Vehicles have always been the backbone of Battlefield’s iconic combined-arms combat. But in the Battlefield 6 beta, players noticed something unusual—tanks, helicopters, and jeeps felt far too vulnerable. Now, producer David Sirland has acknowledged the issue, stressing that it was intentional, and promising refinements as the game heads toward launch.
Story Synopsis
During beta testing, Battlefield 6’s vehicles were consistently outgunned by infantry. Rockets, mines, and cannons destroyed armor with surprising ease, leaving players frustrated that vehicles—long seen as a dominant tactical force—felt underpowered.
Sirland explained that the imbalance was deliberate, noting that “it’s better to start with weak vehicles than risk making them too strong.” He added that balance is still evolving and will continue to be tuned as developers gather more data and feedback.
What It Means: Caution Over Chaos
Vehicles can make or break Battlefield’s flow. If they dominate, infantry feel powerless. If they’re too weak, combined-arms combat falls apart. DICE chose to err on the side of caution, giving infantry an edge during testing to avoid vehicle dominance—a common complaint in earlier titles.
How It Works: Beta Lessons Learned
- Underpowered Vehicles: Tanks and helicopters were quickly destroyed by infantry, highlighting fragility.
- Infantry Dominance: Players armed with rockets, mines, and portable cannons tipped the balance too far.
- Developer Philosophy: Sirland clarified that vehicles will improve over time as players learn strategies, and tuning updates are already in progress.
Why It Matters: The Heart of Battlefield
Battlefield’s identity lies in its combined-arms warfare—the thrill of infantry, vehicles, and aircraft clashing on sprawling maps. Weak vehicles risk undermining that formula, but overly powerful ones could alienate infantry players. Striking the right balance is critical for long-term success, especially in competitive modes.
What’s Next: Maps, Controls, and Optimizations
Developers are already planning changes beyond just armor durability:
- Larger Maps Confirmed: Bigger battlefields will give vehicles more space to maneuver strategically.
- Helicopter Controls Overhaul: DICE is giving choppers a tuning pass for smoother handling (though not reverting to Battlefield 3/4 controls).
- Performance Optimizations: The game is being optimized to run across low- and high-end PCs, ensuring vehicle gameplay isn’t hindered by technical issues.
Tech Tidbits
- Battlefield 6 vehicles were intentionally weaker in beta to avoid overpowering infantry.
- Producer David Sirland confirmed larger maps exist in the final game.
- Helicopter controls are getting a major overhaul before launch.
- Performance optimizations will support both low- and high-spec PCs.
Publication / Release Details
- Beta Feedback: September 2025
- Confirmed Features: Larger maps, helicopter tuning, vehicle rebalance, PC optimizations
- Upcoming Release: Full launch later in 2025 (exact date TBD)
Suggested Reading
- “Battlefield 6 lead producer says ‘large maps exist'” — PC Gamer
- “Good news Battlefield 6 pilots – helicopter controls are getting a ‘large pass'” — GamesRadar
- “‘Min spec is one of our most important’: Battlefield 6 devs support low-end PCs” — PC Gamer
- “Battlefield 6 dev admits vehicles feel weak right now” — Insider Gaming
