Battlefield 6 Dev Clarifies Recent Skill-Based Matchmaking Rumors

Summary

Battlefield 6 won’t heavily rely on skill-based matchmaking.
The multiplayer mode will sort players into lobbies primarily based on their ping
Leaks suggest returning class specializations and potential 64-player matches for the new game.

A Battlefield 6 developer has stepped in to clear up rumors that the game will include skill-based matchmaking. A deluge of recent leaks has sparked a lot of conversation and controversy about the next entry in the Battlefield series, especially around the game’s multiplayer mechanics. The possibility of SBMM, in particular, has worried Battlefield 6 fans, but a member of the team behind it has provided some potential relief.

Dataminers have uncovered a lot of information about the next Battlefield game. Some, like the reveal that Battlefield 6 may feature five class specializations, are a welcome return to form, as Battlefield 2042 originally launched without the class system, and when it finally added it, there were only four specializations. Others, like the code that suggested the game will include SBMM, are decidedly less popular among fans of the franchise.

battlefield 6 battle royale advantage over cod warzone

Battlefield 6’s Leaked Battle Royale Mode Has One Advantage Call of Duty: Warzone Didn’t

A leaked upcoming BR mode hands one important advantage to Battlefield 6 where Call of Duty: Warzone has stumbled in the past.

David Sirland, a Lead Producer on Battlefield 6, posted on the closed Battlefield Labs Discord to clarify the issue. The message, which user Old_Doubt5886 shared on Reddit so that more people could see it, stated that while there is a skill-based component to the game’s matchmaking, it’s not the primary factor. Rather, the multiplayer mode will sort players into lobbies primarily based on their ping to ensure they get into a match quickly, at which point it uses skill to balance the teams within a server. Sirland’s clarification also seems to confirm earlier rumors that the next Battlefield might return to 64-player matches after Battlefield 2042‘s 128-player matches faced widespread criticism.

Battlefield 6 Will Include Skill-Based Matchmaking But Only to a Limited Extent

The news should come as a relief to many fans. Many players criticize Call of Duty‘s skill-based matchmaking for overly favoring newcomers, so the inclusion of a similar mechanic in Battlefield would be sure to ruffle some feathers. Sirland did not clarify whether the game will have a server browser function, which many fans have requested, but his explanation of how SBMM works in Battlefield 6 doesn’t necessarily negate that possibility, either. Gamers will have to wait to hear more official news to know how exactly matchmaking will work.

After Battlefield 2042 largely failed to impress, it seems that DICE hopes to make its next effort a more classic Battlefield experience. Sirland had previously stated that Battlefield 6 would “cherry-pick” the best features of previous games in the series. What exactly that looks like is uncertain for now, but at least the game’s matchmaking does not seem to be as worrisome as some fans had feared.