EA is reportedly placing a big bet on Battlefield 6 with a battle royale mode that will look a lot like Call of Duty: Warzone. The company expects this mode to attract an enormous player base, possibly reaching 100 million users, though even some developers at DICE are skeptical about hitting that mark.
According to an Ars Technica report, the battle royale mode will be offered free-to-play, while the rest of the game, including traditional team battles and campaigns, will remain premium. This approach draws inspiration from Activision’s playbook, which has achieved massive success with Warzone’s free-to-play model.
But will Battlefield’s second attempt at battle royale pull players away from Warzone’s long-established ecosystem? Fans and devs seem doubtful, especially given Warzone’s five-year head start. Yet, datamined assets from Battlefield Labs playtests hint at this mode’s existence, showing helicopters deploying players and soldiers parachuting into combat zones. A video of this intro cinematic was recently taken down from Reddit, adding to the intrigue.
Another mode called Gauntlet repurposes the battle royale map to pit small squads against each other in an elimination format. This sounds somewhat similar to The Finals’ Cashout mode, which focuses on tighter, squad-based combat rather than large-scale battles.
One might wonder if launching a battle royale in 2025 is a smart move. Warzone has dominated for years, and the genre feels crowded. But Battlefield 6 might have an edge with its promise of a gritty, grounded art style that recalls the days of Battlefield 3 and 4, rather than the flashy, over-the-top cosmetics currently saturating Call of Duty. That could appeal to players tired of the usual shooter circus.
Whether EA’s gamble pays off will be something to watch closely. Can Battlefield 6 carve out its own space, or is this just another attempt to ride the battle royale wave? I’m curious, what do you think about EA’s strategy here? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
