In a detailed blog post, the developers of Battlefield 6 explain the changes they are planning for the release. However, the decision in the weapons debate has not been met with universal approval.
It’s a question that already caused debate in Battlefield 2042: Should there be weapon categories reserved for individual classes? At the time, the developers responded with a clear “no,” but now things look different. In the open beta of Battlefield 6, there were servers with open and closed weapon categories. Now the developers have announced what the situation will be at release.
A clear winner?
In a blog post, the developers explain what data and feedback they gathered from the open beta and closed tests (Battlefield Labs). The biggest topic: Will Battlefield 6 have closed or open weapons?
At launch, playlists with both options will actually be available. So if you prefer one variant, you can specifically join games with closed or open weapon categories. It is also possible to create servers with closed weapons in Portal. However, the developers have come to the conclusion that open weapons are the right way forward and are therefore the preferred setting. They justify this with the data they have collected:
- Closed weapons have little effect on class selection (differences between one and two percent).
- Both the duration of the rounds and the average number of kills are almost identical for both variants.
- The time spent in combat also does not differ between closed and open weapons.
- With open weapons, players are more likely to choose non-class-specific weapons, but all weapon types are played equally in both variants.
According to DICE, closed weapons have little effect on the playing style and experience of the majority of players. But there is also another statistic that, according to the developers, clearly speaks in favor of open weapons:
This is because the vast majority of players who tried both open and closed weapons subsequently opted for playlists where the choice of weapons is not restricted. However, it is not possible to fully assess how meaningful this statistic really is:
- DICE does not specify which of the two variants was played more overall.
- The figures may also have been influenced by the fact that playlists with closed weapons were pushed far back in the main menu and were therefore overlooked by players.
A vocal minority?
DICE’s decision has not been well received by the part of the community that is active on social media. Many players prefer closed weapons and question DICE’s reasoning:
During my experience in the beta, it was almost impossible to find a full server in the closed weapons playlist. […] Then at some point I gave up and played with open weapons […]. I think this will probably lead to the conclusion that they are preferred, even if that’s not true.
Of course, closed playlists were played less often, you kept hiding them!
But there are also voices that cannot understand the excitement and see the debate in a different light, seeing a vocal minority advocating for closed weapons:
I’m not sure what all the fuss is about. The closed weapons playlists will still be there at release; they haven’t removed them. […] We’ll be able to choose the playstyle we like.
I’ve played both and prefer open weapons. I’ve been playing since Battlefield 2. You know, maybe it’s not such a big conspiracy that people actually prefer open weapons?
One user even sums up the current discussions in the community with an elaborate and apt meme:
But even more well-known voices are speaking out. YouTuber Westie, one of the most prominent voices in the Battlefield community, doubts on Twitter that the discussion about weapon classes is even relevant to a large proportion of players:
A brutal truth:
Casual players don’t care about locked weapons. Or unlocked weapons. Or even which weapon they use most of the time.
They just want to play Battlefield.
The discussion about weapon classes isn’t the first controversy to occupy the Battlefield community. Just a few weeks ago, the new sledgehammer caused quite a stir.
However, other factors will likely determine the success or failure of Battlefield 6, such as the quality of the maps or the technical condition of the shooter when it is released on October 10. We will, of course, provide you with a detailed review that addresses the most important points.
