Battlefield 6 Design Director Says 64-Player Matches Return Because 2042’s 128-Player Mode “Just Didn’t Catch On”
IT Home — As Battlefield 6 nears release, DICE is making key changes based on lessons from Battlefield 2042. In an interview with Edge magazine (Issue 415), Design Director Shashank Uchil confirmed that Battlefield 6 will revert to a maximum of 64 players per match, abandoning 2042’s 128-player format, which “just didn’t catch on.” GamesRadar+
Uchil admitted: “Look, we try stuff. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. It’s as simple as that.” The larger player counts in 2042 were an experiment, but ultimately feedback suggested players preferred smaller scale battles. GamesRadar+
According to Uchil, the voice of the players has been loud and clear. He said Battlefield players are “very vocal,” and that the developers monitor Reddit and other feedback channels closely. GamesRadar+
Since March, the team has been conducting playtests at home with fans to collect feedback on Battlefield 6. GamesRadar+
One frequent criticism in the Battlefield 6 beta has been the game’s menus and user interface. Technical Director Christian Buhl said the devs aren’t going to rebuild the menus from scratch, but they are “looking to improve” based on a lot of player feedback. GamesRadar+
Matches will feel more intimate and possibly more manageable than the large-scale chaos in 2042, since 64 players tends to allow for more stable performance and clearer battles.
UI / UX improvements seem likely, especially related to feedback from beta testers and community channels.
The move suggests DICE is trying to balance ambition with what players actually enjoy — not just pushing features for novelty.