Releasing a new Battle Royale title in 2025 is a risk, to say the least...
The Battlefield franchise might be taking another swing at the ever-competitive battle royale space – this time with Battlefield 6 reportedly lining up a free-to-play mode that directly rivals Call of Duty: Warzone. If the rumors are true, this could mark one of the series’ boldest moves yet, and arguably its biggest gamble.
A Risky Move In A Crowded Genre
The genre’s golden age is already a few years behind us. Fortnite and PUBG kicked off the craze in the late 2010s, pulling millions of players into last-player-standing shootouts. Even legacy shooters scrambled to join the gold rush: Counter-Strike got its short-lived Danger Zone mode, Apex Legends carved out its own corner, and Call of Duty: Warzone became a pandemic-era juggernaut that still pulls massive numbers. But now, with Warzone deeply entrenched and Fortnite showing no signs of slowing down, any fresh contender has to deliver something truly special to break through the noise.
The story of Battlefield 6 so far is a mix of nostalgia and high-stakes reinvention. DICE has been touting a back-to-basics approach: a gritty art style reminiscent of Battlefield 3 and 4, the return of large-scale destruction, and the removal of hero shooter-style operators that divided fans in recent entries. Playtests have reportedly impressed those lucky enough to get a sneak peek, with early footage hinting at vast maps and classic Battlefield chaos.
EA’s Big Ambition: 100 Million Players
Behind the scenes, though, EA is pushing for something far more ambitious. According to a recent Ars Technica report, the publisher wants Battlefield to rival Call of Duty’s reach, aiming for an eye-watering 100 million players. Internally, DICE developers are skeptical of hitting that milestone – but a free-to-play battle royale could be the ace up EA’s sleeve to expand the franchise’s player base dramatically.
The rumored plan is simple but familiar: Battlefield 6’s battle royale mode would launch as a standalone free-to-play experience, just like Warzone, while the core game – traditional team-based modes and possibly a single-player campaign – would remain a paid product. It’s a proven model that turned Warzone into a blockbuster and gave Activision an extra revenue stream from microtransactions and seasonal content drops.
Leaks, Datamines, And A Mode Called Gauntlet
Datamined assets and leaks add weight to the speculation. Players who dug through files from the Battlefield Labs playtests have uncovered hints of a dedicated battle royale map, complete with concept art of squads parachuting onto hotspots, looting abandoned buildings, and engaging in tense firefights. A video allegedly showing helicopters dropping players onto the battlefield surfaced on Reddit last month, but it was swiftly taken down.
Another intriguing piece of the puzzle is a rumored mode called Gauntlet. According to the same Ars Technica report, Gauntlet could reuse the battle royale map in smaller, squad-based elimination matches – possibly inspired by The Finals’ Cashout mode, mixing large-scale maps with tighter competitive objectives. If true, DICE may be planning to keep the battle royale map alive in multiple forms, offering variety and replayability beyond a single mode.
Can Battlefield Get It Right This Time?
Still, the biggest question looming over this project is whether Battlefield can succeed where it once faltered. Many fans still remember Firestorm, Battlefield V’s short-lived battle royale experiment. Despite some promising ideas, it arrived late to the party and failed to pull players away from established titans like Fortnite and Warzone.
This time, DICE seems determined to learn from those mistakes. Reports suggest the studio wants to stand out by embracing the grounded, gritty aesthetic that made classic Battlefield entries beloved. While Warzone piles on outlandish cosmetics and goofy crossovers, Battlefield 6’s rumored battle royale may appeal to players craving a more realistic, boots-on-the-ground war zone.
Will Players Show Up in 2025?
But is that enough? By 2025, Warzone will have celebrated its fifth anniversary, Fortnite will still be reinventing itself every season, and players have endless free-to-play options to choose from. For Battlefield to make a dent, DICE will need to deliver a genuinely compelling experience – and keep it fresh with consistent updates, tight gun play, and meaningful progression.
For now, none of this has been officially confirmed. EA has yet to unveil Battlefield 6 in full, and any battle royale mode is still technically rumor – albeit a rumor with mounting evidence behind it. Fans will be watching closely to see if DICE can recapture the magic of Battlefield’s golden years and crack the code of a genre where even some of the biggest names have stumbled.
If Battlefield 6 does launch with a battle royale, it will be one of the most closely watched shooter releases in years. It’s a throwback, a second chance, and a massive bet all rolled into one – and whether that gamble pays off could shape the franchise’s future for the next decade.