Once 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 nervous it might make lessons really feel much less distinctive. Now, after taking part in the open beta for almost 20 hours, I’m right here to say: I used to be improper.
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.) Mainly, for almost so long as the franchise has been round, lessons had 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 could possibly be picked by a number of lessons, or they unfold particular varieties of weapons throughout a number of lessons. Battlefield 2042 threw quite a lot of this out the window when it launched with out lessons and let gamers primarily 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 stability between 2042‘s whole, unbalanced openness and the basic closed weapon system of the previous video games. And I believe, regardless of being nervous concerning the change and all the talk raging on-line amongst gamers on either side, Battlefield Studios has principally nailed it.
In Battlefield 6, any class can use any weapon. So you may spawn in as a recon soldier, however as a substitute of a sniper rifle, you possibly can deliver an SMG. Engineers, historically a category that makes use of SMGs, can rock snipers and LMGs. At first, this appeared like a foul concept to me. I nervous that gamers would simply choose the category with the most effective skills and choose the most effective assault rifle, and also you’d lose all the individuality 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 shocked by how issues have labored out.
In my hours with the beta, I discovered that in lots of matches gamers had been unfold throughout the 4 lessons. In some previous video games ( you, Battlefield 3), folks would choose no matter class had the most effective 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 thought is that now folks will choose lessons based mostly on what the staff wants and their distinctive skills and instruments, somewhat than the weapons they’ll and may’t use.
And yeah, that’s precisely what I noticed taking place in lots of BF6 open beta matches. If the enemy staff, for instance, introduced in a bunch of automobiles 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 associates swap to the help class to assist maintain some extent and revive folks, or swap to recon to assist pin down a goal. It appears now that weapons might be freely outfitted on any class, individuals are much more open to taking part in totally different lessons and serving to out the staff. Positive, perhaps a few of these gamers have simply outfitted the identical assault rifle on all the lessons, but when it helps my staff cease a tank from destroying us, I’m fantastic with it. That’s a a lot better state of affairs than in previous BF video games, the place an entire staff could 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 some other class. However you are able to do it, if that makes you cheerful. And that is the place I’d recommend some tweaks.
I believe rewarding gamers who choose class-specific weapons is a brilliant concept, however I virtually really feel just like the devs might do extra to ensure selecting an assault rifle on each class isn’t a straightforward possibility. 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 massive 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, could possibly be overcome with ability or teamwork, and would nonetheless enable for the weapon freedom the devs need in BF6.
However even when Battlefield 6 devs don’t steal my totally-awesome-and-perfect concept, I believe 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 through which all of the lessons are used, and that results in extra pleasant Battlefield motion. And that’s what I’m in search of. Positive, perhaps it signifies that I’ll be killed so much by a number of standard assault rifles, but it surely may also imply that there will likely be extra medics operating round who can heal me. That might be good. And don’t fear; in the event you hate the open weapon system, EA goes to supply playlists and modes that characteristic locked weapons, too. Everybody wins.
