For many years, fans of the long-running first-person shooter series have been pleading for increased destructibility, andBattlefield 6is the long-awaited realization of developers taking that feedback to heart. EveryBattlefieldhas featured destructible structures in some capacity, but it has been on the decline since2010’sBad Company 2.
Destruction is a cornerstone ofBattlefield 6’s design, though, and it’s a direct response to player requests.“We knew [destruction] was something that our players wanted,”Alma Talbot, Director of Production at Motive, toldScreen Rant. “We needed to get it right and bring it to the next level and really push the envelope and have it be world-class.”
Ryan McArthur, Senior Producer at Ripple Effect, followed up by outlining destruction’s importance to theBattlefieldfranchise: “I think [destruction] is a key differentiator for the franchise.It’s one of the things that can make every match feel different.So giving it that sort of more gameplay focus for us was a key element to making this game feel different.”
Battlefield 6 Is Taking “Tactical Destruction” To A New Level
Controlled Chaos
Battlefield 6’s multiplayer revealmade it clear that destruction was a primary focus during development, and that point was driven even further in our discussion with Talbot and McArthur.“Tactical destruction is something that we knew going into Battlefield 6 we really wanted to shine,”said Talbot. “Destruction in general is one of the core pillars of the whole franchise.”
But the focus is on making it a mechanic to be mastered, thus the “tactical destruction” moniker. “We wanted it to be reliable so that players can leverage itin a way, and use it strategically with the gunplay, with their classes, to play with their squad,” said Talbot.
Battlefield 6’s destructible environments aren’t necessarily physics simulations. While animations may differ, rubble forms in consistent ways so that players can learn to use it to their advantage.“You kind of know what to expect, but without it being samey,”said Talbot. “That’s for sure something that, coming into it, we knew we needed to hit.”
Destruction Will Be Important To Battlefield 6’s Live-Service Ambitions
A Design Touchstone
WithBattlefield 6claiming the series record for longest development cycle,it comes as no surprise to see not only a wide variety of game modes, but also the title being positioned as a long-term platform. The All-Out Warfare game modes – Conquest, Breakthrough, Rush, and the brand-new Escalation – are joined by the likes of Squad Deathmatch and Domination, butBF6also boasts a battle royale mode, a more robust Portal, and the return of a single-player campaign.
Large swathes ofBattlefield 6will be iterated on post-launch, and destruction will remain a central focus as development continues. McArthur said that BF6’s destruction “really drives some of the excitement at launch and will allow us to build off of as we go through into live service.”
Battlefield 6’s destruction is already a hit, and Battlefield Studios knew it would be – it has been, by far, the most requested feature by longtime fans. Fromwhat I’ve played ofBF6, it’s clear that every aspect of map design and the class system took the prominence of destruction into consideration. You wanted destruction to return in a big way, andBattlefield 6made it happen.
