Will Battlefield 6 have a server browser?

There is no Battlefield 6 server browser that players can use to find official and custom matches, at least not in the open beta anyway. But the full game sounds like it will feature a hybrid system that incorporates matchmaking with persistent servers contained within a browser.

The developers believe that the updated Portal system is a good middle ground and, despite player concerns, it sounds like this system might be what they're after in Battlefield 6 anyway. More to the point, figuring out how it will work with no way of trying it ourselves is a real headscratcher, so I've laid out everything we know about custom servers and a server browser system in Battlefield 6 below, including details from the developers themselves.

Will there be a custom server browser in Battlefield 6?

Yes, Battlefield 6 will have a server browser, but it'll be a part of the Portal mode rather than being the main multiplayer offering for the game, alongside matchmaking.

In short, the revamped Portal will have a server browser that utilizes persistent servers and will be available on the main menu of Battlefield 6, not buried elsewhere. It also seems like it'll be the best option if you want to play with larger groups of friends that wouldn't fit into a single squad of four players.

Why doesn't Battlefield 6 have a server browser like Battlefield 3 and 4?

Responding to players' concerns on Twitter about the lack of a server browser and matchmaking issues, Battlefield's lead producer at Dice, David Sirland said: "We think the current setup gives us the best of both worlds, as you can choose to go spin up a server through regular matchmaking - or find an existing server that is already running - or create your own as well. We'll soon be testing the server browser, so you can experience it." (I wouldn't take this to mean it'll be available for testing in the upcoming Battlefield 6 beta weekend, however)

To give some context as to how matchmaking and servers in Battlefield 6 work, when you select a mode and start searching for a match, you will eventually join a server that is filling up with players. When the match ends, the server "spins down", spitting out all players, and the process repeats. This is why it can take a while to find matches as the game needs to fill the server with enough players to start a match every time.

Two other major flaws with this system are that it splits groups of players larger than a single squad of four (when the matchmaker empties the server at the end of a match, it's unlikely that you'll match with anyone who isn’t in your squad again) and it can hinder map variety.

However, the updated version of Portal in Battlefield 6 will feature persistent servers that are effectively always running and custom servers that you can create. In that respect, Sirland says that Portal is a server browser: "it contains servers, some are custom experiences, some are verified." He also says that the Portal browser allows you to get around the two major issues with matchmaking mentioned above – persistent servers should solve the issue of large teams getting separated between matches, and Sirland specifically mentions "map playlists", which sound like a way to ensure variety.

Sirland and BF6 producer Alexia Christofi believe that this is why the hybrid system of matchmaking and the Portal is the best of both worlds and caters to most players. They both also make it clear that the Portal's server browser will be featured on the game's main menu, not buried separately in the Portal mode itself.

Christofi also mentions that this version of the Portal system allows the developers to better filter out XP exploit servers but also allow full XP rewards on more "experiences" (custom modes created within Portal) than ever before.

Obviously, I've explained all that based mostly on existing Portal information and some social media posts from a couple of developers. The Portal and its browser system have not been playable yet but this guide will be updated once Battlefield 6 launches and we've had a chance to figure it all out.

If you want to know what you can play, we've explained how all the Battlefield 6 game modes work here. Alternatively, if you're playing Recon a lot, make sure you know how the Battlefield 6 range finder works

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