After I first heard about EA and Battlefield Studios’ plan to implement an open weapon system within the upcoming Battlefield 6, I scoffed! And enjoying the sport in Los Angeles for an occasion final month didn’t promote me on it, both; I nonetheless fearful it will make courses really feel much less distinctive. Now, after enjoying the open beta for almost 20 hours, I’m right here to say: I used to be incorrect.
Let’s again up for a second and clarify, briefly, open and closed weapon class programs in Battlefield. (I promise this gained’t be too boring.) Principally, for almost so long as the franchise has been round, courses had been locked to sure weapons. Recon, for instance, had to make use of a sniper rifle. Over time, builders at Cube tweaked this and added “impartial” weapons that could possibly be picked by a number of courses, or they unfold particular kinds of weapons throughout a couple of courses. Battlefield 2042 threw a variety of this out the window when it launched with out courses and let gamers basically construct customized heroes who may use any gadget or gun. It then added courses again in when folks received offended. Anyway, Battlefield 6 is looking for a cheerful steadiness between 2042‘s complete, unbalanced openness and the basic closed weapon system of the previous video games. And I feel, regardless of being nervous concerning the change and all the talk raging on-line amongst gamers on either side, Battlefield Studios has principally nailed it.
In Battlefield 6, any class can use any weapon. So you possibly can spawn in as a recon soldier, however as a substitute of a sniper rifle, you possibly can convey an SMG. Engineers, historically a category that makes use of SMGs, can rock snipers and LMGs. At first, this appeared like a foul concept to me. I fearful that gamers would simply choose the category with the very best talents and choose the very best assault rifle, and also you’d lose all the distinctiveness that comes from BF’s old-school class system. And in some smaller, extra combat-focused modes, that is certainly the case. However in larger, extra Battlefield-y modes, like Conquest and Rush, I’ve been pleasantly stunned by how issues have labored out.
In my hours with the beta, I discovered that in lots of matches gamers had been unfold throughout the 4 courses. In some previous video games ( you, Battlefield 3), folks would choose no matter class had the very best assault rifle, and that was that. Throughout a Q&A with the devs final month in LA, they talked about this and stated that the open weapon system was partly designed to fight this. The concept is that now folks will choose courses primarily based on what the staff wants and their distinctive talents and instruments, somewhat than the weapons they’ll and may’t use.
And yeah, that’s precisely what I noticed occurring in lots of BF6 open beta matches. If the enemy staff, for instance, introduced in a bunch of automobiles or tanks, I’d see gamers swap to engineers to make use of that class’s RPG to take all these machines out. Likewise, I noticed gamers and mates swap to the assist class to assist maintain some extent and revive folks, or swap to recon to assist pin down a goal. It appears now that weapons could be freely outfitted on any class, individuals are way more open to enjoying totally different courses and serving to out the staff. Positive, perhaps a few of these gamers have simply outfitted the identical assault rifle on all the courses, but when it helps my staff cease a tank from destroying us, I’m high-quality with it. That’s a a lot better situation than in previous BF video games, the place an entire staff is perhaps assault troopers and also you’d be unable to get ammo resupplies or battle again towards helis.
Battlefield 6 additionally rewards gamers for selecting a weapon that’s extra aligned with their class. Recon troopers get a ton of unique sniper perks that make it nearly foolish to make use of a sniper rifle on every other class. However you are able to do it, if that makes you content. And that is the place I’d counsel some tweaks.
I feel rewarding gamers who choose class-specific weapons is a brilliant concept, however I nearly really feel just like the devs may do extra to verify selecting an assault rifle on each class isn’t a straightforward possibility. Maybe class-specific weapon punishments may work? An assault class soldier selecting a sniper rifle would possibly imply they don’t get the recon advantages, and maybe additionally they reload the large rifles extra slowly. Or an engineer selecting an assault rifle has extra kick and may’t carry as a lot ammo for it. These tweaks would reward folks enjoying courses extra historically, could possibly be overcome with ability or teamwork, and would nonetheless enable for the weapon freedom the devs need in BF6.
However even when Battlefield 6 devs don’t steal my totally-awesome-and-perfect concept, I feel the open weapon system is an efficient change. It lets gamers take pleasure in all of the courses with out forcing them to play with particular weapons. This results in matches by which all of the courses are used, and that results in extra satisfying Battlefield motion. And that’s what I’m in search of. Positive, perhaps it implies that I’ll be killed loads by a couple of widespread assault rifles, however it may also imply that there will probably be extra medics working round who can heal me. That may be good. And don’t fear; in case you hate the open weapon system, EA goes to supply playlists and modes that characteristic locked weapons, too. Everybody wins.
