I’ll be honest, this last week I spent most of it sitting around and feeling down because all I wanted to do was play more Battlefield 6. And now, it’s back for one more open beta weekend, and this time around, there’s some new content, too. That will likely help its player count numbers grow even higher as BF6, months before launch, already feels like a blockbuster success for EA.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Battlefield 6 open beta, including when it starts and ends, what’s included in this new beta weekend, where you can play it, and more.
When Does The Battlefield 6 Open Beta Start And End?
On August 14, as EA and Battlefield Studios previously announced, the Battlefield 6 open beta returned on all platforms. And this time around, there isn’t any weird “early access” period where you’ll need a code to play. This weekend, anyone can hop in right away and start capturing control points and blowing up buildings.
The BF6 open beta started on Thursday, August 14 at 4 a.m. EDT and ends on Sunday, August 17 at 4 a.m. PDT. That means you, and over 350,000 other fans, have around 72 hours or so to play more of what might be the best online shooter of 2025. And maybe, if EA is feeling generous, the beta will get extended a bit. It’s happened before. We can only hope.
Is There Any New Content In The Second Weekend Of BF6‘s Open Beta?
Yes! Earlier this week, ahead of the beta’s launch, EA published an in-depth blog about the second and final beta weekend, confirming that a new map and game modes were being added. There are also some changes to how playlists work, with new options that combine some modes and rotate out during the beta.
The big news in weekend two is a new map to explore and blow up. It’s called “Empire State” and it’s set in New York City. I played this map during a preview event last month and really enjoyed it. However, some players might be sad to learn that this new NYC-themed map is not a massive one. We know there are big maps in the game, but it seems we won’t be getting any during the beta.
Also being added to the beta are two new modes: Squad Deathmatch and the Battlefield classic Rush. At the previously mentioned preview event, I got to play Squad Deathmatch, and it was no good due to tiny maps and CoD-like combat. That’s not the kind of experience I want from Battlefield. Rush, on the other hand, is a fan-favorite mode, and I’m excited to see it return in BF6. There will be some new beta-only challenges, too.
Does the BF6 Open Beta Include A Server Browser?
No! However, EA has added a new way to join matches and find specific modes and maps in the Battlefield 6 beta. This new option is called “Custom Search.” Here’s how EA describes it:
“Custom Search allows you to choose your favorite combinations of maps and modes. For example, if you want to play Conquest on Siege of Cairo, then matchmaking will prioritize putting you in a match with this combo, if available. During Open Beta, Custom Search will be available for Open Weapon mode playlists so you can mix and match maps and modes as you prefer.”
It should be noted that EA makes it very clear that this isn’t a server browser. We know Portal, a separate mode in BF6 that will feature user-made content, will feature a server browser. But the beta and traditional multiplayer in BF6, for now at least, won’t include the old school tool.
Are people already cheating in the Battlefield 6 open beta?
That is indeed a thing that happened during the last beta weekend. Players online shared clips of people using what appeared to be wall hacks and other cheat software during the BF6 open beta. EA says it has banned thousands of players and blocked even more attempts at cheating in the beta, but some people are annoyed that the game forces you to use Secure Boot on PC to help deter cheaters, which can be a hassle for some users, and yet still has a problem with people hacking it.
I’ll say that in my time playing BF6 last weekend, I never encountered anyone blatantly cheating. I did, however, run into people using flick aim, a controversial addition to BF6 that some players say is unfair and makes the game too twitchy. The idea behind flick aim is that players on all platforms can assign buttons that almost instantly “flick” their character in a specific direction. For example, you could assign flick backward to down on the d-pad and be able to instantly pull a 180 spin at the touch of a button.
This is a must have setting in #Battlefield6 Flick Look allows you to achieve an instant quick 180 in combat! pic.twitter.com/ElMW1yvrhh
— TacticalBrit (@TheTacticalBrit) August 7, 2025
While some players aren’t happy about this and have reportedly even accused others online of cheating when seeing them use the in-game flick options, others point out that it gives console and controller users a way to compete with mouse players. Personally, I think flick aiming options in Battlefield 6 are fine, but perhaps my opinion will change on that if and when more players start using it and how that changes up the flow of combat in the game.
So, Is Battlefield 6 Any Good?
As someone who has played every mainline Battlefield game, as well as an incredibly long list of other online shooters like Call of Duty, Counter-Strike, and Rainbow Six Siege, I think Battlefield 6 is fantastic. If the full game can match or even exceed what’s in the beta and what I played during that preview event in July, I think there’s a really good chance BF6 is a massive hit with both players and critics.
BF6‘s combat is snappy and feels wonderful, but also doesn’t feel too fast or twitchy like modern Call of Duty. Instead, soldiers have a weight to them, and firefights can go on for an extended amount of time as players lay down cover fire using extremely loud and dangerous-sounding guns. This is the gritty, grounded modern warfare Battlefield game that we’ve been missing since Battlefield 4.
I literally felt sad for most of the week, playing or doing anything else. All I’ve wanted to do these last few days is load up BF6 and blast some fools while helping my team win. So I’m excited that the BF6 open beta is back for one more weekend. Sadly, after this, we’ll all have to wait until October 10 to play Battlefield 6 again when it launches on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. As someone once said, “The waiting is the hardest part.”
