Battlefield Studios is set to significantly alter the gunplay in Battlefield 6 with an update arriving on June 30th, the final patch for Season 3. The developer aims to bring the combat experience closer to that of Battlefield 4, emphasizing more predictable recoil and strategic engagement ranges.
The overhaul touches upon the handling characteristics of all weapons, with the primary goal of making recoil more manageable. While automatic fire is intended to be more consistent, players will still need to pace their shots at longer distances. To discourage sustained automatic fire at range, Battlefield Studios is implementing adjustments to muzzle velocity in conjunction with recoil modifications.
This update also seeks to establish more distinct roles for weapon archetypes. Sub-machine guns are expected to excel in close-quarters combat, light-machine guns will focus on suppression, and assault rifles will serve as versatile options.
The developers are also re-tuning damage multipliers across different body hitboxes. Previously, damage dealt to limbs, the chest, and the lower torso was uniform. Post-update, limbs and the lower torso will have reduced damage multipliers compared to the chest, a change intended to penalize inaccuracy when engaging targets from afar.
These modifications are designed to slightly reduce the average time-to-kill (TTK) without compromising the fastest possible TTK for certain weapons. The intention is for players to feel effective at close range with accurate fire but less dominant at longer distances. The changes have been available for testing by Battlefield Labs players, and their reception by the broader player base is anticipated with the upcoming patch.