Battlefield 6 Multiplayer preview: An explosive return to form for the iconic franchise

Battlefield 6 is on its way soon, and I was recently among the journalists and FPS pros who got to dip their toes into the multiplayer gameplay ahead of the open beta tests. Battlefield is my favorite FPS multiplayer franchise of all time, so I’m incredibly excited to report to you that the series is back and better than ever. Not everyone enjoyed the last iteration of the game, admittedly, but I think the devs are going to win the hearts and minds of the players back with this one.

Over a few hours, we got to play through several of the maps, and four of the game modes featured in Battlefield 6: The familiar Conquest and Breakthrough as well as Squad Deathmatch and Domination. The best part is that you won’t even have to wait long to get hands-on either, with several Open Betas coming ahead of an October 2025 launch.

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Battlefield 6 feels like a return to BF4, only bigger and better

When Battlefield 6 launches on October 10, 2025, it will take players to the near future of 2027, in a setting that genuinely feels like it could happen in the real world. It’s NATO versus a military force known as PAX ARMATA. Independent, ruthless, and incredibly skilled, they’re bringing chaos to the world, and it’s up to the allied nations to stop it. They very much remind me of the Akatsuki, what little I’ve seen of them so far.

The chaos is non-stop and it feels incredible to be a part of (Image via EA)

But that’s not what you’re likely here for; you want to know how the gameplay of Battlefield 6 is! In a word, incredible. I’m not what you’d call a seasoned FPS pro, but I’m content being casual. The vibe in the room felt like pretty much everyone was pumped before and after diving into the various maps and modes.

The maps feel amazing, whether we were in Cairo, GIbralter, or Brooklyn. Several game modes will exist on these maps, but they were designed in such a way that it doesn’t feel like you were forced into a weird spot on the map to play TDM. It will make sense; the maps were designed in a very intuitive way that rewards tactical thinking.

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Classes are back and have been fine-tuned for a modern audience

Each class does something unique, making them important. All classes can shine in combat (Image via EA)

One of the best changes, for me personally, was that classes are back and have been overhauled. Each one, Assault, Engineer, Support, and Recon all do something incredibly important and useful to your four-person squad. Recon gives you readings on where the enemies are, and can even help guide your missiles. Support has an instant revival, Engineers have Mortars and can repair vehicles, and Assault, well, they kill people dead really fast and inject stims to keep the pressure on.

Another facet to be aware of is that classes' weapon loadouts are open, meaning you can pick whichever guns and tools strike your fancy, but they do their best with their default loadout. However, for fans of closed loadouts, that will be a Community Experience mode you can play, and yes, it still gives full exp.

A new feature to the class system is that there is Training. This allows you to pick up additional traits while in battle to help you win the war on terror. It’s a fantastic feature, and will no doubt serve people well.

I played as all of the classes, and while normally, I main Support, Engineer was hands-down my favorite. Being able to set up Mortars, and to shoot rockets at buildings (and vehicles) to bring them down was incredibly satisfying. Not to mention, you can just hit players with the rockets, too, if that’s what you feel is necessary in a situation.

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Battlefield 6 brings the boom, when it comes to destruction

Plowing tanks into buildings can create devastating results (Image via EA)

What would Battlefield 6 be without a destructible environment? And this one’s more destructible than ever! This is the most tactical shooter I think I’ve played in some time, and part of it is thanks to breakable buildings. Is the enemy above you in a building, taking out your allies? Throw C4 onto the ceiling and bring them down!

You can use the Sledgehammer to drop down on people and surprise them, or simply fire rockets or tank blasts at buildings to either completely collapse them, or simply blow out the front wall. Suddenly, your enemies who had perfect cover are revealed to the world. Plus, let’s be honest, who hasn’t thought of blasting a building into rubble?

No matter what map, this was an amazing feature. I loved being able to demolish a building simply to get at my opponents, or deny them cover. If you’re a fan of the classic Battlefield games, this is going to tug right at your heartstrings.

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The gunplay delivers 100%

Each gun I tried felt solid, even if it took a bit to get used to the differences (Image via EA)

While yes, I’m pretty average at shooters, Battlefield 6 helps teach players how to understand a gun’s function without forcing you through tutorials. It’s very clear on the screen when a gun starts to recoil or move after firing. All you have to do is keep an eye on that, and you’ll get better!

Learning how your gun functions in the heat of battle in Battlefield 6 is the best way, honestly. Sure, training modes and training dummies are neat and useful in their own way. However, your enemies aren’t going to stand still. It’s pretty easy to get into matches and figure out the response your weapon’s going to have.

In general, the guns felt amazing, and so did the movement. Simply running and gunning was awesome, even when I wasn’t blowing people away. That happens when you’re queued against the best FPS players the world has to offer.

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Battlefield 6 is visually at its peak

The maps are visually stunning, without a doubt (Image via EA)

Every single map looked gorgeous. It wasn’t all just brown non-stop. Brooklyn looked like Brooklyn. Admittedly yes, Cairo was very brown. It’s a desert, that’s just how that is. But each map felt good to explore. There’s a lot of tactical depth yes, but they’re also just brilliant to walk through and admire.

I feel like sound design teams don’t really get enough credit, and they should here. Every blast, shot, and roar of an engine was spot on in Battlefield 6. Hearing the grinding of a tank pushing through rubble and opening fire on enemy combatants, allies crying out for aid (revives), or just the rattling of gunfire; it’s all fantastic.

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Final thoughts

Battlefield has never been more back than with Battlefield 6 (Image via EA)

It’s clear that the Battlefield 6 devs heard the fans loud and clear with this one. It’s a real love letter to what made the franchise successful in the first place. That, combined with improvements to features such as the Portal, fans are not going to want to miss out. We didn’t experience the new Portal changes personally, but I did want to at least highlight it, because it’s important.

My focus is the actual gameplay, which I spent around four or so hours grinding out with tons of people who all had one thing in common: A love of Battlefield. I came away happy, and when the open betas start happening, I think you’ll agree.