Battlefield 6 has quickly emerged as one of the most anticipated titles of 2025, with its open beta attracting massive attention from the global gaming community. In just its second week, the game has already recorded over 400,000 concurrent players on Steam, reflecting a strong reception from fans of the franchise. Analyst Rhys Elliot of Alinea Analytics reported that pre-orders for the game have already surpassed 600,000 on Steam, with projections indicating the figure could climb past 1 million before launch. Based on Alinea’s tracking, publisher EA is set to generate nearly $35 million in pre-sales revenue even before the official release.
Elliot elaborated on these figures in an interview with Eurogamer, highlighting that Battlefield 6 is currently positioned for the best commercial performance in the history of the franchise. According to him, its success depends on how well EA can maintain the momentum of the open beta and deliver a seamless experience at launch. He also noted that the game will face stiff competition during its release window, with major titles like Borderlands 4 set to hit the market around the same time. Despite the competitive landscape, Elliot believes Battlefield 6 is on track to exceed expectations and win over a dedicated segment of the shooter community.
At the same time, Elliot was cautious in addressing comparisons between Battlefield and Call of Duty. While Battlefield 6 has been praised for reintroducing core features such as expansive maps, a class-based system, and environmental destruction, Elliot argued that it is important not to overstate its potential as a “CoD killer.” He pointed out that Call of Duty continues to dominate with its yearly release cycle, extensive casual audience, and ongoing Warzone ecosystem that acts as both a marketing funnel and community hub. He described Battlefield 6 as appealing to the hardcore FPS crowd, but noted that Call of Duty’s cultural weight and longstanding player habits make it difficult to dislodge.
Commenting on the state of Call of Duty, Elliot observed that the series is experiencing what he termed a creative lull, with its mix of pop culture crossovers creating an unusual direction that has divided parts of the fanbase. Nonetheless, he emphasized that the franchise remains a juggernaut with strong seasonal content, streamer partnerships, and deeply ingrained consumer behavior that ensures consistent sales. Battlefield 6, by contrast, has earned praise for focusing on fundamentals and delivering a more grounded military shooter experience. Whether it can sustain this momentum beyond launch remains uncertain, but its early success in pre-orders and beta engagement signals a highly promising start.
Battlefield 6 is scheduled to release this October, with the open beta continuing over the weekend for players eager to test its large-scale battles. PC players encountering technical issues related to Secure Boot can resolve them by enabling the feature through system settings, ensuring smoother access to the beta and upcoming launch.
Follow the SPIN IDG WhatsApp Channel for updates across the Smart Pakistan Insights Network covering all of Pakistan’s technology ecosystem.
