The announcement of Battlefield 6's launch in 2021 has many fans' hopes up about the next title in the series. Battlefield 6 will be launching on next-gen consoles, but that is about all the information anyone has on the much-awaited followup to one of the most innovative and consistently high-quality shooter franchises on the market. Next generation technology will of course make the game look great and run fantastically, but beyond the objective quality of the game, Battlefield 6 will have to be a landmark title to make any impact in the current multiplayer FPS landscape.

Battlefield 6 developer DICE is well known for its quality products. Even though its Star Wars Battlefront games garnered high-profile controversy due to truly unfortunate microtransactions implementation by publisher EA, the base experience delivered by the development team was always unique and polished. The thing that DICE gets right in both Battlefield and Battlefront is the cinematic experience: so many moments in these games provide a sense of scale, grandeur, and chaos that is unparalleled in any other FPS.

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Before the popularization of battle royale shooters, Battlefield games were pioneering massive maps, large-scale tactics, and huge numbers of players clashing in a single game. However, in the time since Battlefield introduced players to player counts of 64 and up, games like PUBG, Fortnite, Apex Legends, and Call of Duty: Warzone have far surpassed Battlefield's numbers and scale. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare even has Ground War, which is essentially the core Battlefield-sized-map experience offered alongside all the other CoD game modes.

Battlefield 6's Competition with Modern Warfare

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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone are shaping up to be the biggest competition to Battlefield 6, even with CoD 2020 and more on the horizon, and there is a lot of ground to cover for the next Battlefield to compete with what is arguably the most popular Call of Duty game ever in years. Call of Duty games have long been the industry standard for first person shooters, as any FPS title will inevitably be compared to the CoD game de jour, and big-budget shooters have to set themselves apart to make an impact. There are a few reasons that competing with Modern Warfare will be extra difficult for Battlefield 6.

Modern Warfare and Warzone will certainly still be alive and kicking by the time that Battlefield 6 comes out. The developer has stated its commitment to keeping the current reboot around as the primary multiplayer Call of Duty experience for a long time yet, and the dev has made good on that commitment so far by continuing to release new content at a pace that even other triple-A developers struggle to keep up with.

To make matters even more dire for the next Battlefield, Modern Warfare has a large map, large player count mode available, alongside one of the best battle royale games yet in Warzone. Battlefield's claim to fame has always been the cinematic large map experience. While Modern Warfare may not be able to compete with the level of bombastic, intense scale and action that Battlefield brings to the table, it still has the core of Battlefield's schtick as just another game mode in a much bigger package. Battlefield 5 did include a battle royale mode, but it was too little, too late. It did not innovate the formula, unlike Call of Duty: Warzone, which has evolved the battle royale format and taken it in new and exciting directions.

In order to stand up to Call of Duty, Battlefield 6 will have to take full advantage of next generation hardware for graphics and effects, amp up its sense of scale and action, revolutionize its own formula to blow Ground War out of the water, and offer a battle royale mode that applies the signature Battlefield flair to the most popular new genre of multiplayer shooter. The sense of scale should not be an issue- Battlefield has always excelled at making each individual player feel small in comparison to the planes roaring overhead, the explosions rocking the earth, and the hail of bullets whizzing past during each mad dash and brief, heroic moment. However, two main features will determine how much that matters in the face of CoD's overwhelming popularity: an engaging and enduring setting, and innovation in signature game mechanics.

Battlefield 6's New Setting

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The last two Battlefield games have been set in World War I and World War II respectively, and while both of those setting are rife with interesting moments, great locales, and mountains of fun weapons and vehicles, it seems that most FPS players are leaning back towards modern settings. Luckily, many players are also craving a level of realism that Battlefield typically delivers in spades, which means Battlefield 6 will be well positioned to fill that role.

The most likely and most sensible next move for Battlefield is a modern setting. Players are clearly enjoying Modern Warfare's take on current day weapons and locales, and it would be foolish for Battlefield 6 to focus in on yet another historical combat setting, especially since nothing could really top the scale and widespread interest for WWII. Futuristic settings have had their time for both Call of Duty and Battlefield, and it seems like popular interest has not yet cycled back around to that genre of shooter.

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It might seem like choosing a modern setting would be a detriment to Battlefield 6, putting it in very direct competition with Modern Warfare. However, it is in Battlefield's best interest to be compared to CoD if it has enough features that set it apart and invite players to experience a different take on the setting that they are interested in. By the time Battlefield 6 comes out, players may start losing interest in Modern Warfare's constant content updates, and a shiny new FPS title in the same setting, but built for next-gen consoles and featuring innovative gameplay could attract quite a few customers.

Battlefield 6's Innovative Mechanics

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As mentioned above, Battlefield excels in realism, environmental destruction, sound design, and atmosphere. These are the few key features that Battlefield games have always prioritized, and those details have cemented the series as one that pushes the FPS genre forward time after time. Modern Warfare offers a fine-tuned, engaging, and addictive gameplay loop, but Battlefield provides a sense of immersion that is very rare in multiplayer games, let alone fast-paced shooters.

The best way for Battlefield 6 to make itself feel truly next generation will be environmental destruction. Environmental destruction in multiplayer games is not totally new, but it has always been a double edged sword. It creates a sense of realism, immersion, and tactical fluidity, but typically suffers from buginess, inconsistent implementation, and can often be exploited in game-breaking ways. If Battlefield 6 can get anywhere close to perfecting environmental destruction on a large scale, it will instantly set itself apart from the herd. Buildable defenses, crumbling buildings, and artillery craters all worked well in Battlefield V, but taking that design element to the next level is a must.

Scale will have to increase massively as well. Pushing the technological boundaries of player counts and game size, yet still maintaining a fast-paced gameplay loop is one of the specialties of the Battlefield series. This time though, Battlefield 6 will be contending with the popularity of several battle royale games, all of which have impressive scale. At their best, Battlefield games make each player feel like just one small part in a massive conflict, barely able to shift the tide of battle on their own. Battlefield 6 will have to go above and beyond to convey that feeling bigger, better, and more beautifully than every other shooter out there. It can be done, and based on its potential, Battlefield 6 is currently the game most likely to do it.

Battlefield 6 is in development for next-generation consoles.

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