“Call of Duty vs. Battlefield” was a conversation that dominated the online gaming space in the 2010s. But after the misstep of Battlefield 5 and the outright misfire of Battlefield 2042, Activision’s juggernaut has ruled the military FPS shooter market largely unchallenged for several years.
But that could be about to change, and one of gaming’s greatest debates could be reignited this fall, as EA has unveiled Battlefield 6, and it’s promising exactly what fans want. A current-day setting, large-scale multiplayer combat, return to traditional classes, and a focus on dynamic destruction. This sixth mainline entry looks like Battlefield at its best.
Of course, looks can be deceiving, but having played just over two hours of Battlefield 6 on PS5 at a recent preview event, in this case, developer Battlefield Studios’ buzzword-laden pitch may be accurate.
After this solid session of Battlefield 6’s multiplayer, I came away believing that the series, which badly lost its way with 2042, may be returning to top form.
Warfare, the Battlefield way
No other first-person shooters on the market can match Battlefield’s scale, and the sixth mainline entry certainly won’t be dropping the ball in this regard. Battlefield 6 offers the classic mix of boots-on-the-ground and vehicular combat across a range of large maps. It's Battlefield, baby!
Crucially, the largely unpopular Operator system from Battlefield 2042 has been stripped away, and once again, in each multiplayer mode, you pick from one of four classes: Assault, Engineer, Support, and Recon. This allows you to pick a clearly defined role and play to your strengths.
I’ve always loved the Support class, running across the battlefield with my trusty defibrillators to revive fallen allies, and supplying my team with ammo using supply crates when holding a position, or trying to push into enemy territory. I'm not the best sharpshooter, so it allows me to be useful for my team even if my K/D ratio takes a beating.
None of this is new for the series, but after an ill-judged wander into the hero-shooter arena, it’s a joy to see Battlefield back doing what it does best.
After an ill-judged wander into the hero-shooter arena, it’s a joy to see Battlefield back doing what it does best.
The act of firing a gun in Battlefield 6 also feels mostly great. Machines perhaps feel a little too similar to each other, making swapping between the various models a little redundant, and shotguns appear to have too much range, but otherwise, I had a blast trying out the diverse arsenal.
Naturally, a multiplayer shooter is always going to be defined by its maps. After all, you can nail the mechanical fundamentals, but if the maps don’t cut the mustard, the game won’t survive in the cutthroat and crowded online space. Fortunately, Battlefield 6 is mostly strong in this area.
I got to sample three maps: Liberation Peak, Empire State and Siege of Cairo.
The latter is set in the dusty streets of the Egyptian capital, a haven of chaotic choke points that spill out onto wider streets where tanks roam about. The New York-based Empire State is an infantry-focused map that strips away the vehicles and lets you prove your superior trigger finger — or, in my case, have a whole lot of fun with a pump-action shotgun.
Libertain Peak was the one map that didn’t quite land with me. It’s a classic Battlefield setting, the ruined remains of a small village located in a snow-capped mountain range.
It’s perfect for Battlefield’s signature Conquest mode, but I found myself constantly getting sniped by enemy combatants located dozens of yards away. Which is frustrating, not fun.
A truly next-gen first-person shooter
Battlefield has a franchise has always taken full advantage of current hardware, pushing the limits of what a console shooter can look and sound like, and Battlefield 6 is no exception.
Played on PS5, the game looks glorious, and in motion, despite the complete chaos that almost always unfolds around you, I barely noticed any performance hiccups. There was the odd dropped frame, and my demo client hard-crashed once, but these are small blemishes on an otherwise next-gen shooter. And yes, it’s skipping PS4 and Xbox One.
The destruction is also impressive. Again, it’s not new for the series, but being able to blow a hole through a building to destroy your enemies' cover never stops being satisfying. I had several moments where so many explosions went off around me, I just threw myself to the floor and hoped I could somehow survive the onslaught. Which was particularly intense.
The sound design is also fantastic. I almost instantly fell in love with a heavy machine gun, just because the deep thud of firing it felt so darn satisfying. But the soundscape in general is quite remarkable, and does a fantastic job of drawing you into the experience.
You'll want to play this one with a good set of headphones so you can take in all the sounds of the frontline. However, the plod of footsteps does ring out a little too audibly, but again, this is a minor issue at most.
You don’t have to take my word for it
The good news is you don’t need to take my word for it that Battlefield 6 looks on course to be the return to form that fans have desperately hoped for. You can play Battlefield 6 for yourself in just a matter of days.
EA has confirmed two open beta weekends. The first will run from August 9 to 10, with the second held August 14-17. These are open betas, so there’s no need to pre-order or sign up for access. Plus, the betas will be running across PS5, Xbox Series X and PC launchers.
I’m looking forward to diving back in myself during these beta weekends, because having played two hours of Battlefield 6, I’m seriously eager for more. After several rocky years for the franchise, Battlefield 6 appears to be exactly what veterans wanted, and based on the reception to the multiplayer reveal, it's building real momentum. Watch out, Call of Duty.
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