Battlefield 6’s open beta has kicked off a pretty heated argument in the community. If you’ve been anywhere near Reddit, Twitter, or the official forums lately, you’ve probably seen the same refrain: “These maps are way too small, too straight-line, and too focused on infantry.” For a series that built its reputation on sprawling maps, tank duels, and dogfights in the sky, that’s a big shift.
Why Battlefield 6 Beta Maps Are Facing Backlash?
The controversy really caught fire during the second beta weekend when DICE added Empire State, a tight, urban map with zero vehicles in sight.
Fans who came for “all-out warfare” suddenly found themselves sprinting through narrow alleyways instead of rolling across open plains or storming objectives with a tank squad. It’s not exactly the panoramic chaos people picture when they hear the word Battlefield.
DICE Official Statement
DICE says this isn’t the full story. According to lead producer David Sirland, the beta maps were chosen on purpose to show off the game’s faster side, shorter sightlines, quick action, and constant fighting.
He insists bigger, vehicle-friendly maps do exist in the full game, but they just aren’t in the beta rotation. The idea, he says, is that the “tempo scales with the map,” and right now, they’re showing the high-octane end of that spectrum.
The problem is, players are judging the game based on what they can actually play right now. And at the moment, that means a lot of chokepoints, limited vertical movement, and gameplay that feels closer to a twitchy arena shooter than the series’ traditional combined-arms sandbox.
The “large-scale battles” label slapped on Rush mode during the beta didn’t help either, it’s 12v12, tightly funneled, and not what most fans would call “large.”
Sure, some people love the faster pace. For players who miss the gritty, boots-on-the-ground chaos of Battlefield 3, this feels like a return to form. Quick spawns, constant fights, and no waiting for a tank to roll your way, it’s a style of Battlefield that works for them.
But the louder mood online right now is anxiety over scale. When your franchise is known for epic distances and multi-front chaos, cutting down the size can feel like cutting out the heart of what makes it special.
Battlefield 2042 Faced Opposite Criticism
And here’s the irony. The last Battlefield game, 2042, was slammed for going too big, huge maps that felt empty and lifeless. Now, it feels like DICE might be overcorrecting in the opposite direction. Instead of vast landscapes that take minutes to cross, we’re stuck with compact layouts that some say all blur together in both flow and pacing.
At this point, DICE’s best move is simple; stop talking about the big maps and actually let us play them. Show a playlist that clearly separates infantry-only firefights from the classic, wide-open, vehicle-heavy warfare. Let people see that both styles can coexist without one taking over the whole game.
Until then, the beta’s small-map focus is the only thing most players have to judge Battlefield 6 by, and right now, that’s what’s fueling the debate.
