All eyes at EA are laser-focused on the release of Battlefield 6. Since the troubled launch of Battlefield 2042, EA has brought multiple studios across the globe under the banner of Battlefield Studios with the mission of turning the military sim into a major live service tentpole. Reporting from Ars Technica has indicated the company hopes to attract 100 million players in the months after launch—far higher than any previous game in the series.
If EA wants to pull that off, the Battlefield series needs to adapt to a shifting market for competitive multiplayer games while preserving the series’ basic appeal: massive combined-arms battlefields that deliver chaotic clashes the studio calls “Battlefield moments.”
Ahead of the Battlefield 6 multiplayer reveal showcase, Game Developer spoke with Motive Studios director of production Alma Talbot and Ripple Effect senior producer Ryan McArthur about the making of the next Battlefield game (Motive Studios, Ripple Effect, and Criterion are supporting lead developer DICE).
While detailing what needed to change with the series to stay current in the face of evolving multiplayer games, the developers explained how Battlefield 6 aims to leverage the modern live service experience—and the growing power of user-generated content (UGC)—to create a platform called “Battlefield Portal” for greater opportunities.
And it turns out that platform is powered by Godot.
Leaning into a live-service Battlefield experience
“When we look back and see how we got to Battlefield 6, I think there’s always an aspect of evolution coming through, but I think the key for us was returning to what makes Battlefield special,” said senior producer Ryan McArthur.
Battlefield 6 returns its sights to a more contemporary setting, aligning with the spectacle of military action seen in Battlefield 3 and 4. Set in 2027, a sprawling conflict between NATO and a powerful private military force known as PAX Armata sparks an all-out war across Europe, North Africa, and the West Coast of North America—particularly in Brooklyn, New York.
The next game’s framing as ‘pure’ military action is a familiar one, stylistically and narratively, but where Battlefield 6 differs from recent games is the plan to evolve the game post-launch with new events and seasonal content, and with the upgraded Battlefield Portal mode that features map and gameplay customization that’s in line with Fortnite and PUBG Battlegrounds‘ creator modes—we even saw Battlefield’s take on the popular Only Up game mode during the presentation.
In recent years, there has been a clear push for more live-service games from publisher EA, with EA President Andrew Wilson even stating during a recent earnings call that the upcoming game is not just a new game, but “a platform” for larger growth. While there is a common, and understandable, stigma with live-service games and how they are managed, the developers of Battlefield 6 were keen on building a more dynamic version of a Battlefield game.
“We talked about this consistently when it comes to building the experience for Battlefield 6. I love live service, and I think it’s the most fun to work on as a developer because of how you can build a game with your players,” said McArthur. “We want to make sure right from launch that we start that sort of seasonal journey with our players, and the idea is to deliver ongoing, evolving experiences inside of Battlefield 6.”
One of the key points that the developers made about Battlefield 6 during the breakdown of its new features was that the upcoming game is all about “building a Battlefield universe.” In addition to the plans for seasonal content post-launch, the developers are placing a keen focus on the evolving nature of Battlefield Portal and its various experiences to keep players invested in the game in the long term. According to Alma Talbot, the director of production, the toolset is so sophisticated that the community will be able to modify Battlefield into something unexpected.
“The reaction we had in the room when we showed what players could do with Battlefield Portal was super galvanizing to hear. We love the idea of having this toolset that provides players the opportunity to create their own community experiences,” said Talbot about the upgraded mode. “As a developer, it’s cool to playtest the game all the time, and we’re always kind of thinking about how great it will be when our players have their hands on these tools. But what’s even cooler is when our players use our tools in a way that we don’t even expect. So I know that Portal is going to blow us all away with what everybody’s able to create out of those community experiences.”
Building a better Battlefield
Battlefield 6 is so far presenting an experience that aligns with the series’ classic high points, while also allowing the developers sufficient room to grow and meet its more ambitious live-service plans. Another core lesson that the developers took from Battlefield 2042 was to incorporate extensive player feedback, which they achieved through the private Battlefield Labs program, which gathered player feedback across closed tests.
“I think one of the key things for me is the partnership with the community, which has been a critical success for Battlefield when it’s working well,” said McArthur. “That’s why things like BF Labs have been another important aspect, which taught us moving forward, how do we make sure that we stick to those core concepts, but make sure that the journey we go on with our players keeps us honest in the vision and the direction that we have.”
Image via Battlefield Studios/EA.
However, with the expectations for a more live-service-driven Battlefield game and the need to deliver on the true experience of the series, the developers stated that they indeed felt pressure to live up to what the series was about. However, the devs are feeling confident in this new vision of Battlefield, one that could end up being their planned future of a “Battlefield universe.”
“I think with a project of this scale, and with a franchise that’s so iconic and beloved, we want to do right by our player base, so there is a lot of pressure that comes with that,” said the director of production. “But I would say we’re laser-focused on what we need to do, and I’m excited about what we have with Battlefield 6. Even what we have here today, what people will be able to experience in the upcoming open beta. It feels like a really exciting and energizing time, and I think even though the pressure is high, what we’re going to be able to deliver is going to be something really solid that I know our fans are gonna love.”
