Whether this is good or bad news depends somewhat on your perspective, but it appears Battlefield 6 will incorporate skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) to some extent.
EA reportedly told CharlieIntel at a Battlefield 6 press event that the game’s matchmaking will prioritize: ping, player location, server availability, and "some" skill factor, with adjustments varying by game mode.
This likely won’t shock many of us—we’re all familiar with connecting to the nearest servers or switching regions during peak times—but the mention of a "skill factor" has raised eyebrows and concerns.
SBMM has been a contentious issue across several FPS communities for years, including Call of Duty and Apex Legends. Some players feel matching players by skill diminishes the spontaneous fun of unranked play, while others argue it creates a fairer competitive environment, especially for newcomers. In fact, earlier this year, some Call of Duty players submitted formal requests to publisher Activision to clarify their unofficial ranks.
Before sending a strongly worded email to EA’s support team, keep in mind that skill is just one of several matchmaking factors listed here, and its exact influence remains unclear. Still, with a new "server browser solution" on the horizon, players are eager to see how it all unfolds… literally.
"FYI For COD Fans," pointed out one respondent. "These exact parameters have always existed in Battlefield and this is NOT SBMM like Call of Duty. Nothing like it at all. This is simply how the game balances teams—players from all skill levels will be in the same lobby."
"Entire COD Community has PTSD from the last decade of releases hahaha," joked another.
We recently got a look at the shooter's upcoming battle royale mode, which, according to previous leaks, is set in California with CH-47 Chinook insertions. The destructive ring is reportedly made from a compound called "NXC." Despite the rumors, however, Battlefield 6 won't be $80.
"Battlefield 6 casts its eyes back to the series' best years, mixing what we loved from the likes of Battlefield 3 and Battlefield 4—but is this resurrection of past glories actually exciting?" we asked in IGN's Battlefield 6 preview.
"From resurrecting its core class structure of Assault, Support, Engineer, and Recon, to whether Battlefield’s staple modes like 64-player Conquest still hold up." Read on for more on why we think BF6 feels like a "safe, yet explosive return to the shooter's past."
First announced way back in 2021, Battlefield 6 launches on October 10 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X and S (though EA currently has no plans to bring Battlefield 6 to Nintendo Switch 2, unfortunately). Unlike Battlefield 2042's lukewarm reception, fans seem pretty pleased with what they've seen so far, and for quite some time, EA wasn't even trying to take leaked assets down.
