Battlefield Studios has announced that it is bringing its Battlefield Labs playtests back to test out future updates for the multiplayer shooter. In a lengthy post on Reddit, the developers have described this new Battlefield Labs as being “a part of our commitment to deliver the biggest and most exciting Battlefield live service in franchise history.”
“Earlier phases of Battlefield Labs helped us gather fast, focused feedback on new ideas before they reached our live game,” wrote Battlefield Studios in its announcement. “We’re now evolving and building on that foundation on how we test together as a part of our commitment to deliver the biggest and most exciting Battlefield live service in franchise history.”
To kick things off, Battlefield Labs will offer selected players a chance to experience some of the new content making its way to Battlefield 6 before it hits official servers on December 9. The playtest will also revolve around fine tuning made to the game’s core combat, which includes fixes for a bug that made player footsteps not audible, refinements for hit registrations, and adjustments across the combat system. This first leg of Battlefield Labs will be available only on PC, and will be live on December 2 in three core regions: APAC from 8pm to 10pm JST, EU from 7pm to 9pm CET, and NA from 4pm to 6pm PST.
Battlefield Studios has also noted that Labs playtesters will not be allowed to share any details about their experiences thanks to an NDA. Those who have signed up will get an invitation to Battlefield Labs via email.
Future playtests for Battlefield Labs are planned with an eye towards more refinements made to Battlefield 6. Two main types of play will be available for these playtests: Planned Play Sessions that will revolve around testing of experimental updates, and quick, short-notice sessions that will focus on getting rapid insights on core gameplay changes.
The developers have also noted that future sessions of Battlefield Labs will start getting even more ambitious with the kinds of changes that will be tested. Some of the examples provided include changes to map layouts, pacing, and alternative team compositions like smaller player counts or vehicle-focused setups. Generally speaking, future sessions will also feature new maps and experiences, new modes and experimental rulesets, prototyped mechanics and systems, environmental changes, future seasonal content, and improvements to stability and performance.
The confirmation of these new set of playtests is great news for players, and continues Battlefield Studios’ commitments to keeping line of communication with its player base open. An example of this could be seen just last week, with principal game designer Florian Le Bihan confirming that Battlefield 6 would be getting full pass of its audio systems to ensure that it is working well, especially in light of players complaining about enemy footsteps and vehicles often being inaudible.
Battlefield 6 is available on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. The title has been going quite strong since its October release, and more recently might have even contributed to the poorer-than-typical performance of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 in the European markets.