Step into next decade with the latest Battlefield reveal around the corner.
The next Battlefield game is coming soon, ushering players to the near-future frontlines. The legendary first-person franchise, renowned for large-scale multiplayer warfare, looks poised to go bigger than ever this year. Details remain tight, with Electronic Arts yet to reveal the title, but all signs point toward an evolution of the formula fit for the latest console generation.
Battlefield 6 reportedly brings a modern backdrop set 10 years in the future, bringing high-tech gadgets but grounded in the reality of the world we know. Leveraging advancements with Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, we're expecting up to 128-player modes, expansive locations, beefed-up visuals, and much more. Here's everything we know about Battlefield 6 ahead of the reveal.
Battlefield 6 release date
"The next Battlefield is set to launch in holiday 2021, and we're excited to share a lot more about the game in the spring," stated Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson during its November earnings call. This will cement the title as the year's blockbuster release for the publisher.
Previous Battlefield releases have seen a mid-year debut before launching later the same year, generally sometime around October or November. It appears likely Battlefield 6 could see a similar rollout, with its reveal slated for June. It's currently unclear whether the next Battlefield will be named Battlefield 6 or diverge from the expected following previous entries like "Battlefield 1" and "Battlefield V." The latest rumors suggest a reboot, titled either "Battlefield" or "Battlefield 2042."
"We have hands-on play tests underway, and the team has been getting very positive feedback on the game as we've begun to engage our community," Wilson stated. The debut follows a three-year hiatus for the franchise, with the tease of a retooled approach geared around the latest console generation.
Battlefield 6 trailer reveal
Electronic Arts has teased its next Battlefield project for unveiling on June 9, slated for 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT / 3 p.m BST / 4 p.m. CEST via the official Battlefield YouTube channel. As seen with past Battlefield titles, the initial announcement could provide our first Battlefield 6 trailer, confirming its expected near-future setting. Formal gameplay details may prove scarce, setting up for a more significant reveal later this summer.
#Battlefield Reveal
— Battlefield (@Battlefield) June 1, 2021
June 9 pic.twitter.com/DvNEcCDtPg
Our first Battlefield 6 footage leaked in May, providing a glimpse at what could be the forthcoming reveal trailer or an early proof of concept related to the project. While obstructed by a prominent watermark, with aggressive flickering making this near-unviewable, it confirms previous leaks in the lead-up to the reveal. While the trailer remains available online, the file may trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy.
We also expect the next Battlefield to have a considerable presence at EA Play Live 2021, the publisher's annual live showcase for upcoming video game releases. With current world events, we're expecting the publisher to remain somewhat detached from the E3 2021 industry trade show this June, spinning out its digital event around future titles. It could bring our first extended look at Battlefield 6 gameplay ahead of its launch later in the year.
Battlefield 6 gameplay: What we know so far
Battlefield 4.
With Electronic Arts yet to formally name and reveal the next Battlefield, details on the upcoming are understandably scarce. However, the publisher has confirmed its existence, leaving a trail of clues surrounding technical advancements made around the project. That included a brief presence at EA Play Live 2020, with thoughts shared by Electronic Arts chief studios officer Laura Miele.
"Every console generation, DICE sets the bar for excellence in audio and visual presentation," Miele stated during the event. "We are creating epic battles at a scale and fidelity, unlike anything you've experienced before." While Battlefield didn't earn a full trailer, we received a work-in-progress glimpse of early iterations. Footage included dozens of soldiers fighting in an open space, new destruction simulations, and facial animations, all of which likely feed into the next Battlefield project.
Electronic Arts continues to pitch Battlefield 6 as a "next-gen" experience, with significant upgrades likely in store on the new Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 consoles, also translating to PC. "DICE is creating our next Battlefield game with never-before-seen scale," CEO Andrew Wilson stated in late 2020. "The technical advancements of the new consoles are allowing the teams to deliver a true next-gen vision for the franchise."
The upgrades in-store on next-generation hardware remain unclear, though upgraded underlying gameplay systems and visual fidelity are safe assumptions. Previous Battlefield titles have experimented with ray tracing and high framerates on PC, both likely to translate to console this generation. Staple mechanics like destruction, map size, and player count may also see upgrades. However, the game will also launch on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles, assumedly scaled back compared to their next-generation counterparts.
We're yet to receive official confirmation of the Battlefield 6 setting, but all signs currently point toward a near-future backdrop. With former titles, Battlefield 1 and Battlefield V, set throughout World Wars of the 20th century, the next Battlefield looks to break free with an outlook on what's ahead.
Electronic Arts also dropped teasers for Battlefield 6 through prominent content creators, sending distorted images via the official Battlefield Twitter account. Piecing together the images later revealed a cryptic message, establishing a potential backdrop for the game setting.
Here is the COMPLETE @Battlefield Teaser pic.twitter.com/8SFgQh7pew
— Geeky Pastimes (@geekypastimes) June 4, 2021
"Some of you want to return home," reads the message. "That most human of all instincts. With a heavy heart, I must tell you the truth. You have no home to return to." The message sets the tone for the conflict seen in Battlefield 6, albeit with details still scarce headed into the reveal.
Battlefield 6 latest leaks and screenshots
EA showcases new technical demo for building destruction while talking Battlefield at EA Play 2020.
With official word on the next Battlefield title close to absent, much of our understanding comes from leaks via proven sources. It suggests an ambitious next entry ahead for the franchise, leaving hopes high for the potential May unveiling.
The majority of reports come from reputable leakster Tom Henderson, among the first to pin down the near-future setting for Battlefield 6. The latest suggests a soft franchise reboot simply titled BATTLEFIELD, or Battlefield 2042, mixing current military gear with a slight science fiction twist. While many modern weapons will feature, Henderson claims military robots and drones may accompany tanks, jets, and other staple vehicles.
We're expecting Battlefield 6 to support up to 128 players simultaneously in multiplayer, a rumor Henderson also backs, described as Battlefield 3 or Battlefield 4 "on steroids." Destruction will reportedly be cranked up to the maximum, with almost fully destructible maps pushing forward philosophies from past Battlefield games. The fan-favorite Assault, Engineer, Support, and Recon classes will supposedly return, with new perk-like "abilities" and four-member squads.
Alleged Battlefield 6 screenshots have also hit the internet in the lead-up to the reveal, with reputable names backing their authenticity. The images support past leaks, featuring drones and futuristic heads-up displays (HUDs) of the near-future, although light on firm gameplay details. As low-quality, work-in-progress captures, we don't expect these images to represent the final product but provide a tease of the likely theme.
here I made them a bit cleaner and sharper. pic.twitter.com/7A1B2LvxAm
— Sian (@Sian92984059) May 1, 2021
Additional images of the next Battlefield game also surfaced in June, providing a closer look at what appears to represent gameplay in the later stages of development. These screenshots, taken from what looks to be a direct gameplay feed, show a new desert map — and a large sandstorm engulfing the space. It appears this will function similarly to the large "levolution" moments from previous games, changing the tide of combat.
uhhh guys....?
The campaign also appears to be seeing a revamp, also with support for cooperative play. It looks less linear than past Battlefield games, with players assembling a "specialist unit," and choosing to join either U.S. or Russian forces. Choosing which side of the conflict should make for a somewhat less-structured experience, although the specifics remain unclear.
The latest leaks pitch the next Battlefield as a next-generation experience focused on series strengths, capturing the spectacle of a large-scale conflict. High player headcounts and maps to support that population further differentiates Battlefield from the competition, especially amid the rise of rival battle royale modes. But it all hinges on the execution, fighting a mix of weapons and gadgets and deliver a multiplayer robust shooter experience.
Will Battlefield 6 have a battle royale mode?
Battlefield V.
Battle royale remains a hot genre for the video game industry, with continued success from Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, Apex Legends, and more, all feeding the trend. Electronic Arts hoped for similar success with its Battlefield V "Firestorm" battle royale mode, but after launching to mixed reception, the player base steadily plummeted in the following months.
It's currently unknown whether Battlefield 6 will deliver a second attempt at the mode, although with Warzone hitting the jackpot as Activision's second outing, it's not ruled out for Battlefield. Leakster Tom Henderson states this could be the case, likely on the way as a post-launch release, adopting an all-new name.
Is Battlefield 6 coming to Xbox One and PS4?
The next Battlefield launches across the full spectrum of modern consoles, including Xbox One and PlayStation 4. It's especially welcomed throughout ongoing shortages, with the best Xbox console, Xbox Series X, and PlayStation 5 family in short supply months after their respective November launches. With continued global chip shortages, demand heightened throughout the pandemic, and general excitement around new hardware, it's little surprise. With current forecasts suggesting limited stock throughout 2021, it's only natural that Battlefield extends support to older devices on the market.
"In the case of Battlefield, what we can do with respect to the amount of players that we can have in the game, and the nature of destruction and those all-new Battlefield moments that are truly next-gen opportunities that we are able to do in the context of our next-gen franchises because of the increased processing power and memory and output of the new consoles," Wilson stated.
While some have voiced concerns over limiting the scope of Battlefield 6, the publisher has alluded to two separate versions, dependent on console generations. The latest consoles and high-end PCs are expected to deliver the best experience, pushing higher player counts, advanced environments, and improved visual fidelity.
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