Battlefield 6 is said to be taking a “bold step” forward for the long-running series. And it’s needed. I’m sure we can mostly agree on one thing – Battlefield V was a disappointment. DICE and EA’s World War II shooter failed to recapture the magic of Battlefield 1 and certainly didn’t return the series to the heights of Battlefield 3 or Battlefield 4.
With Call of Duty‘s resurgence in popularity (largely thanks to 2019’s Modern Warfare and Warzone), Battlefield really has to up its game to compete. But thankfully, it looks like the long running CoD competitor is returning to a modern day setting that promises “epic scale” and “game-changing destruction”.
Battlefield 6 news has been scarce up to now. Of course, there’s been no official reveal yet either. And while it should come “soon”, nothing is set in stone until then. But this week, DICE and EA gave us the first official bits of juicy info on Battlefield 6.
Oskar Gabrielson, General Manager at DICE, had the following to say about Battlefield 6:
“Together, we are creating a jaw-dropping experience for you to enjoy later in 2021,” Gabrielson said. “We’re in daily playtesting mode right now: polishing, balancing, and making the best possible Battlefield game we can. I can tell you it is a bold step. It has everything we love about Battlefield– and takes all of it to the next level. Epic scale. All-out military warfare. Crazy, unexpected moments. Game-changing destruction. Massive battles, packed with more players and mayhem than ever before. All brought to life with the power of next-gen consoles and PCs.”
So, with that in mind and the hype train slowly beginning to creep out of the station, what can we expect from Battlefield 6?
When will the next Battlefield game be released?
It’s the question on everyone’s minds – when is Battlefield 6 coming out? Battlefield 6’s release date is yet to be confirmed. But reports indicate it is on schedule to be released around holiday 2021. So, if all things go according to plan, gamers can expect a nice gift from EA and DICE this Christmas (which you’ll have to pay for yourself, obviously).
When will Battlefield 6 be set?
Battlefield, like Call of Duty, is known for its reimagining of both historical and present-day conflicts. The original Battlefield game – Battlefield 1942 – was, as the title suggests, set in World War II. The next main entry in the series – Battlefield Vietnam – skipped forward in time to the titular Vietnam War. 2005’s Battlefield 2 moved into the “near-future” (as 2007 was back then) and was the series’ first “modern warfare” game.
From there, the series took an unexpected turn and jumped WAY into the future with Battlefield 2142, which was set a whopping 200 years after the original. Returning to a near-future setting, Battlefield Bad Company 1 & 2 and Battlefield 3, 4, & Hardline all focused on modern combat. Conversely, Battlefield 1 went back in time and took place in World War 1. Finally, Battlefield V took the series back to its Second World War roots.
Given the series’ history, anything is possible for Battlefield 6. But rumours indicate that it has taken big inspiration from the outstanding Battlefield 3 and will be back to a modern setting. If this turns out to be the case – we are VERY excited.
Battlefield 6 gameplay
If the rumours are true and Battlefield 6 is channelling the vibe of Battlefield 3, players can expect realistic, competitive and destructive gameplay on a huge scale. Given Oskar Gabrielson’s comments, we should be anticipating all of this at a level we haven’t seen before.
New Frostbite 4 game engine
Destructible buildings and environments, a long-time hallmark of the franchise, is key to all of this. It’s all made possible by the Frostbite game engine. The last new Frostbite engine the series used was Frostbite 3 introduced in Battlefield 4. That engine is eight years old at this point. So, either a large-scale update (akin to a “Frostbite 3.5”) or a new version entirely would be welcome in the new Battlefield game. Nothing has been confirmed yet. But if the unparalleled levels of destruction EA and DICE have teased for Battlefield 6 are indeed a reality, then we speculate Frostbite 4 will be making its long-awaited debut.
Weapons and Vehicles
If there’s one thing Battlefield is known for, it’s its extensive arsenal of weapons and vehicles. Thanks to the technical marvel that is the DualSense controller, we hope Battlefield 6 will bring a level of realism and immersion to weapons and vehicles on PS5. It’s fair to speculate that modern guns like the M4, FN SCAR, and AK-74M will feature. Similarly, we can expect a large array of tanks, trucks, helicopters, jets, and boats to appear. All of these should include the realistic feel and control we’ve come to expect from Battlefield. And they will undoubtedly assist in causing huge amounts of destruction in the game.
Microtransactions and pay to win
Microtransactions, loot boxes and premium currency have a questionable history in EA games. Star Wars Battlefront II received a brutally negative reception as a result of their disastrous implementation.
How microtransactions will be used in Battlefield 6 remains to be seen, but it’ll likely be similar to Battlefield V. In that game, “Battlefield Currency” could be bought for real cash and spent on things like cosmetics, characters and XP boosts. As long as weapons aren’t locked behind pay-walls, Battlefield 6 won’t be pay-to-win. But it may be “pay to skip the grind”. In game “Company Coin” (a non-premium currency used in BF5) will likely return too. This will give players a way to earn additional content through free and traditional means. Let’s just hope EA don’t dare bring back the infamous loot boxes.
Battlefield 6 trailer
At present, there is no Battlefield 6 trailer or Battlefield 6 teaser. But fans shouldn’t be waiting long with EA and DICE promising a reveal “soon”.
Battlefield 6 multiplayer
While Battlefield 6 is likely to feature a fun campaign mode, the game’s primary focus will be multiplayer. Leaks and rumours have indicated certain game modes will feature up to 128 players! This is HUGE and is much larger than any Call of Duty mode – even Ground War. Rumours also suggest that old favourite maps like Wake Island, Metro, and Locker will be returning alongside new maps.
There’s also been rumours of a “Battlefield Hub” in Battlefield 6 that will allow players to boot up older games like Battlefield 1942. I have to admit, it seems unlikely. But it could happen and would be more than welcome.
Battlefield 6 Battle Royale
Leaks suggest a Battle Royale mode is coming to Battlefield 6 and it makes all the sense in the world.
Fireteam was the Battlefield series’ first foray into the world of battle royales. And it didn’t go that well. It struggled to maintain a player base, mainly thanks to being locked behind a paywall. With the success of Warzone, Battlefield has big shoes to fill and Fireteam probably isn’t cut out for the job. Something new is needed. And for a game that has always specialised in large-scale destruction and warfare, a quality battle royale shouldn’t be too difficult.
A quick win for EA and DICE would be to deliver on variety. It’s something that Activision has failed on with Warzone. The recent “Destruction of Verdansk” event being a prime example. Rather than delivering a new map, they’ve just reskinned and reworked the existing one. Hardly a “new map” by any stretch of the imagination.
Update: Battlefield V potentially PlayStation Plus free game for May
It looks like EA and DICE are trying to maximise hype for Battlefield 6 with a rumour now indicating that Battlefield V will be one of May’s free PS Plus games. With a BF6 announcement right around the corner, insider Nick ‘Shpeshal_Ed’ Baker has said his source corroborates speculation that Battlefield V will indeed be the free PS Plus game for May.
Of course, this should be taken with a pinch of salt. But the timing would fit with EA and DICE’s recent statement and would make sense if they’re trying to build anticipation. Alongside Battlefield V, Nick Baker has said that Stranded Deep is likely the other free game. Both are PS4 games, and there’s still no indication which PS5 game will be this month’s freebie. Regardless, Nick Baker has been correct before (March’s FFVII freebie being an example) so it seems likely Battlefield V will be heading to PlayStation Plus in May.
Update 2
Battlefield V has now been confirmed as the PlayStation Plus free game for May, per the official PlayStation UK Twitter account.
With all this speculation and talk, it’s safe to say there’s a lot of excitement for Battlefield 6. We are really looking forward to its upcoming reveal and can’t wait to see what the next main entry in the series has to offer. Battlefield 6 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X really does have the potential to be an awesome multiplayer experience.
Are you excited for Battlefield 6? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. And don’t forget to check out our other gaming articles!
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Featured Image Credit: EA
