There's a lot riding on the next Battlefield entry. After Battlefield 2042 took the franchise in a direction fans weren't too happy with, all eyes are on Battlefield 6 to deliver an experience that's more in line with the series' roots, which is no small task.
Thankfully, Battlefield's development team has been saying all the right things. Group GM for EA Studios Organization Vince Zampella has been very open about the next Battlefield's inspirations, citing Battlefield 3 and 4 as the "peak or the pinnacle of Battlefield," and stating that Battlefield 6 is trying to return to those roots. Battlefield 6 has already confirmed the return of 64-player maps and classes, but there are plenty of other classic features that need to make a comeback, and plenty of new features that should join them too.
Battlefield 6 Shouldn’t Waste the Chance to Make Good on BF Portal’s Biggest Omission
The Battlefield franchise is home to a plethora of iconic maps, and there's one that Battlefield Portal omitted that deserves another shot.
Features That Should Be in Battlefield 6
A Full-Length Campaign
Though it's rarely been the highlight of the franchise, Battlefield has been home to some thoroughly enjoyable single-player campaigns over the years, with Bad Company 1 and 2, Battlefield 3 and 4, and Battlefield 1 and V all being clear examples. A proper campaign was certainly missed in Battlefield 2042, and that's something Battlefield 6 should make sure it has on day-one, complete with an engaging story, cast of characters, and action set pieces.
More Grounded Mobility Mechanics
Battlefield 2042 also got rid of some staple mobility mechanics, all of which should return in Battlefield 6. Players should be given the ability to enter prone backwards, vault over walls, and manually lean around cover, along with a handful of new movement abilities like perhaps the ability to carefully slide into cover. These mobility mechanics would help to give Battlefield 6 a more grounded feel, which is a core aspect of the franchise that needs to return in full force.
The Return of Hardcore Mode
On a similar note, many fans long for the return of Battlefield's Hardcore mode. With minimal HUD, no health regeneration, and friendly fire enabled, Hardcore mode was the most realistic Battlefield experience fans could get, and it hasn't been present in the franchise since Battlefield 1.
The Return of Persistent Servers and Server Browsing
A core issue of Battlefield 2042 at launch was that it lacked persistent servers, server browsing, and the ability to create custom servers. This forced players to restart matchmaking every time a game came to an end, which also often resulted in the player experiencing the same handful of maps over and over again. A return of persistent servers and server browsing would help to resolve that issue, allowing players to manually join a server that contains the map rotation they desire. The return of custom servers and custom server browsing would also be welcome.
Environmental Destruction and Levolution
The next Battlefield will face more competition than ever before, and that means it's more important than ever for the series to have a set of distinct features. One such feature should be the return of large-scale environmental destruction and Levolution, Battlefield 4's defining mechanic that sees certain elements of a map completely change during the course of a match, such as an entire skyscraper crashing down in the center of the map.
Battlefield 2042
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 65 /100 Critics Rec: 32%
- Released
- November 19, 2021
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- DICE, Criterion Games, Ripple Effect
- Publisher(s)
- Electronic Arts
WHERE TO PLAY
Battlefield 2042 is a first-person shooter that marks the return to the iconic all-out warfare of the franchise. With the help of a cutting-edge arsenal, engage in intense, immersive multiplayer battles.
Lead your team to victory in both large all-out warfare and close-quarters combat on maps from the world of 2042 and classic Battlefield titles. Find your playstyle in class-based gameplay and take on several experiences comprising elevated versions of Conquest and Breakthrough. Explore Battlefield Portal, a platform where players can discover, create, and share unexpected battles from Battlefield's past and present.
This game includes optional in-game purchases of virtual currency that can be used to acquire virtual in-game items.
- Engine
- Frostbite
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- PC, PS5 & Xbox Series X|S and PS4 & Xbox One
- Franchise
- Battlefield
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter
- How Long To Beat
- N/A
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
- 84 GB (June 2023)
- OpenCritic Rating
- Weak
