Unauthorized Battlefield 6 Playtest Footage Reveals the Future of the Series

Leaked gameplay footage of the next, still-untitled Battlefield game is making its way online, giving fans a glimpse at what the future of the franchise will entail.

A small number of players are currently playing the next installment in the Battlefield franchise as part of an early Battlefield Labs playtest, and though those playing are under an NDA, gameplay footage has unsurprisingly leaked online. Publisher EA, at least initially, seemed to be pulling down leaked footage of the playtest, but many clips continue to circulate online for the time being.

Despite the large scale playtest being described as existing so that players can give feedback on a pre-alpha version of the game, the new Battlefield looks to be fairly far along. This new entry takes place in the modern day rather than in the past (Battlefield 1 or Battlefield V) or the future (Battlefield 2042), bringing to mind the look and feel of games like Battlefield 3 and 4.

Leaked footage shows the classic Battlefield game mode Conquest being played on an urban map named Abbasid. The UI looks similar to that of Battlefield 2042, but also features a return to the franchise’s tried-and-true class system, with players able to choose between Assault, Engineer, Support, and Recon.

Destruction looks to be back in a big way as well. Footage shows more detailed environmental destruction than in Battlefield 2042, with a single rocket able to completely decimate a building as upper floors collapse onto themselves. While Battlefield 2042 did feature destruction (a series staple), it was more limited, with many of the game’s buildings unable to be collapsed.

That’s all to say it’s about what you would expect from a Battlefield set in the modern day. Movement looks to be slower compared to something like Call of Duty or even previous Battlefield games, though that is something that could definitely be tweaked from the playtest to the full version of the game. There’s also a fair number of visual bugs (flickering and debris floating in the air), but as this is an early test, much of that is to be expected.

In a post on X, the official Battlefield account outlined some of the key features being tested as part of this first Battlefield Labs playtest, namely gunplay and movement. The new Battlefield’s servers will feature 60Hz tick rates to ensure the game “more frequently updates the positions and actions for all players,” and will display bullets faster after pressing fire to “decrease input delay, make shooting feel more responsive, and helps you better track and hit moving targets.” The article continues to state that the developers have adjusted the recoil of the game’s weapons to all “feel unique” when firing them, and that weapons “visually stabilizes the more accurate your handling is, making you feel like you’re actually firing and controlling it.”

As for movement, the new Battlefield is bringing back the ability to crouch sprint (previously featured in Battlefield V), as well as perform combat dives and rolls. According to the article, updates have also been made to the game’s visual indicators to make it easier to know when it’s possible to vault over something or lean around cover.

The official Battlefield X account gave the disclaimer that some features seen in the Battlefield Labs playtest are placeholder and work-in-progress, with bugs and performance not being representative of the final game.

Last year, Battlefield general manager Byron Beede said the team put a focus on “finding the fun” for the next entry through rapid prototyping and early player feedback. Four different studios are currently contributing to the next Battlefield, with what Beede described as the “largest, strongest, most focused team” in the franchise’s history. Battlefield creator DICE is handling the game’s signature multiplayer alongside help from Criterion, while Criterion is additionally making the game’s single-player campaign alongside Motive. A fourth studio, Ripple Effect, is working on a mysterious “new Battlefield experience,” having previously built Battlefield 2042’s Portal mode. That mode, which allowed players to create custom game types and play with weapons and on maps from older Battlefield entries, is rumored to be returning for the unofficially titled Battlefield 6.

The new Battlefield does not currently have an exact release date, but according to a recent EA quarterly earnings report, it will arrive by March 2026. Those interested in signing up for future Battlefield Labs tests can still do so.