EA and Battlefield Studios have previewed some of the gameplay tweaks and balance changes coming with the Battlefield 6 day one patch.
Information about the first patch for this week’s long-awaited back-to-basics Battlefield game was outlined in a post on its official website today. It comes with a breakdown from the team explaining how their pre-release Battlefield Labs and beta tests helped them prepare for launch, with the first Battlefield 6 patch set to provide an even more stable foundation.
Those who played the Battlefield 6 open beta in August will notice several fundamental changes to how the DICE, Criterion, Ripple Effect, and Motive-developed game feels after its day one patch is downloaded. Today’s first look at the Battlefield 6 launch update is only a taste of what’s to come, with full patch notes for the more than 200 changes set to arrive later this week.
Topping the list are tweaks the BF Studios team says will make movement feel more responsive, including fixes for “several movement issues” and changes to pacing. Weapon attachments should also display correctly across the Battlefield 6 experience, with the day one patch also promising rebalanced automatic weapons that make long-range gunplay more rewarding for tap firing and burst control.
Beta players will also be happy to hear Rush and Breakthrough have been reworked to improve balance between both the attacking and defending teams. Gadgets in Battlefield 6 will also be changed for the day one patch. The MBT-LAW, for example, is now set as the default Engineer launcher, while the MAS 148 now behaves more realistically, and Deploy Beacons have been updated to limit one spawn per player.
While the Battlefield 6 day one patch also promises updated UI and HUD elements, cleaner audio, improved network stability, and more, today’s post also comes with an update on one of the most hotly contested topics in the community: Open vs. Closed Weapons. Closed locks guns to specific classes, while Open allows each class to utilize a variety of different weapon types. Despite waves of fans hoping to see the BF Studios team lean on Closed classes for Battlefield 6, the team insisted in today’s post that Open classes were preferred by “the vast majority of players.”
“Lastly, another key insight from the Open Beta was that the vast majority of players, after trying both playlist types, chose to stick with Open Weapons,” BF Studios says. “This reinforces our belief that Open Weapons is the right path forward for Battlefield 6. At the same time, we recognize that some players prefer the Closed Weapons experience. To support them, official Closed Weapons playlists will be available at launch.
“Additionally, Closed Weapons mutators will remain part of the Portal toolset, so players can create and share their own custom experiences.”
Battlefield 6 has a release date of October 10 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S. Check out the Battlefield 6 global release times if you want to know when you’ll be able to play in your timezone. Season 1, meanwhile, kicks off October 28 and will deliver additional maps, guns, vehicles, and more, with additional updates planned for November 18 and December 9.
Based on our time with the Battlefield 6 beta, we’ve got a BF6 Beginner’s Guide and Tips, plus the best Battlefield 6 Loadouts and how to use the Range Finder, deploy the Bipod, and how to turn off Haptic Feedback in Battlefield 6.
Finally, you can see everything we know about the Battlefield 6 day one patch below.
Battlefield 6 Day One Patch Notes Preview:
The following gameplay updates will be included in our launch day patch, with over 200 changes focused on bug fixes, balance improvements, and polish for release. Stay tuned for the full launch day update notes closer to launch!
Player
- You’ll notice that movement feels more responsive, with changes made to pacing and with several movement issues addressed to keep gameplay smooth and balanced.
Weapons
- Recoil has been rebalanced on automatic weapons, making long-range gunplay more characteristic, rewarding tap firing and burst control.
- Numerous weapon attachments have been fixed so they now display correctly in menus and in-game.
Gadgets
- The LTLM II (Laser Designator) has been refined with smoother deploy animations, updated visuals, and several fixes for better feel when used.
- The MBT-LAW is now the default Engineer launcher, with a more accurate trajectory, improved guidance, and clearer sights.
- The MAS 148 Glaive is enhanced with more realistic missile path, improved zoom and lock-on, sharper scope visuals, and more reliable vehicle damage.
- Deploy Beacons are now limited to one spawn per player (four per squad total), helping maintain balance and prevent overuse.
Maps and Modes
- Rush and Breakthrough layouts have been revised for better balance between attackers and defenders.
- Operation Firestorm has been updated with improved vaulting, lightning, and performance, while Siege of Cairo spawn killing and Out of Bounds issues have been addressed.
UI & HUD
- UI and HUD elements are clearer, with updated overlays, animated pings, new minimap options, and smoother loadout and deploy navigation.
Settings
- Settings and controls have expanded with new options like VO volume sliders, sprint bob reduction, and a camera roll toggle for accessibility, plus refinements across platforms.
Audio
- Audio has been cleaned up so pings are easier to hear, weapons and vehicles sound sharper, and missing delayed effects won’t get in the way of your awareness.
Network
- Netcode improvements reduce desync, make time-to-death feel fairer, and address cases of invisible damage.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
