COMMUNITY UPDATE - OPEN BETA DEBRIEF

Hello everyone,

Thank you to everyone who joined us during the Battlefield 6 Open Beta weekends—your passion and feedback have been invaluable. With tens of thousands connecting on Discord to play together, over 600,000 hours streamed, and over 30 million hours watched, your enthusiasm and participation is what made it great!

Initial Learnings and In-Game Changes

As we approach the launch of Battlefield 6 on October 10, we’d like to take a moment to look back at the recent Open Beta to share our key learnings and in-game changes we’re making based on your feedback and in-game data.

Weapons

We’re making targeted adjustments to deliver a more consistent and rewarding gunplay experience. This includes a general pass on recoil and tap-fire characteristics across all weapons, further emphasizing their unique feel and improving range differentiation. We’ve also made changes to encourage more controlled tap-firing and burst-firing, rewarding precision and weapon mastery. Additionally, the M87A1 shotgun now requires more pellets to secure a kill. We are investigating the Time-to-Kill and Time-to-Death experiences, and we will share an update if definitive changes are made in these areas.

Movement

Movement mechanics have been adjusted to create a more balanced and traditional Battlefield experience. Momentum, especially horizontal speed, carried from a slide into a jump has been reduced. There is now a greater penalty for consecutive jumps, which lowers jump height when jumps are spammed. Firing while jumping or sliding will result in increased inaccuracy. These changes are designed to make sliding and jumping more situational, so they are no longer ideal options for engaging in gunfights, and will contribute to a gameplay pace that rewards skillful movement without becoming too fast or unpredictable.

Parachute physics have also been re-tuned, with reduced initial acceleration when opening the parachute for more controlled aerial movement.

Maps

We observed some players finding a way to reach rooftops and venture out of bounds. This gameplay is not intended for these maps, and the upcoming ladder for the Assault class is also not designed to access these areas. We’re actively working on adjustments to prevent unintended access and ensure gameplay stays within the intended boundaries.

We also heard strong feedback from players excited by the larger-scale maps that Battlefield has to offer. While the Open Beta featured smaller, more fast-paced maps, larger-scale maps are already part of our launch package, delivering action-packed gameplay and memorable, unique moments for every player. As part of the upcoming Battlefield Labs testing, we’ll be testing two new multiplayer maps: one set in Mirak Valley, the other a remake of the fan-favorite from Battlefield 3, Operation Firestorm. These two maps include the full complement of vehicles, like Liberation Peak, along with a more vast combat space.

Modes

When it comes to Rush, the conversation we observed wasn’t just about player count, but also about how maps play, and the tactical experience they offer. Rush is a mode with deep roots, originally known as Gold Rush in Bad Company, where matches typically ranged from 12v12 to 16v16 players. Many of you remember this as the golden era of Rush, and it continues to inspire our approach today.

We’ve experimented with larger player counts over the years, such as 64- and even 128-player versions. While these matches created intense, fast-paced moments, they also led to issues: Overwhelming defenses, stalled frontlines, and too many games ending in the first sector. Rush is especially sensitive to higher player counts due to its tactical and strategic requirements; when a player tries to arm the M-COM while more than 20 opponents are defending, the intended gameplay becomes less tangible. Based on feedback throughout recent titles, we’re lowering the default player count for Rush to improve the flow of combat and restore the tactical, methodical experience that defines the mode.

For those who enjoy large-scale Rush, Portal will allow you to experiment with different player counts at launch.

In contrast, Breakthrough is designed to accommodate higher player counts of up to 64 players, and that’s where the mode really shines. Using win/loss data from the Open Beta, we’re continuing to make map-by-map balance adjustments towards our goal of 50/50 win ratio for both Attackers and Defenders.

The Approach to Player Counts

There was some confusion around the number of players in different games so we wanted to take a moment to clarify our current direction for how these get determined. Rather than locking maps and modes to a fixed player count, our philosophy is to adapt to best fit the intended experience. This may vary by map or evolve over time with player feedback.

For example, at launch, some Breakthrough layouts will support 48 players, while others will have 64. It’s the one of many factors we adjust to create the right balance and feel for each scenario. In Breakthrough higher player counts work well on open, dynamic maps, while smaller player-groups offer a more focused experience on denser maps. Portal gives players the flexibility to try different settings and find what works best for their group and playstyle.

Finding the right balance is an ongoing process as everyone gets familiar with map size, lanes, and combat spaces. For now, we’ve found that 8v8 provides a solid starting point for small-scale, fast-paced modes like Team Death Match, Squad Death Match, Domination, and KOTH.

Playlist Options

A limited variety of playlist options were created for the Open Beta to both showcase and test the flexibility of the matchmaking system. For more details on our playlist adjustments, see our post about Open Beta Week 2 Playlist Options. Playing with both Open and Closed Weapons will continue to be options in Battlefield 6 and we are looking for ways to keep them easily accessible.

We recognize that some players experienced difficulty finding games to complete the Challenge of capturing sectors in Breakthrough or Rush. It wasn’t ideal and we’re actively using your feedback and in-game data to review and improve the Matchmaking system, with the goal of providing a smoother experience in the future.

Reflecting on the Open Beta & Next Steps

With the insights gathered during the Open Beta play sessions, we will be introducing in-game adjustments in upcoming Battlefield Labs events. Stay tuned for progress updates and future opportunities to get involved.

Join our official Battlefield Discord server to talk more Battlefield, share feedback, and find squadmates.

Lastly, thanks again for joining the Battlefield 6 Open Beta. Your feedback and participation made it an incredible experience. 

//The Battlefield Team

This announcement may change as we listen to community feedback and continue developing and evolving our Live Service & Content. We will always strive to keep our community as informed as possible.