Battlefield 6 Reveals Patch Notes for New Update Coming on…

EA and Battlefield Studios confirm the patch notes for the upcoming January 20, 2026, update for Battlefield 6, aiming to further improve the overall feel for players. Battlefield 6 came out swinging last year with beta tests that were incredibly popular with players, with most feeling like the old feeling of the franchise has returned. While that sentiment lasted through launch, it unfortunately faded through season 1, with EA and Battlefield Studios working to reignite the player base.

Season 1 of Battlefield 6 has certainly seen its fair share of ups and downs, which also saw the launch of Battlefield RedSec. Redacted Sector, or RedSec for short, is Battlefield's take on the Battle Royale genre, though the game hasn't been the smash hit that EA likely hoped. Coupled with the fact that the core game also saw its fair share of frustrations and issues, including criticisms over cosmetic rewards and AI usage, has resulted Battlefield 6's player count dropping to concerning levels. However, DICE and the rest of the Battlefield support studios intend to turn things around, and the first update of 2026 aims to set the path to do so.

What to Expect From Battlefield 6 in 2026

Battlefield 6’s first Season may have been a mixed bag, but it’s the game’s 2026 support that will truly determine its fate as a live-service title.

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By Richard Warren

Even though Battlefield 6 Season 2 is missing its original start date, improvements and fixes are being slated to launch much sooner. The first of these efforts arrives on January 20 with what Battlefield Studios is calling a "smaller set of focused improvements aimed at polish and consistency across Battlefield 6." Even with a smaller list of fixes, longtime fans will likely find some encouraging changes within the patch notes for this one.

One of the bigger complaints with many players is with the UI and HUD in Battlefield 6, as the main menu utilizes a lot of horizontal boxes similar to what one would find on a streaming service like Netflix or Hulu. Battlefield Studios has started to make changes to its look and feel with this update by improving menu navigation, reticle presentation, and armor bar visibility. Players even have the option to customize the reticle color inside weapon and gadget scopes if they want.

Balancing adjustments were also applied across the game, including reducing jet cannon damage against other air vehicles by 40%. Melee was another major feedback item from players and in this update, the attack speed for the knife was improved, the buffering behavior of the knife and sledgehammer attacks was also upgraded, and sprint was reworked so that it is only interrupted until the melee attack reaches its target instead of for the full duration of the animation. Not only that, vehicles will no longer have the potential to blow up when a player performs a takedown to someone lying on top.

battlefield 6 stuttering fps new update december 2025

Battlefield 6's assault ladder gadget also saw a handful of fixes to help them feel better to use. Specifically, soldier animations have been improved when using them, and a couple of fixes were applied that prevent players from potentially being launched when using them. The other fix allows players to interact with ladders that are positioned above them.

As part of the efforts to further improve the game and franchise as a whole, EA has hired Julian Gerighty away from Ubisoft. The former franchise boss of Tom Clancy's The Division, Gerighty took to social media to announce that he had left Massive Entertainment and assured fans that the team he was leaving was in great hands. Gerighty joined DICE, another studio based in Sweden, to work on the Battlefield franchise. It's not clear yet what his role is and Season 2 is way too far along for him to have any influence over, but as time goes on, fans will likely see Gerighty leave his mark on the game and franchise as a whole.

Battlefield 6 Update 1.1.3.5 Patch Notes

Major Updates for 1.1.3.5

Improved responsiveness, consistency, and sprint behavior for melee attacks, including knives and the sledgehammer.
Updated jet combat balance by reducing jet cannon effectiveness against other air vehicles.
Updated and refined the UI and HUD across Multiplayer and REDSEC, improving armor bar visibility, reticle presentation, and menu navigation.

CHANGELOG

VEHICLES:

Fixed an issue where vehicles could explode when a takedown was performed on an enemy soldier lying on top of them.
Reduced jet cannon damage against other jets and helicopters, requiring approximately 40% more hits to destroy enemy air targets.

WEAPONS:

Bipod attachments no longer display as always providing a hipfire accuracy bonus, as this bonus only applies while the bipod is deployed.
Fixed an issue where the GRIM 1.50x optic on the DB-12 cost fewer loadout points than intended (15 instead of 25).
Fixed an issue where the RPKM iron sights would shoot low when using the short barrel.
Fixed an issue where the TR-7 Light Barrel incorrectly improved muzzle velocity.
Fixed bipod mount input behaviour for Alternate, Lefty Alternate, Southpaw, and Legacy Southpaw presets so the bipod mount now follows the melee button.
Improved attack speed for knife melee attacks.
Improved buffering behaviour for knife and sledgehammer attacks.
Improved consistency of melee damage timing against enemies and the environment.
Improved consistency of recoil modifiers when using a controller across different weapons.
Improved how sprint is interrupted when performing melee attacks. Sprint is now only interrupted until the attack reaches its target, rather than for the full duration of the animation.
In the Firing Range, target dummies can now take damage while in the process of getting back up.
Shooting with a suppressor now emits a small muzzle flash when viewed from close range only.

GADGETS:

Fixed an issue where the GDPIS was not destroyed when targeted by the XFGM-6D Recon Drone, Defibrillators, or the Repair Tool.
Fixed an issue where the Sniper Decoy did not properly hide scope glints from nearby snipers.

Assault Ladder

Fixed an issue where ladders positioned above the player could not be entered.
Fixed an issue where soldiers could be launched unexpectedly when attempting to enter a ladder.
Improved the soldier animations while climbing ladders.

UI & HUD:

Added a new option allowing players to customize the reticle colour inside weapon and gadget scopes.
Fixed an issue where home screen focus navigation could become locked to the bulletin.
Fixed cases where weapon menus displayed incorrect Reload Time stats for LMGs.
Soldier lightning improvements to the front-end
Improved front-end lighting to enhance the visual quality of soldier characters.
The Reticle Colour option now correctly updates reticle colours for Thermal Scopes and other supported gadgets.

VFX & Video:

Adjusted explosion particle effects by lowering the shockwave force.

REDSEC

WEAPONS:

Fixed an issue where jump landing movement speed reduction behaved inconsistently in REDSEC compared to other multiplayer experiences.

MAP & MODES:

Fixed an edge case in Gauntlet mode “Data Extraction” where the drone could disappear permanently if drives were deposited at the exact moment it landed.

UI & HUD:

Battle Royale

Fixed an issue where the armor bar could disappear intermittently.
Fixed an issue where the Airburst Incendiary Launcher icon appeared as a grenade in the loot feed.

Gauntlet

Fixed an issue where the armor bar could disappear after quickly editing a loadout.

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OpenCritic Reviews: Top Critic Avg: 83 /100 Critics Rec: 90%

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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