Battlefield 6 Season One drops on October 28, and after some hands-on time with the new additions coming down the pipe, it's clear that DICE and Battlefield Studios came to play with its new arsenal additions. Phase one of the three-phased first season, called Rogue Ops, adds three new weapons for players to play with, and while each has their strengths, one will make recon players very happy. The new sniper rifle coming to Battlefield 6 Season One is on track to be the best in the game.
A tribute to Battlefield 4's quickest bolt action rifle, the Scout Elite, the Mini Scout sniper rifle is an even faster, even smaller weapon with just as much viability for Recon's looking to do some damage to an enemy's back line. In fact, given the smaller map sizes in Battlefield 6, it might be even stronger. That's only one of the reasons the weapon seems likely to win big when it releases alongside Season One, however.
Battlefield 6 Is Getting a New Best Sniper Rifle
The critical thing for Battlefield 6 players to notice when using the Mini Scout sniper is that it is fast in every sense. It chambers quickly, reloads quickly, has a quick aim downsight speed, and it's more mobile than other rifles in its class. In theory, that speed comes at the cost of shot speed and damage, but for a few reasons, that trade is completely negated in practice.
The Mini Scout does 80 damage compared to Battlefield 6's other sniper rifles, which each do 100 damage.
Firstly, this low damage number does not apply to headshot damage, or at least it didn't in the Season One preview event. The two new maps added in Battlefield 6 Season One are large, some of the largest so far, yet from every range, the Mini Scout sniper was getting one-shot headshots thanks to the same 1.75x headshot multiplier that every other sniper has. Plus, given the goal of most snipers in Battlefield games is to snag headshots, the occasional body shot damage differential is entirely negligible.
The Mini Scout Has Even More Upsides
The other possible hang-up with the Mini Scout is its bullet speed, but it's actually not much of a hang-up at all. It has a base muzzle velocity of 880 meters per second, which seems slow in a vacuum, but it's actually the second-fastest in the game, behind the M2010 ESR, Battlefield 6's default sniper. Throw an extended barrel on it, and the muzzle velocity becomes a non-issue.
Additionally, it has a tighter recoil than any sniper in the game so far, a ten-round magazine, and a faster rate of fire. There's so much to like in this one sniper; it's quicker, lighter, just as deadly, and it works even better for Recon players who want to get up close and personal. There really is only upside when it comes to the weapon itself, but Battlefield 6 players eagerly awaiting Season One's release should beware, as that doesn't mean it won't end up being a hassle in other ways.
The Unknown Variables Surrounding Battlefield 6's Mini Scout
A crucial element to the reception of this new weapon relies on the way in which it ends up in the player's hands. The playtest had the gun readily available with all attachments ready to go, but there is virtually zero chance it'll be readily available on day one with no strings attached. That's a good thing in general, but unlocking weapons in Battlefield 6 isn't exactly a walk in the park, as anyone who has attempted to unlock the PSR may already know.
Battlefield 6 has already received quite a bit of criticism for how it handles weapon and equipment unlocks and for just how lengthy its challenges are, so the Mini Scout may fall victim to those same perceived problems. The lines are further blurred by the new Battlefield 6 Season's Battle Pass. While still yet to be fully revealed, it will more than likely include some or all of the blueprints available for the weapon.
Season One's new choice-based Battle Pass might also be how the actual base weapon gets unlocked to begin with, which, as far as Battle Passes in other similar games go, wouldn't be unusual.
The Mini Scout Is Sure to Be the Next Meta Pick for Recon Players
Ultimately, those unanswered questions about just how the Mini Scout will be unlocked aren't likely to be enough to slow down the new weapon's momentum. The sniper weapon class in Battlefield 6 is short on options, so any news is good news when it comes to new additions. It also doesn't hurt that this particular addition looks like it'll be best-in-class, at least for the foreseeable future.
Battlefield 6
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 83 /100 Critics Rec: 90%
- Released
- October 10, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, In-App Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Battlefield Studios
- Publisher(s)
- EA
