The open beta for Battlefield 6 attracted over 520,000 concurrent players on Steam, surpassing the peak of 491,670 players set by Call of Duty in November 2022, as reported by NotebookCheck.net.
Battlefield 6 was the fourth most-played game on Steam that weekend, following only Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and PUBG. With the official launch scheduled for October 10, 2025, the success of the beta indicates strong anticipation for EA’s latest instalment in the shooter franchise.
EA announced on X that this was “Battlefield’s biggest Open Beta ever,” and acknowledged that players might experience expected queues during peak times. The company stated, “We’re working on entry times to ensure a smooth and fair beta test for all players.” Despite some reported issues, such as texture glitches and weapon balancing, the massive turnout for the beta highlights Battlefield 6’s appeal, closing the gap with its rival, Call of Duty, according to industry analysts.
‘Battlefield 6’ beta has beaten Call of Duty's all-time player count record on Steam 🎮
• COD’s peak — 491,670 players
• Battlefield 6’s peak — 500K+ players pic.twitter.com/MKW2bCJ33a
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) August 9, 2025The Open Beta, running August 9–10 and August 14–17, offers exclusive rewards to enhance player engagement:
- August 9–10 Rewards: Seeker soldier skin, All-Terrain soldier skin, Dominion weapon package, Lights Out player-card background.
- August 14–17 Rewards: War Machine vehicle skin, Bat Company dog-tag, Striking Distance weapon package.
PS5 players receive an exclusive ‘Advance Party’ Soldier Skin, boosting platform-specific incentives, as noted by Eurogamer.net.
The beta’s record-breaking 521,079 concurrent Steam players positions Battlefield 6 as a major contender in the FPS genre, surpassing Battlefield 2042’s peak of 107,376. Analysts see this as a sign of renewed demand for polished, large-scale shooters. However, EA must address technical hiccups to sustain momentum for the October launch.
Battlefield 6’s Open Beta success highlights its potential to reshape the gaming industry, challenging Call of Duty’s dominance. Its performance could influence esports and future FPS trends.
