Everything announced in the Battlefield 6 multiplayer reveal
It's looking like a return to the glory days of Battlefield
Battlefield 6 multiplayer has revealed, and without jumping the gun it looks... really good? Our first look at the shooter revealed a major emphasis on destruction and snappy combat, with nine maps available at launch and new features that include being able to drag downed players.
Outside of everything revealed during EA's stream - which you can catch up on below - we've been playing Battlefield 6 for ourselves. These are our 10 biggest takeaways from playing Battlefield 6 and interviewing its developers, which range from the shooter's biggest inspirations to the return of classes.
We also found that Battlefield 6 is intended as a successor to the glory days of Battlefield 3 and Battlefield 4, but destruction hasn't been as impactful as we'd like.
In case you haven't been able to watch EA's reveal live, below is everything that was announced in Battlefield 6's multiplayer reveal stream.
Everything announced at the Battlefield 6 multiplayer stream
- I've played Battlefield 6 for an afternoon, and while it's a clear successor to Battlefield 3 and 4, I wish there was more destruction
- I spent 4 hours playing Battlefield 6 multiplayer and speaking with the creators, and here are my 10 biggest takeaways
- EA really wants you to know that Battlefield 6 is a "spiritual successor" to the "pinnacle" of the series, Battlefield 3 and 4: "We wanted to go modern"
- Battlefield 6 pre-orders are live and the FPS is $70 after all, but EA won't miss the chance to charge $100 for the Phantom Edition with a pile of skins, stickers, and XP boosts
- Battlefield 6 open beta starts next week, weekend dates and early access revealed – DICE says it's "the most content we've ever dropped in an open beta in Battlefield history"
- Oh, that's how EA apparently expects Battlefield 6 to get 100 million players: it seems to have its own Warzone-style battle royale mode, "coming soon to Battlefield Labs"
- Classes are back! The classic Assault, Recon, Support, and Engineer are all here and have their own abilities
- Battlefield 6 will release with nine maps, but more could be on the way post-launch
- Launch modes include Conquest, Breakthrough, Rush, Team Deathmatch, Squad Deathmatch, Domination, King of the Hill, and new mode Escalation which will funnel players into a massive battle toward the end
- Portal is returning with expanded UI and customization options for players, with an emphasis on supported hardcore features like one-shot-kills
- There are some new movement mechanics added, including the ability to drag downed players and forward-roll
There's just two and a half hours to go until we see Battlefield 6, and I'll admit that every fiber of my being is itching for this to be good.
For anyone who hasn't seen the first Battlefield 6 trailer, you can check it out below. It's mostly a montage of War Being War in cities across the world, but it all looks very promising from an environmental destruction angle. Here's hoping that carries into multiplayer!
There have been a few leaks ahead of tonight's reveal, with retailers and a now-removed video from EA suggesting that Battlefield 6 will launch October 10. If true, that would land the shooter between a few new games launching around that time: Ghost of Yotei is set to release on October 2, While Pokemon Legends Z-A hits the Switch on October 16. Busy month!
I'm trying to curtail my excitement for Battlefield 6 – I was incredibly disappointed with Battlefield 2042 at launch – but the phrase 'new Battlefield' overrides every barrier I've built around my dopamine. Playing old Battlefield 4 servers against veterans who have stuck with it for 12 years doesn't scratch the same itch as a new game, but it certainly bruises the ego.
Following rumors that Battlefield 6 will cost $80 on console, EA CEO Andrew Wilson has claimed that there are no "dramatic changes" to the company's game pricing in the works.
"We're not looking to make any changes on pricing at this stage, but that's in the construct of we already offer a fairly broad pricing scheme across our various products," he shared. I'm not
We're around two hours away from Battlefield 6's multiplayer reveal, so here's a quick PSA: Unless you love having your credit card maxed out by internet strangers (hey - you do you), don't sign up for any of the fake Battlefield 6 playtest invites making the rounds. Squad stranger danger!
As we inch toward the stream, I'm hoping to see the focus of Battlefield 6 shift back to destruction. That certainly looks to be the case, but let me be clear: if I see anyone using the phrase Levolution, your blowy-up-buildings are going straight back to the store.
US Managing Editor Rollin Bishop tagging in here to say: I also hope to see more of a focus on destruction in Battlefield 6, but it's all about the feel of combat for me. The last time I really sunk a significant amount of time into a Battlefield game was Battlefield 1, and I'd love to rekindle my relationship in the near future.
But enough about us! There's only a little over an hour until the Battlefield 6 official multiplayer gameplay reveal. What are you hoping to see in the latest and greatest installment of Battlefield? Anything from previous games you hope makes a return?
Just 45 minutes to go! Still plenty of time to cobble together something tasty for lunch to either eat immediately before or even during the Battlefield 6 multiplayer reveal. Everything's better with nachos, right?
Hello! Features Editor Andy Brown tagging back in to see us through the rest of the evening. We're now just 30 minutes away from EA's stream kicking off, so if you've got any last-minute predictions to make then now's the time to make 'em. Will there be any vehicles to top Battlefield 2042's hovercraft? (Er, probably not).
To refresh yourself on the bar Battlefield 6 is looking to clear, revisit out Battlefield 2042 review. We gave it three and a half stars, but it's worth noting that it has improved considerably in the years since launch. EA has a bit of a reputation for taking several years for its shooters to click - will Battlefield 6 stick the landing?
Four minutes to go! We've just seen some of the creators who are preparing to play Battlefield 6, but right now EA is running back the single-player trailer revealed last week.
Andy McNamara, senior director of integrated comms at Battlefield Studios, is on-stream to say the team has put their "heart and soul" into the game being revealed today. He's also emphasized the destruction once again.
"This is fucking Battlefield 6," kicks off EA's Vince Zampella as we jump into footage of everything being destroyed - to Limp Bizkit's Break Stuff, of course.
Bit emphasis on scrappy, close-quarters combat here. Floors being breached for top-down attacks, helicopters strafing down narrow city-streets, said chopper bringing down half a building when it's inevitably shot down. Some things never change, huh?
One map set in front of the Pyramids looks particularly huge, with the whole area looking vast even from the perspective of a jet. But even as the footage is wrapping up, we're taking a look at the all-new Empire State map.
Here's some confirmation of the setting: In 2077, major European countries have left NATO while the US and its allies "grapple with the fallout". More countries have turned to a mercenary outfit called Pax Armada, which is in conflict with NATO's remnants.
"Returning gunfire in the streets of Cairo," "crippling machinery" on the shore - these are some of the activities that are being laid out on-stream.
Now, members of Dice's Stockholm studio are here to discuss recapturing the "grit" of Battlefield 3 and 4. Destruction is intended to matter "more than ever before" and classes are returning, and we're about to see how these come together.
More footage is currently playing, once more showing a heavy emphasis on vehicles! There's a neat shot showing one player taking down a heli before throwing their rocket launcher away, because some things really don't change
More importantly: classes are returning! Support, Engineer, Assault, and Recon have been confirmed; all with their own gadgets. Assaults can carry extra weapons, while the Engineer is the only class capable of fixing friendly vehicles (and specializing in blowing up the enemies'). Support can drag players into cover - which is a fantastic touch - while laying down temporary cover. Last but not least, the Recon class totes a sniper but can also fire up a drone for a top-down view of the map.
Combat has been rebuilt "from the ground-up" with the goal of giving players more options "in the heat of battle". As for what that actually means: downed squadmates can be dragged to safety while being revived, weapons can be mounted on walls, and we even see one player pull off a forward-roll. Another neat touch is that vehicle slots have been expanded, with a few players being shown clinging to the back of a tank. Honestly, these movement changes look fantastic.
Yet more emphasis on destruction here, with floors being blown out from beneath players. It also may be my eye (or the scripted footage) but the time to kill seems real snappy here.
EA's Ryan McCarthur and Alma Talbot have introduced the modes available in Battlefield 6. There seems to be a variety of tighter-than-usual close-quarters maps and the usual large sprawl, with nine maps available at launch including Battlefield 3's Operation Firestorm.
Now for the modes that have been confirmed. There's a long list of returning classics here (see below), along with something called Escalation which will supposedly funnel players into larger battles toward the end.
- Conquest
- Breakthrough
- Rush
- Team Deathmatch
- Squad Deathmatch
- Domination
- King of the Hill
- Escalation
Portal is back! Players now have additional modifiers to tweak their Portal mode, with hardcore settings like one-hit-kill and limited weapons being supported. Looking beyond that, EA has confirmed that new modes will be introduced to Battlefield 6 post-launch.
We're now checking out a "glimpse" of single player, and "gritty" has been thrown out again. The plot follows an "elite" group of marines trying to stabilize NATO while fighting Pax Armada, and we'll be playing all of the characters throughout the campaign's story.
The latest footage stresses the instability of global politics (please, don't remind us) and unveils a CIA operative "matching wits" with one of the protagonist's. Very little to see here - it's already wrapped up - but boy, am I excited for a new Battlefield campaign.
Open betas have been confirmed. Limited early access runs between August 7-8, while open betas will run on August 9-10 and August 14-18. Watching streamers today will give players a chance to get into that first early access piece, apparently.
There's the release date - Battlefield 6 will launch on October 10!
Looks like rumors of a Battlefield battle royale may have been true, as brief footage of a very chaotic (and intentionally silly) shootout appeared at the very end. Ripple Effect is working on that and it's coming to Battlefield Labs, but that's all we've heard so far.
That's the main showcase wrapped up, and we're preparing to move into live gameplay of streamers playing a Conquest match.
First impressions: a huge spotlight has been put on Battlefield 6's destruction elements and improvisational, snappier combat. It's all looking very promising, but we'll have to see how the game looks in action to get a genuine feel for it.
We're flicking between perspectives during a Conquest match where everyone is rolling in both on foot and in tanks. Looks like there's a slight delay on aircraft rolling in which should create some calm before the storm on this map, but within minutes there are jets roaring through the sky.
For anyone who missed the reveal stream, EA has uploaded a four-minute clip detailing Battlefield 6's modes, maps, and Portal. You can check it out below:
I'm really digging the map we're seeing right now, Liberation Peak , which seems like a very chokepoint-oriented valley. Plenty of aerial and land vehicles available too, so I suspect this is going to be a very messy map in those narrower funnels.
I don't know if we're seeing these players using Battlefield 6's starter weapons or all guns have been unlocked, but snipers are looking particularly powerful this time around. Lots of one-taps, but I've heard from our own Joel Franey - who's been playing Battlefield 6 this week - that shotguns are just as nasty.
