After I first heard about EA and Battlefield Studios’ plan to implement an open weapon system within the upcoming Battlefield 6, I scoffed! And taking part in the sport in Los Angeles for an occasion final month didn’t promote me on it, both; I nonetheless fearful it will make lessons really feel much less distinctive. Now, after taking part in the open beta for practically 20 hours, I’m right here to say: I used to be mistaken. 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 practically so long as the franchise has been round, lessons have 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 might be picked by a number of lessons, or they unfold particular kinds of weapons throughout a number of lessons. Battlefield 2042 threw loads of this out the window when it launched with out lessons and let gamers basically construct customized heroes who might use any gadget or gun. It then added lessons again in when folks obtained indignant. Anyway, Battlefield 6 is looking for a contented 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 in regards to the change and all the talk raging on-line amongst gamers on either side, Battlefield Studios has largely nailed it. In Battlefield 6, any class can use any weapon. So you possibly can spawn in as a recon soldier, however as an alternative 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 thought to me. I fearful that gamers would simply choose the category with one of the best talents and choose one of the 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 greater, 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 have been unfold throughout the 4 lessons. In some previous video games (taking a look at you, Battlefield 3), folks would choose no matter class had one of the best assault rifle, and that was that. Throughout a Q&A with the devs final month in LA, they talked about this and mentioned that the open weapon system was partly designed to fight this. The concept is that now folks will choose lessons primarily based on what the crew wants and their distinctive talents and instruments, quite than the weapons they will and may’t use. And yeah, that’s precisely what I noticed occurring in lots of BF6 open beta matches. If the enemy crew, for instance, introduced in a bunch of autos 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 a degree and revive folks, or swap to recon to assist pin down a goal. It appears now that weapons could be freely geared up on any class, persons are way more open to taking part in totally different lessons and serving to out the crew. Certain, perhaps a few of these gamers have simply geared up the identical assault rifle on the entire lessons, but when it helps my crew cease a tank from destroying us, I’m high quality with it. That’s a significantly better situation than in previous BF video games, the place an entire crew is likely to be 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 virtually 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 thought, however I virtually really feel just like the devs might do extra to verify selecting an assault rifle on each class isn’t a straightforward choice. Maybe class-specific weapon punishments might work? An assault class soldier selecting a sniper rifle may imply they don’t get the recon advantages, and maybe in addition 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 taking part in lessons extra historically, might be overcome with talent or teamwork, and would nonetheless permit for the weapon freedom the devs need in BF6. However even when Battlefield 6 devs don’t steal my totally-awesome-and-perfect thought, I feel the open weapon system is an effective change. It lets gamers take pleasure in all of the lessons with out forcing them to play with particular weapons. This results in matches by which all of the lessons are used, and that results in extra gratifying Battlefield motion. And that’s what I’m in search of. Certain, perhaps it implies that I’ll be killed rather a lot by a number of widespread assault rifles, but it surely may also imply that there might be extra medics operating 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 function locked weapons, too. Everybody wins.
