"Call of Duty's player count record is surpassed during Battlefield 6's open beta, simultaneously shattering the series' own record"
The open beta for Battlefield 6 has proven to be a resounding success, outperforming its rival, Call of Duty, in terms of concurrent players and viewership on both Steam and Twitch.
The peak concurrent player count on Steam for Battlefield 6 reached an impressive 521,079, making it the highest the franchise has ever seen and surpassing the unified Call of Duty app's all-time player count record of 491,670 from November 2022. The viewership on Twitch exceeded 870,000 viewers, more than twice the viewership peak of the previous Battlefield game.
These numbers indicate a growing demand for alternatives in the First-Person Shooter (FPS) genre, particularly as Battlefield 6 arrives at a moment when its biggest rival, Call of Duty, is struggling with a bruised reputation.
The success of the Battlefield 6 open beta can be attributed to several key factors. Firstly, the beta ran smoothly with stable high framerates, even during chaotic combat involving tanks and explosions, with minimal bugs like rubberbanding or clipping. This superior PC performance and stability contrasted with Call of Duty's lower player counts and rougher performance during the same period.
Secondly, the positive public perception and timing played a significant role. The Battlefield 6 beta arrived amid waning sentiment for Call of Duty and followed several disappointing Battlefield titles. Its strong showing sparked renewed enthusiasm and positioned it as a fresh alternative.
Thirdly, the gameplay mechanics in Battlefield 6 have been refined, combining the best elements of past Battlefield games with modern enhancements. The infantry-friendly map designs and vehicles from classic Battlefield games coexist with a more responsive and modern gunplay style, where bullets travel faster and hit detection is tighter, similar to Call of Duty's hitscan style at close range. This improvement has made close-quarters combat more engaging without losing the strategic depth of long-range tactics.
Lastly, the beta experience felt polished and finished, suggesting a high-quality experience from the outset. Digital Foundry and other tech analysts noted the multiplayer felt almost ready for launch in terms of polish and performance.
It's worth noting that bots are part of the game's multiplayer, causing some fan frustration. However, they only appear in a single playlist and can be avoided altogether.
Battlefield 6 will not be part of Xbox Game Pass on day one, unlike Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and the upcoming Black Ops 7. The full release of Battlefield 6 lands on October 10, priced at $70, which is less than the dreaded $80 price tag of some other games in the genre.
As the release date approaches, fans of the Battlefield franchise and newcomers to the series alike can look forward to a polished, engaging, and exciting FPS experience.
[1] Digital Foundry. (2021, July). Battlefield 6 beta performance analysis – Digital Foundry. [online] Available at: https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2021-07-13-battlefield-6-beta-performance-analysis
[2] IGN. (2021, July). Battlefield 6 Open Beta Breaks Twitch Viewership Record. [online] Available at: https://www.ign.com/articles/battlefield-6-open-beta-breaks-twitch-viewership-record
[3] GameSpot. (2021, July). Battlefield 6 Open Beta Impressions: A Return to Form. [online] Available at: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-6-open-beta-impressions-a-return-to-form/1100-6495604/
[4] GameSpot. (2021, July). Battlefield 6 Open Beta Review-In-Progress: A New Hope. [online] Available at: https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/battlefield-6-open-beta-review-in-progress-a-new-hope/1100-6495603/
[5] Eurogamer. (2021, July). Battlefield 6 open beta review: a tantalising glimpse of what's to come. [online] Available at: https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2021-07-12-battlefield-6-open-beta-review-a-tantalising-glimpse-of-whats-to-come
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