Platforms
When
Weekend 1
—Starts Saturday 9 Aug 6PM AEST
—Ends Monday 11 Aug 6PM AEST
Weekend 2
—Starts Thur 14 Aug 6PM AEST
—Ends Mon 18 Aug 6PM AEST
Tempering my expectations but it's getting harder.
It's looking good so far…. hold strong
HOLDDDD
tmi
Played early access. It's good. Highly optimised and runs smoothly.
Tempering my expectations but it's getting harder.
That excited are you.
Remember, no preorders.
What is even the point of a pre-order these days anyway?
PRE-ORDER BONUS: This is your war - take control before you hit the front lines. Pre-order Battlefield 6 and get the Tombstone Pack. Includes a Soldier Skin, Weapon package, Tombstone XP Boost Set, Player Card, Soldier Patch, and more.
Guessing the "and more" is like a wallpaper jpg file or some other trash. Nothing there that's worth a pre-order.
SHAME SHAME SHAME!!!
At least not until you play the beta. If you like the beta you're good.
They wont make any notable changes before release.
Let’s hope the netcode is good this round!!!
I really hope they consider making a server browser as it was in the older titles.
Server browser and private servers are essential for the longevity of the game.
They don't need to allow for private servers initially, but so long as they allow for it later on down the track it will help keep the game active long term
Did they say there wasn't going to be one?
Yeah it'll probably be similar to 2042 where you get a server browser for portal/community games and matchmaking for official DICE servers. Really wish it wasn't like that though. It sucks for lower pop regions…
Private customisable servers will be great and i think that may happen with bf6 as you're able to customise the map
I'm pretty sure they said only server browser in portal mode
I don't know why but my mind went straight to BF3 and their stupid server browser that was in your internet browser and not actually in-game and was like why on earth would you want that back?
Then I realised you meant the proper one they've had
I remember that!
I'm still playing BF4!
Are the servers alive still for AUS?
I would love to play the older ones again but the last time I played a year ago or so, activity was struggling for our low population region
2-4 available at night. I play every so often and my computer is 10 years old so rather limited, but still enjoyable.
Most of it is.
Weekend 1 opens on August 9 at 8:00 UTC (1AM PT) and closes August 11 at 8:00 UTC (1AM PT)
No code needed, available to anyone
Weekend 2 opens on August 14 at 8:00 UTC (1AM PT) and closes August 17 at 8:00 UTC (1AM PT)
No code needed, available to anyone
True dat. I had read it wrong. I thought it was that whole time. Sweet.
You’re talking about the early access on the 7th which is a days worth and then this starts 2 days after
This deal is for everyone. Just the 7th and 8th isn't
Hope this can at-least put a dent on $hithole that is cod. Every-time a BF release comes out the trailers looked really amazing but the actual experience has been nothing short of a disaster.
I have only had that lackluster experience on the latest one (2042), the rest of them have been really good IMO (including 1 & 5).
I'm hopefully that they have just looked at 3 & 4 and thought "let's do that, but in 2025"
I haven't properly enjoyed BF since BF4.
Same, the historical ones post 4 never really stuck with me.
They need to learn to put a proper stable product out at the door by launch. What happens is by the time they address showstopper bugs, the yearly cod is out and people jump ship. Due to how big the maps are BF will become stale experience by then.
Have you played Delta force?
Since BF1942/1943 here.
Excited for this
I’ve never participated in a beta. What happens when it’s over? You are asked for feedback on how it plays?
Most video game OPEN betas are just a marketing tool and chance for them to stress-test their servers launch. But I'm sure DICE will be listening to community feedback via forums and socials.
I wish I could share your optimism re listening to the community. I started with 1942, pre-purchased every new game I could (skipped Vietnam) including BF4. 1 & 5, I wouldn't have a dozen hours in each, only have them 'cause low cost or free. Hopefully 6 brings back that BF feeling.
Fair - I haven't pre-ordered any since BF4 but have enjoyed each, apart from 2042.
You play and then enjoy it or not. They do look at feedback/public sentiment but it's basically a multilayer demo
Just play until the server stops letting you connect and wait for the full release. No survey or anything needed. However the developer will be looking around the forums for people's feedback and comments.
How do you get early access, is there a code?
Early access was part of a twitch drop event, I don't think you can get a code anymore.
Also if you were signed up to BF Labs, that's how I got mine.
I had signed up too but I haven't received any code.
Did it come in an email or was it on the site?
I though BF labs was a US thing only?
@Mooncakes: I was never a part of it, I just signed up for it. Couldnt tell you if it was US only.
Watch a drops stream 30 mins on twitch Thursday and youll get an early access code
How is this a bargain?
Anyhow, if you do wish to play on PC, Secure Boot is a requirement which needs to be enabled in the BIOS. I figured this out by loading up 2042 the other day. It does say it in the link but its not obvious.
Also check your windows drive is GPT otherwise you won't be able to boot back in apparently.
Secure Boot a requirement for a video game? What in the actual? I think you've just killed my interest in the game.
Many online games are forcing Secure Boot now for their anti-cheat software. I don't see any reason not to turn it on anyway unless you are dual booting linux (which there are apparently workarounds for)
Its frustrating as cheaters still somehow get around it.
@Franc-T: Definitely. I played 30 hours and came across 1 blatant cheater during the beta, was surprised there wasn't more to be honest.
I think it's more of an extra hurdle for them to deal with. Without secure boot there may be even more cheats available and authors might end up charging less because of that
You know what else kills interests in games? Hackers. So you can choose the lesser of the two evils if you want but I know what I'd rather have.
What's your problem with Secure Boot?
How is free entertainment for a weekend a bargain? Really?
C'mon man, it's one thing to whine about anti-hacks like Secure Boot (which I'd love to hear your response on how to build an anti-cheat without that's done well..).
But it is definitely a bargain.
Can you point to the part in my comment where I am whining about Secure Boot?
Just warning people because I hadn’t enabled it and therefore couldn’t launch BF2042 the other day.
this is hilarious, i cant believe there are people complaining about free stuff on ozbargain. secure boot has been a UEFI component more than 10 years ago lol. people here running windows 7 pc's???
I followed the detailed guide from EA on activating secureboot and it bricked my Pc. Booted to a black screen.
CPU has no integrated gfx so I Had to put in another cpu that did, so I could see the screen and access bios to turn it off again. With it on that CPU bluescrreened when trying to load win 10. Swapped back to normal cpu and PC is alive again.
But no secureboot so I can’t play 2042 anymore let alone this.
Having to mess with bios to load a game isn’t a great customer experience.
That really sucks mate, I hope you’re able to find a solution so you can play the beta.
Downloaded, went to play and said that Secureboot is not enabled.
Uninstalled.
I won't be a part of your 100 million player base.
Haven’t played since Battlefield 1, is the Battlepass just cosmetics? Or do I need to buy that if I want future dlc like new maps and guns?
I'm fairly sure we don't know the details of any battlepass model currently. It saddens me that we don't just have good old-fashioned expansion packs, in some ways. BF3 & BF4 did it best with Premium.
Bent it and send it!
Keen for open Beta.
Shouldnt they be paying me to beta test their game?
Beta campaign?
no
Early Access to the beta costs $25 AUD for a month of "EA Play Pro" membership if you didn't get a twitch key or sign up for labs, early access starting Thursday evening, this rolls into the weekend open access so 96 hours total. So you could technically get a month of their membership and try some of their other games after the beta is done.
they mention this on the bottom of their FAQ
https://www.ea.com/en/games/battlefield/battlefield-6/faq
Its free on Thursday they have drops for early access again
yea i just saw that half an hour ago, new information just dropped - Leasky is correct drops are on thursday and only take 30mins, EA play pro is no longer required
Can you describe how these 'drops' work.. Am I supposed to follow on Twitch or something?
My expectation was the platform, be it Epic Store or Steam, would allow me to install the beta and run it on the day.
Just link your 2 accounts up ea and twitch and after 30 youll get sent a code in your notifications you can redeem
Time to get the boiz together again.
Now, who here can fly a chopper?
Traditionally open beta was what launch day was called.
was launch day also traditionally free to access too?
This is purely semantics…. but I totally disagree. The game doesn't launch until V1.0 is publicly on sale. Betas can go on indefinitely and do not always represent the final product.
Lol. The replies taking you literally…
ha! It was starting to confuse me.
Anyone know if you need an active PSN subscription to play the open beta on PS5?
No PSN….based on Diablo 4 open beta
I played on Sat and Sunday evening without PS Plus, this morning I turned it on and it was locked saying it requires a PS+ subscription to play.
how much space do we need? 500gb?? 😂
Beta is 39.5 GB
The full game is 10% cheaper on PlayStation if you buy 1 month of EA Play for $8.95. And 10% cheaper on Xbox if you have Game Pass Ultimate or EA Play.
It brings the cost down to:
I got lucky, I got an email from EA that I can play the beta 2 days early, think it's because I've bought and played other battlefields? Or maybe I signed up for some insider program in the past
I got an email also, but I am signed up to EA Playtesters, so occasionally get Alpha and Beta access.
ah that might be it!
my memory is fading me as to exactly what triggered it
I'm tempted by the footage, but tempered by past experience, there hasn't been a Battlefield game that I really enjoyed in over 11 years. Will give the beta a blast though, and see if it hits the spot of if I continue to wish they'd just remake 2142, Bad Company 2 and Battlefield 4.
I agree with you, tempted, but also tempered.
From what I hear they supposedly used battlefield 3 & 4 as their inspiration for this one….so that's a step in the right direction, now to just see if they executed it accordingly
It looks so arcade like. It certainly isn't a realism game. I do like the destructible environments tho
I've been almost exclusively playing Hell Let Loose for years now.. I worry that even if it's a brilliant arcade game, it wont be for me. I hate the run jump slide nonsense.
I have played a lot of HLL for years too. It just seems very fast paced for what should be modern soldiers in heavy equipment. I know if I want realism I should go play ARMA or equivalent. Just feels really deathmatch styled and not a team oriented game.
@serpserpserp: My experience is not like yours at all, to me it's a nice blend of realism and still being fun, but it certainly doesn't feel like a deathmatch style game to me at all, do you join squads, use voice comms, engage with your team/squad etc? I rarely have trouble finding a tank squad with everyone on voice comms and good teamwork.
Can't get past the COD like hitmarkers/gunplay. Looks great otherwise. Keen to try for sure.
Cod gunplay is the best thing about cod, it's everything else about cod that blows. So good having cod gunplay in BF, looking forward to this BF title
![[PS5, XSX, PC, Steam, Epic, EA App] Battlefield 6 Free Open Beta Weekends: Aug 9 - 10, Aug 14 - 18 @ Various Platforms](https://files.ozbargain.com.au/n/20/918320.jpg?h=f7b3127f)
Sweet