For years, the first-person shooter (FPS) scene has been dominated by two heavyweights: Call of Duty and Battlefield.
These two franchises have battled for the top spot, shaping what players expect from military shooters. But Call of Duty has usually come out on top in sales and player counts, thanks to yearly releases and staying on top of trends.
Now, things might be shifting.
The Battlefield 6 beta just dropped, and gamers are already buzzing about its big gameplay improvements and strong reception. It feels like a return to what made the series great in the first place.
With player numbers and pre-orders climbing fast, the beta suggests Battlefield could be stealing some of Call of Duty’s thunder.
So why is the Battlefield 6 beta making such a big impact?
And could this shake up not just the series, but the entire FPS genre?
Let’s break it down.
Battlefield 6: Going Back to the Good Old Days?
If you’re a Battlefield fan, you’ve probably been disappointed in recent years because of several weak games that didn’t do well and upset the fanbase.
While Battlefield 1 got good reviews for mixing big battles with historical stories, the next game—Battlefield 5—caused problems.
The makers, DICE and EA, moved away from the realistic and historically accurate approach that fans loved. From a badly received reveal trailer showing a World War II sniper with a fake arm to complaints about forced diversity in the story mode, Battlefield 5 upset its fans right from the start.
The problems didn’t stop there. Battlefield 2042, the next game in the series, was another letdown for many fans. It didn’t have a story mode, had serious bugs and performance problems when it launched, and felt rushed.
Even though the game got updates later to fix the gameplay, the damage from a bad launch left fans unsure about the series’ future.
Battlefield 6 looks like it’s going to change all that. Unlike the recent games, this one seems to be focusing on the realistic, large-scale battles that once made the franchise famous.
Early reactions from the beta are really positive, with many longtime Battlefield fans saying this is exactly what they’ve been waiting for.
Breaking Records: Taking the Spotlight from Call of Duty
One of the biggest wins for the Battlefield 6 beta is that it got over 300,000 players on Steam alone, just days after it went live.
On top of that, its Twitch viewer numbers hit over 850,000 at their peak, beating almost every Call of Duty game ever made, except for Warzone—which got lucky by coming out during the pandemic when everyone was stuck at home.
This huge success shows that players are really interested again and are hungry for good Battlefield content.
To put this in perspective, even popular games like Overwatch or PUBG had trouble getting this many viewers on Twitch, which makes Battlefield 6’s success even more impressive.
Right now, the beta keeps getting more popular, making people think that pre-orders for the full game are going through the roof.
While Call of Duty still has loyal fans, all the excitement around Battlefield 6 shows that people still want military realism and smart, tactical gameplay that DICE is trying to give them.
Cheaters Are Already Ruining the Battlefield 6 Beta!
Sadly, not everything in the Battlefield 6 beta has been perfect.
One of the biggest problems fans are complaining about is cheaters already flooding the game—even though the official release is still weeks away.
Battlefield 6 uses EA and DICE’s new anti-cheat system called “Javelin.” But this system isn’t working well, as many players have found ways around it to use cheats while playing.
From auto-aim programs to seeing through walls, cheaters are ruining the fun for players who want fair and competitive matches.
Some of the viral video clips from the beta clearly show cheaters seeing player outlines through walls, easily guessing where enemies will move, and winning gunfights before their opponents even know what’s happening.
Many Battlefield fans worry that if nothing is done about this, it could seriously hurt the game’s future.
Making things even worse, one of the people running the beta said that when cheats were reported to them, the cheating players were quickly banned.
But that’s not enough. Critics are getting more doubtful about how well the anti-cheat system works, especially since this same technology is being used in other big games like Call of Duty.
The big question is: if cheaters can get around this system during the beta, what will happen when the full game comes out?
New Leadership, New Direction
Battlefield 6’s success might come down to one big change: its leadership.
Vince Zampella, the co-founder of Call of Duty’s original studio (Infinity Ward), is now in charge of Battlefield. His track record is impressive—he helped create Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Titanfall, Apex Legends, and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.
Zampella was key in shifting Call of Duty from old-school WWII settings to modern combat, which changed shooters forever.
Now, he’s bringing that same focus on smooth gameplay and player engagement to Battlefield 6—going back to what made the series great while pushing it forward.
Meanwhile, Call of Duty has been criticized for feeling stale, with yearly releases that often seem rushed. Zampella’s influence could be exactly what Battlefield needs to pull ahead.
Keeping It Real (Unlike Call of Duty)
One of Call of Duty’s biggest problems lately has been its over-the-top, silly crossover content.
Bright pink gun skins, celebrity cameos, and ridiculous outfits have made the game feel less like a military shooter and more like a chaotic mess. We think it’s lost its identity in the chase for profits.
So far, Battlefield 6 seems to be avoiding that trap.
The developers have promised a more serious, grounded experience—no robot soldiers or goofy cosmetics. For now, the game is sticking to what military shooter fans actually want.
But players are still cautious.
If Battlefield 6 becomes a huge hit, will EA start pushing flashy microtransactions and yearly releases too?
Only time will tell if the series can stay true to its roots.
Big Budgets, Big Pressure
The Battlefield 6 beta’s success didn’t come cheap—the game reportedly cost $400 million to make, with four different studios working on it. But that massive effort came at a cost for the developers.
Some reports say employees worked brutal hours—up to 15-20 hours a day—while dealing with time zone differences and tight deadlines.
The stress took a real toll, with some team members needing extended mental health breaks.
It raises the question: Can the gaming industry keep pushing for bigger, more expensive games without burning out the people who make them?
For EA, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Battlefield 6 needs to be a hit—not just to compete with Call of Duty, but to justify its huge budget.
With the beta already winning over players, EA is betting big on Zampella’s vision. Now, we’ll see if it pays off.
Competition and the Future: Can Call of Duty Stay on Top?
One thing’s for sure—Call of Duty’s bosses are keeping a close eye on Battlefield 6.
Former Blizzard leader Mike Ybarra recently shared his thoughts, saying Call of Duty has gotten worse over the years because it chases unfair trends and pushes bad money-making tactics.
Ybarra thinks Battlefield 6 will push Call of Duty to do better—or risk falling behind.
But Activision doesn’t seem worried.
Insiders say the company believes Call of Duty is “too big to fail.”
With plans for at least four more yearly releases, Activision isn’t changing its strategy anytime soon.
Whether Battlefield 6 can really challenge the giant is still up in the air.
The Bottom Line
The Battlefield 6 beta has shaken up the FPS scene.
Going back to the series’ classic style, with Vince Zampella leading the way, seems to be working.
But big questions remain—can EA keep this up without falling into the same traps as Call of Duty, like greed and pumping out too much content too fast?
As the full game gets closer, everyone’s watching Battlefield 6. Will this be the year Battlefield takes back its crown as the best military shooter?
Or will it just be another expensive game that fades fast?
Only time will tell—but for now, the beta has fans feeling hopeful.
What do you think?
Will EA’s new game beat Call of Duty, or is another letdown coming? Drop your thoughts in the comments!
