Playtests for Battlefield 6 have been slowly leaking over the past several weeks, with various features coming and going, sparking plenty of discussion in the community. Among the many videos, screenshots, and anecdotes of those who got to test it out, data miners have been going through all the available playtest files, and they’ve discovered something that could prove pivotal for the Battlefield franchise’s future.
Recently, a large folder of concept art for a new Battle Royale mode was found inside Battlefield Labs. While Battlefield Labs is a test environment, and not explicitly an alpha for Battlefield 6, it is widely understood that everything tested inside it could end up in that upcoming title. The implications for Battlefield’s success are massive, and coupled with an earlier leak, could suggest that EA is serious about bringing more new players into the series with a free-to-play mode.
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A Battle Royale in Battlefield 6 Has One Major Advantage Over Call of Duty’s Warzone
Call of Duty: Warzone was released in 2020 as a free-to-play, standalone experience that aimed to capture players in the BR market. It has been a great success for Activision, having endured for five years now, still consistently receiving updates, and maintaining its player base. But it left some fans disappointed, who preferred the first iteration of a BR in Black Ops 4’s Blackout.
Blackout, which came out in 2018, was Activision’s first run at a BR, and while its player numbers have not kept up with Warzone, there is a lingering sense in parts of the community that things were better in Blackout. However, Blackout’s major barrier to entry was the full-boxed price, as it came with Black Ops 4, a financial model that has proven difficult in the competitive BR market, as even PUBG went free-to-play eventually.
Battlefield 6 holds one major advantage over Call of Duty in this regard. EA’s first try at a BR in Battlefield 5 produced Firestorm. However, Firestorm was not particularly well-received by the community at large. Players often complained that it did not fit the Battlefield formula and failed to innovate on the game mode. It was also delayed about six months, which in the fast-moving BR market meant it felt like it had missed its only window of opportunity.
Firestorm’s reception was not helped by the controversial release of BF5, which inspired a lot of players not to pick up the title at launch. Since then, the base game’s multiplayer experience has aged significantly better, and fans are far kinder to it now than at release, but the same cannot be said for Firestorm, which never found its footing.
Things Are Looking Hopeful for a Battlefield 6 BR Mode
Things could be different this time around, though. Rumors about an upcoming Battlefield Battle Royale say it will be free-to-play, separate from the main release. This could result in a much higher and more sustainable player base to support further development, and the Battlefield franchise’s rocky recent history means it needs an influx of new players.
The leaked concept art for the mode has been described as “gritty” by those who have seen it, and the reception is cautiously optimistic that EA better understands what players want after the mixed reception to Battlefield 2042. Leaked last year, it is understood that Ripple Effect could be developing a BR mode, which means development time is not being taken away from the main series release being handled by the rest of Battlefield Studios.
After Firestorm failed to deliver, and 2042’s Hazard Zone faltered, a third try at a mass-marketable mode, backed up by a free-to-play model, might finally tip the scales in Battlefield‘s favor. If EA is applying as much care and attention to it as the company has been for Battlefield Labs, then it’s possible. Right now, the Battlefield franchise needs a win, and if that comes from a Victory Royale, then the future will certainly look brighter for the series as a whole.
