and you can feel the relief from players in the immediate responses alone. As one replies on Twitter, "Finally..."

Watch this space for what changes will be made when the patch is made public.

Battlefield 6's recoil is making aiming so inaccurate players want it "fixed immediately," but lead developer suggests it may be a skill issue: "I don't think it's a bug we're looking at."

Many great FPS games have been divided between players on controllers versus keyboard-and-mouse, and Battlefield 6 is no exception. Some over-tuned aim assistance is apparently giving those on joypads an advantage, leading members of the community to figure out a workaround.

Shooter-centric YouTuber, streamer and pro player Otto 'ottr' Boström posted on Twitter about the way he's managed to level the playing field against what he deems a "massive advantage": remove crossplay by editing PC files. "Tired of the OP Aim Assist? Here's how to turn off crossplay on PC," he says, with the file directory on what to add to switch crossplay off. He includes a handy image to boot.

He mentions that doing so right now just leads to playing with more bots, because there aren't enough players for fully human matches, but if it becomes a trend, he believes it'll lead to more "solid games." Replies have people pointing out lots of PC users are still on controller, to which ottr notes he’s seen some "insane beams" and this "significantly reduces the risk" of encountering them.

Aim assist is becoming an increasingly large bugbear within the Battlefield 6 playerbase at large. There are complaints that it's over-tuned and creating unfair advantages. Some changes are being rolled out, and the adjoining recoil is being reviewed, though devs have mentioned alterations on that front aren’t a dead cert for now.

This isn't the first makeshift solution people have created for problems within Battlefield 6. A rash of bot farms sprang up through Portal to help with slower progression before XP gains were changed to make ascending through the ranks easier. Should this method take off, EA, DICE, and the other studios involved in the series may wind up taking action sooner rather than later.

Battlefield 6 player goes to extreme lengths to prove the new maps are much smaller than in previous games, painstakingly scaling pixels to meters: "I've done nothing but work on this the entire weekend."

If you've been getting frustrated by the aiming in Battlefield 6, you're not alone, as a number of players have found it tricky to maintain accuracy. As it turns out, this is a feature, not a bug, and may not be addressed in immediate patches, but the devs are investigating negative feedback.

A fan posted on Twitter about the impact recoil is having on their aim in Battlefield 6, pointing out just how inaccurate their shooting becomes, even without making any big movements. "This needs to be fixed immediately and should be a high priority," they state emphatically.

Battlefield principal gameplay designer Florian Le Bihan responds, clarifying there's not necessarily anything to fix here. "We are looking into it. I don't think it's a bug that we are looking at though," he says, "recoil essentially is 'added' to your aim input so if you move your aim against the recoil, it will feel more sluggish, if you move your aim with the recoil, it will accelerate it."

Popular Battlefield streamer and YouTuber Silk replies, asking if horizontal recoil "naturally" behaves this way when moving against your target, then doubling down that it should be rejigged. "This is something we're looking at so I'm sure we'll have more to share soon enough," Le Bihan adds, after stating it’s hard to explain these ideas in short comments.

The devs across EA and the Battlefield studios have a number of going concerns at the minute, including the new casual mode, RedSec, sorting out bizarre glitches, and continuing to fiddle with progression. Something behaving as it should may not be a priority at present, but it sounds like the team is listening to negative feedback. We'll see what comes of it, and what changes emerge, if any, in the coming weeks.

Battlefield 6 player goes to extreme lengths to prove the new maps are much smaller than in previous games, painstakingly scaling pixels to meters: "I've done nothing but work on this the entire weekend."

Rounds of Battlefield 6 are meant to be pretty explosive and unpredictable, but you shouldn't be dropping dead at random. So, a bug causing some hilarious but no less irritating deaths is being fixed, as the devs have figured out the problem.

In certain scenarios, players have found themselves keeling over after a jump, even a small one, as if by delayed reaction. You'd get up, dust yourself off, only to just drop moments later in an empty hallway, safely away from any bullets or shrapnel.

You can see an example below from YouTuber Dynamic, who makes a joke about EA and the Battlefield studios wanting to consciously stifle your movement after prolonged back and forth over the pace of the game. Alas, that's not the case at all, and one of the game's leads has confirmed this bug is being worked on.

"Seems to happen if you're initially killed while falling from a great height, then revived and jump again afterwards," Florian Le Bihan, principal game designer on Battlefield, responded on X/Twitter. "We've found the issue, fixing."

One response to the clip states they encountered this problem 10 times. Dynamic says this was their first time seeing it happen, but if EA and the Battlefield studios are aware of it, there must've been decent frequency. Amusingly, some replies attempted to rationalize the bug as an intended feature.

"Nah we don't break knees on purpose," Le Bihan added in a reply.

While some deaths boil down to skill issues, that's clearly not what's going on here. However, if you're not lasting too long in any given match, it might be time to change gears a little and get some practice in. A new casual mode was recently added to help players learn the ropes, though until this incoming hotfix is out, you should still be wary of heights.

Battlefield 6 player goes to extreme lengths to prove the new maps are much smaller than in previous games, painstakingly scaling pixels to meters: "I've done nothing but work on this the entire weekend"

If there is a Battlefield 6 class in need of a good PR team, it's Recon. The image of a sniper in Battlefield isn't a glowing one: they perpetually linger on the rear fringes of your team's HQ, dreaming of flashy headshots while cold reality serves occasional hit markers on a distant medic's foot. Recon players are often observed travelling in packs – never towards the objective, mind you – and crowd the nearest summit, their collective scope glare drawing the attention of secondary gunners in tanks who kill them as an afterthought.

I primarily play Support, which means my drive to get onto the objective – and zap anyone who falters in their duty with defibrillators – is at odds with the average Recon player. Somewhere along the way, the reputation of Recon players also soured my perception of the class itself. I adore sniping in shooters, yet choosing to play the class felt like putting on a mark of shame – a big, glinting sign that told my teammates I was only there for kills.

But after making a real go of the class in both Redsec and Battlefield 6's attack and defend modes, I've seen the light. Recon may not have all the tools that make Support the greatest class, but there are situations where a good sniper can make or break a match. Emphasis on good.

Out of sight

I've already outlined what makes a bad Recon player, and I stand by this. Sitting back and ignoring objectives sucks, and repeat offenders should be forced to snipe with iron sights for their sins. But neither am I asking for snipers to get their running shoes on and fight on the frontlines of a point. You can play the objective without necessarily barreling headfirst into it, which is something I've only come to appreciate since making an effort to better understand Recon.

Take attacking. For as much as I'll go to bat for my darling M60, it can only do so much against defenders who have dug into distant rooftops and rocky hillsides – no matter how ludicrous a scope I attach to it. Smoke grenades are phenomenal for closing most gaps, but they're more effective against head-on targets, and aren't a long-term solution for clearing those rooftop-dwellers. This is where Recon comes in – it's far and away the best class for shaking loose stubborn defenders, removing priority targets and softening up a site so that medics can usher Assault players forward like wayward lambs. Plus, you're still getting to plonk down and chase headshots – you're just doing it somewhere useful!

While the prevalence of open weapon queues means anyone can technically pick up a sniper and get to work, Recon (rightly) remains the best class to use them with. Automatic spotting is ludicrously helpful for your team – if not outright broken, unless my ability to tag unseen enemies hiding behind sheds is the awakening of a latent superpower. But best of all is Recon's drone, which is so powerful that I'm shocked they aren't shot down seconds after takeoff. The drone (formal name: XFGM-6D) is equipped with thermal vision, meaning it will have tagged half a dozen baddies on your screen before you've even spotted half of them. It can also remotely destroy equipment through walls, meaning you can light up targets for infantry while clearing mines ahead of tanks – all without leaving whatever vantage point you've settled into.

Since treating Recon as a specialist role, I've found myself reaching for the class quite often. Defending on Operation Firestorm? Climb up a rig, send your drone up, and let the points roll in as you let your team know where every single enemy in the game is about to attack from. Struggling to break through on Liberation Peak? Counter-snipe along the hillside to open it up and watch as your team floods over the chokepoints from all sides. Broadly, if I can't brute force onto a point as Support – and it's not because of tanks that need clearing as an Engineer – I'll switch to Recon because aside from all of the reasons above, fatal headshots mean anyone you kill can't be kept on the frontline by pesky medics. Only I'm allowed to do that!

All said, consider this my formal apology. Recon, I wasn't familiar with your game. If my shouting from the rooftops (see: quietly whispering from a prone position) brings just one more player around, I'll consider myself atoned. And if you find your HQ swamped with snipers who besmirch the good name of Recon, you're legally allowed to drop smoke grenades on them. They'll never see it coming.

After hitting level 30 in Battlefield 6, I'm just going to say it: the slow progression is fine, actually

If you're one of the Battlefield 6 players who've had problems with the aim assist, good news - it's getting toned down. A nerf is being deployed to make aiming easier, after consistent complaints the assistance did the opposite.

Details of the change come from Matthew Nickerson, the console and controller design lead at EA, who revealed that the aim assistance is going to be dialed down. "Far less stickiness so it does not create that rotational persistence that is currently live," he explains on Twitter. "Consistent slow down, no ramp."

The 25% recoil on controllers isn't getting reduced just yet, as it's a different system, but there'll be more fine-tuning when newer tech is rolled out. So far, fans of Battlefield 6 have been highly receptive to this news.

"Feels terrible to aim right now, you have to fight the aim assist. I've turned aim assist slowdown all the way down but it still doesn't feel natural, hoping this fixes that," says one player on Twitter.

"This is great to hear. I also agree that the recoil reduction is kinda insane for good controller players," Huskerrs, an FPS-focused esports player and streamer, said in reply to Nickerson. "This sounds like it's gonna make it much easier to aim on controller. The stickiness straight up kills you if there are multiple enemies on screen," another fan adds.

No timeline is provided for these changes, but it appears we can expect them in the near future. Numerous changes have been made to Battlefield 6 since launch, including XP caps and a new casual mode to help progression and stop people from exploiting bot farms in Portal. Gradually, the FPS is becoming the ideal experience.

Battlefield 6 player goes to extreme lengths to prove the new maps are much smaller than in previous games, painstakingly scaling pixels to meters: "I've done nothing but work on this the entire weekend."

Do Redsec and Battlefield 6 have skill-based matchmaking, or SBMM, to use the community abbreviation? There hasn't been a huge amount of clarity across the community on whether either Battlefield 6 or the new Battle Royale tie-in actually make use of ranked matchmaking in that way, but there have been reported comments from EA regarding this element, as we'll explain below.

Is there Skill-Based Matchmaking in Redsec and Battlefield 6?

Though there has yet to be an official statement from EA or the developers of Battlefield officially that we can find, the site CharlieIntel has reported that Battlefield 6 does have some version of skill based matchmaking, though doesn't go into huge detail on what factors are being considered or analysed when ranking players.

It's also important to remember that this comment does just concern Battlefield 6, and not Battlefield Redsec. Though there's plenty of speculation from the playerbase and community, right now there is no verifiable confirmation from EA that Redsec either does or does not have SBMM. It's possible that it follows similar parameters to the Battlefield 6 multiplayer, especially as it runs on the same client, but we can't confirm that. We have reached out to EA for comment or clarification, but have yet to receive a response. However, we'll update this page if we're given a specific response or further information arises regarding Battlefield's systems in either game mode.

Want more help with your military career? Check out our Battlefield Redsec weapon tier list and meta here, or discover how to get your loadout in Redsec so you know where you can get those weapons for yourself!

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There's now a more PvE-focused mode in Battlefield 6 called Casual Breakthrough, where two-thirds of the player-count is made up of bots. This is meant to provide an alternative to pure PvP, but it’s not sitting too well among everyone in the community, with some players feeling the FPS is drifting from what defines the series.

The official description states the mode offers "a more relaxed way" for players to progress and earn XP. The catch is, there's already a belief that the shooter is easier than some folks would like. "The game is already casual, it has no matchmaking parameters," FPS-focused streamer The Tactical Brit responded on X/Twitter.

"All this achieves is taking away memorable moments and replay-ability that makes the franchise special," he continues. "The more on-rails Battlefield gameplay becomes, the less we have a real sandbox environment."

Concerned about the heavy use of bots, he makes a stronger claim in another response: "Players want real people."

There's a subsection of the player base who seem a little alienated by some of the choices and additions EA and the Battlefield 6 studios have made post-launch.

"They see the feedback saying we're losing the real Battlefield, they see the small map outrage, they see critical comments on the BR being the main stage now - and what do they do? Another casual mode with mixed progression for smaller player bases," one Redditor states.

"I have no idea where we are going with this game," reads a top reply on the same post sharing news of the mode.

There have been some complaints about the overall feel of Battlefield 6 since open beta access, as players expecting the bombastic military FPS got something a little closer to Call of Duty in execution. Smaller maps and questionable skin designs compounded a sense the series is taking cues from competition rather than building on its own strengths.

That said, once casual people try out Casual Breakthrough, they seem to generally enjoy it. "As a battledad with limited time, this is great for me, and I'm sure others as well. Especially the 80% that never even go online to look up games," reads a reply on X/Twitter.

"It's a fun game mode for a few warmup matches and makes progressing grindy challenges easier," another Redditor states. You can't please everyone, and the Battlefield devs are learning that the hard way. And as ever, you control what buttons you press and what modes you play.

Battlefield 6 Season 1 and Battle Royale RedSec rollout leaves fans feeling that EA is turning the FPS into a "soulless" Call of Duty clone: "I feel disgusted and downright sad!"

Even though it's the latest entry, Battlefield 6 actually has some of the smaller maps in the FPS series thus far. This is according to data compiled by a discerning fan who has gone through many of its installments and ranked their multiplayer areas by size for comparison's sake.

The information was shared on Reddit by users ClaratheRed and PENGUINonPC, who did "nothing but work on this the entire weekend," and it comes in three distinct datasets. The first is a top-down view of every map across the Battlefield games, as if they were islands. You can plainly see number six stands as one of the meeker offerings, Operation Firestorm and Mirak Valley not coming close to the bigger landmasses.

After that, there are two size charts. The first is by playable area in kilometer-squared. Bandar Desert from Battlefield 3 reigns supreme, at nearly two-and-a-half kilometers overall. Then Alborz Mountains, also from 3, which is just over one-and-a-half kilometers. Battlefield 4's Paracel Storm is next, and we’re back to 3 with Strike at Karkand.

DICE and EA were truly on one for Battlefield 3's multiplayer, huh? Nothing from Battlefield 6 is in the top ten, the highest-ranked area being its version of Operation Firestorm, and that's less than 500 square meters. What are these, Battlefield maps for ants?

A third ranking looks at total size in kilometer-squared. Battlefield 3 still dominates, and four of the bottom five are from the sixth installment, Saints Quarter being the second smallest, just ahead of Ziba Tower from the third. Seeing the numbers laid out like this is eye-opening, since the devs made a song and dance about returning to Battlefield’s peak. This just compounds complaints about 6 feeling more close quarters than some expected.

"Honestly, some of the maps actually look really good, but they've been made annoying as hell to play on due to the extremely claustrophobic out of bounds areas," reads one response on Reddit. "I enjoy Liberation Peak because it's larger and because of the U-shape. I do think the maps are too small, but it doesn't help that most of them put you in a box where you can be seen from everywhere," says another.

Who knows, we might see bigger multiplayer sandboxes further down the line. If for nothing else than to give the game a greater leg up when compared to its forebears.

Battlefield 6 devs quietly remove controversial "blue crayola" skin after sparking a backlash from fans who felt it went against EA's promise of grounded and realistic skins