Battlefield 6 just got its full gameplay reveal, and one of the big takeaways is that the series’ trademark destruction is absolutely here to stay. In an interview with EA executive vice president Vince Zampella at a pre-reveal event in Los Angeles, he tells us more about BF6’s new approach to destruction, and how it will offer new ways to experience each map without causing complete devastation.
Environmental destruction is one of the key reasons why the Battlefield series has produced so many of the best FPS games ever made, so getting it right for the high-stakes launch of Battlefield 6 is crucial. Past games have fluctuated in the levels of destruction they offer. Most recently, the divisive Battlefield 2042 would let you totally obliterate some smaller structures, but larger buildings would be more prescriptive in how you could damage them. However, some ‘levolution’ moments would cause certain points of interest to change and play differently. For Battlefield 6, DICE and co. are introducing a new “Tactical Destruction” system, which it claims allows for “unparalleled levels of freedom.”
That doesn’t mean, however, that you’ll be able to raze absolutely everything to the ground – nor does it mean that there’s a more scripted, pre-determined approach to how the map will evolve through environmental damage.
“It’s not about created moments,” Zampella assures us. “It’s more about if you allow the map to be destroyed in any way possible, then it’s not the map that you made. We make maps very purposefully for fun, combat sight lines, and performance. So if you’re able to control that destruction, [it can still be] different, because you might blow up this building one time, this building another, or nothing at all, that’s where the flexibility comes in. But even when they are destroyed, the map is still full. We guarantee you that the map is still fun to play. So it’s about making a map and then making multiple versions of that map that are all equally balanced and fun to play.”
The lack of total, random destruction may come as a disappointment to some Battlefield fans that want to see as much realism as possible. Some even enjoy the often fraught, chaotic endings to matches that arise when most of your environmental cover has been turned into rubble. Zampella seems aware of this, and asks those with concerns to show a bit of faith in the huge, four-studio team that’s been toiling away on Battlefield 6.
“That’s where you kind of have to trust that we’re good at our jobs, hopefully, and make a really fun fucking map for you to play,” he says with a chuckle. “The destruction has to not leave the map in a less fun state, because that would just ruin the gameplay, and it is all about [creating] the most fun gameplay.”
Battlefield 6 will launch on Friday, October 10. If you can’t wait until then, there will be a couple of opportunities for you to play for free before the Battlefield 6 release date. Two open beta weekends are just around the corner, and you can find out more about them in our Battlefield 6 beta guide.
For more from our trip to LA, check out Sam’s hands-on preview of Battlefield 6, plus more insight from Zampella and general manager Bryson Beede on the game’s campaign and why you won’t be playing it on your Steam Deck.
If you can’t hold out until the betas, then head into some of the best war games that are playable right now. If you want to beef up your PC ahead of Battlefield 6, then head to our best graphics card guide.
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Additional reporting by Sam Comrie.
