Once I first heard about EA and Battlefield Studios’ plan to implement an open weapon system within the upcoming Battlefield 6, I scoffed! And enjoying the sport in Los Angeles for an occasion final month didn’t promote me on it, both; I nonetheless fearful it could make courses really feel much less distinctive. Now, after enjoying the open beta for almost 20 hours, I’m right here to say: I used to be flawed.
Let’s again up for a second and clarify, briefly, open and closed weapon class programs in Battlefield. (I promise this received’t be too boring.) Principally, for almost so long as the franchise has been round, courses have 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 might be picked by a number of courses, or they unfold particular forms of weapons throughout just a few courses. Battlefield 2042 threw numerous this out the window when it launched with out courses and let gamers primarily construct customized heroes who may use any gadget or gun. It then added courses again in when folks bought indignant. Anyway, Battlefield 6 is looking for a contented steadiness between 2042‘s whole, unbalanced openness and the basic closed weapon system of the previous video games. And I feel, regardless of being nervous in regards to the change and all the talk raging on-line amongst gamers on either side, Battlefield Studios has largely 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 might deliver an SMG. Engineers, historically a category that makes use of SMGs, can rock snipers and LMGs. At first, this appeared like a nasty concept to me. I fearful that gamers would simply choose the category with the very best talents and choose the very best 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 have been unfold throughout the 4 courses. In some previous video games (taking a look at you, Battlefield 3), folks would choose no matter class had the very best 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 courses based mostly on what the workforce wants and their distinctive talents and instruments, slightly than the weapons they will and may’t use.
And yeah, that’s precisely what I noticed taking place in lots of BF6 open beta matches. If the enemy workforce, 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 mates swap to the help class to assist maintain a degree and revive folks, or swap to recon to assist pin down a goal. It appears now that weapons could be freely geared up on any class, individuals are much more open to enjoying completely different courses and serving to out the workforce. Positive, possibly a few of these gamers have simply geared up the identical assault rifle on all the courses, but when it helps my workforce cease a tank from destroying us, I’m high-quality with it. That’s a a lot better state of affairs than in previous BF video games, the place a complete workforce could be assault troopers and also you’d be unable to get ammo resupplies or combat 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 another class. However you are able to do it, if that makes you content. And that is the place I’d recommend some tweaks.
I feel rewarding gamers who choose class-specific weapons is a great concept, however I virtually really feel just like the devs may do extra to ensure choosing an assault rifle on each class isn’t a simple possibility. Maybe class-specific weapon punishments may work? An assault class soldier choosing a sniper rifle would possibly imply they don’t get the recon advantages, and maybe additionally they reload the massive rifles extra slowly. Or an engineer choosing an assault rifle has extra kick and may’t carry as a lot ammo for it. These tweaks would reward folks enjoying courses extra historically, might 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 feel the open weapon system is an effective change. It lets gamers get pleasure from all of the courses with out forcing them to play with particular weapons. This results in matches through which all of the courses are used, and that results in extra fulfilling Battlefield motion. And that’s what I’m searching for. Positive, possibly it implies that I’ll be killed loads by just a few widespread assault rifles, but it surely may also imply that there will probably be extra medics working round who can heal me. That may be good. And don’t fear; should you hate the open weapon system, EA goes to supply playlists and modes that characteristic locked weapons, too. Everybody wins.
