Battlefield 6 leaks confirm EA is trying its luck at Battle Royale again

It's been a month since Battlefield Labs kicked off, implementing player-driven playtesting for every game aspect, including movement, combat systems, and new maps. The game has been no stranger to leaks, and most recently, data miners have uncovered traces of a free-to-play Battle Royale game mode that's expected to launch with Battlefield 6.

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Credit: EA

The first traces of a Battle Royale for Battlefield 6 were reported in February 2024, and it has since been confirmed that related files were identified in the a build of Battlefield Labs.

Per Insider Gaming, the new mode reportedly features solo, duo, trio, and squad matches. Along with conventional Battle Royale features such as armor systems, loot rarity, call-ins, and a shrinking zone. It's highlighted that the core experience will be made free-to-play, with an additional mode entitled Gauntlet referenced in the game files.

The reports also indicate that the mode is being developed by Ripple Effect (formerly DICE LA), known for its work alongside DICE, Criterion, and Motive on the Battlefield franchise.

The Battlefield franchise took its first plunge into the Battle Royale genre with Battlefield V: Firestorm, a 64-player mode built by Criterion in 2019. While it was released during the peak of the Battle Royale craze, the mode quickly dwindled in player counts and was quietly abandoned by EA shortly after launch. With Battlefield 2042, EA introduced Hazard Zone, a squad-based extraction mode with BR-like elements, which also failed to gain traction and was shortly dropped.

While general interest in Battle Royale has dwindled over the last five years, Battlefield's cinematic gameplay does have the ingredients to deliver an intriguing contribution to the genre. However, whether it comes to fruition - or is tossed aside by players in favour of the traditional Battlefield experience - remains to be seen.