Urgent Feedback on Battlefield 6: DICE!!!!!!
As a long-time Battlefield fan "BF Vietnam "who pre-ordered the Phantom Edition. I am deeply disappointed with aspects of Battlefield 6 that stray from the promised return to the franchise’s roots, particularly the beloved Battlefield 4. Your pre-launch messaging, including Design Director Justin Murray’s commitment to “grounded realism” and a “true Battlefield experience,” set expectations for a spiritual successor to BF4—not a rehash of Battlefield 2042’s missteps or a pivot toward Call of Duty’s arcadey aesthetics. Below, I outline critical issues undermining my experience and that of many in the community, alongside actionable requests to restore Battlefield 6’s potential as the BF4 2.0 we were promised.Immersion-Breaking Skins and Monetization Concerns
Pre-launch, DICE assured fans that cosmetics would remain “grounded” to preserve the mil-sim immersion that defines Battlefield. Yet, Season 1’s skins—such as “Wicked Grin” (bright blue skull camo), “Heatwave” (neon orange/green accents), and “Samhain/Fearmonger” (tacti-cool Halloween themes)—feel like a betrayal of that promise. These vibrant, out-of-place designs clash with the gritty warzones of maps like Siege of Cairo, making players glowing targets and breaking the realism you championed. Community backlash on Reddit, X, and EA Forums (e.g., posts with 11K+ upvotes) highlights widespread frustration, with many feeling misled after BF2042’s cosmetic misfires. We don’t want Call of Duty’s cartoonish skins or Fortnite-style glow-ups.
Request: Remove or rework overly stylized skins to align with military realism (e.g., MARPAT, Multicam options). Offer premium grounded cosmetic bundles to balance monetization without alienating purists.
Restrictive Gender and Customization Locks
A core joy of Battlefield 4 was the freedom to create a soldier reflecting oneself—whether a white male, as I identify, or any other preference—without artificial barriers. Battlefield 6’s class/sub-faction system locks players into pre-set characters, often defaulting to female operators (e.g., 5/6 Support options are female, with only one male unlock requiring extensive grinding). This feels like a forced imposition, limiting my ability to play as a character that mirrors my identity. The lack of gender and voice toggles, especially on premium skins like the Phantom Edition’s Engineer, undermines the personal connection that made BF4 immersive. Community petitions (2K+ signatures on EA Forums) echo this sentiment, demanding the customization freedom seen in BFV.
Request: Implement full gender and voice customization across all classes and skins, with no grind-gating. Let players choose who they are in-game, free of narrative-driven restrictions.
Map Size and Design Falling Short of Battlefield’s Legacy
Battlefield 4’s sprawling maps (e.g., Golmud Railway, Siege of Shanghai) defined the franchise’s chaotic, vehicle-heavy sandbox. Battlefield 6’s maps, while destructible and visually impressive, lean smaller, resembling Call of Duty’s tighter arenas more than the vast battlegrounds fans expected. Maps like Brooklyn Bridge prioritize infantry choke points over the open, multi-vehicle warfare that made BF4 iconic. This shift risks alienating players craving true Battlefield scale.
Request: Introduce larger maps in Season 1 or beyond, designed for 128-player vehicular chaos, akin to BF4’s epics. Prioritize open terrain and multi-objective flow over urban bottlenecks.
A Call for BF4 2.0, Not BF2042 2.0
Your team marketed Battlefield 6 as a love letter to BF4’s class-based, no-nonsense warfare, yet these issues—flashy skins, restrictive customization, and smaller maps—echo Battlefield 2042’s identity crisis. The game’s core (destruction, gunplay, 128-player lobbies) is strong, with 6.5M+ sales reflecting that promise. However, retention is reportedly dipping (15% week-over-week on Steam), and community forums are flooded with refund demands and “bait-and-switch” accusations. We invested in BF4 2.0—a gritty, customizable, massive-scale shooter—not a polished CoD clone with corporate-driven inclusivity mandates.
Actionable Steps Forward
I urge EA and DICE to act swiftly to preserve Battlefield 6’s potential and rebuild trust: Patch Customization: Add gender/voice toggles and modular camos (like BF4’s) by Season 1’s launch (October 28, 2025).
Rework Skins: Replace or tone down neon/event cosmetics with realistic options; poll the community for designs.
Expand Maps: Commit to larger, BF4-style maps in upcoming updates, prioritizing vehicle and squad synergy.
Communicate: Address these concerns directly via @BattlefieldComm
or a dev blog, as you did with BF2042’s bug fixes.
I’ve supported Battlefield since BF Vietnam, but these issues make me question if you even listen to your core fans! We want the Battlefield 4 2.0 we were promised, not a Battlefield 2042 sequel dressed in better graphics. I’m happy to discuss further via support channels or forums.
Sincerely,
M4urk
