Battlefield 6’s Campaign is a Return to Form, Delivering a Grounded Shooter Experience

In a move that has long-time fans cheering, “Battlefield 6” is re-establishing its single-player campaign as a central pillar of the experience. After a three-hour hands-on session, it’s clear that the new campaign is a confident return to the gritty, grounded, and explosive military shooters of the early 2010s, reminiscent of the glory days of “Battlefield 3” and “Battlefield 4.” This shift in focus marks a significant departure from the episodic “War Stories” of “Battlefield 1” and “Battlefield V” and is a clear effort to win back players who have been asking for a traditional, cinematic narrative.

The campaign, which takes place in 2027, follows the story of an elite Marine Raiders squad known as Dagger 13. This unit is tasked with stopping a private military corporation, Pax Armata, from plunging the world into global chaos. The narrative is a globe-trotting thriller that will take players to iconic locations across three continents, including the shores of Gibraltar, the streets of Brooklyn, and the desolate landscapes of Tajikistan. The game’s developers, who have called the game a “spiritual successor” to “Battlefield 3” and “4,” are committed to delivering a story that is both cinematic and rooted in military realism.

Squad-Based Action with a Twist

One of the most promising aspects of the new campaign is its emphasis on squad-based gameplay. While the single-player experience is not a true open-world game, the developers have prioritized player agency and choice in how they approach a given objective. This means that even in more linear levels, players have the freedom to flank enemies, utilize the game’s famous destruction physics to create new paths, or give orders to their AI-controlled squadmates. This system adds a tactical layer to the traditional run-and-gun action, making the player feel like a true part of an elite military unit. You can command your squad to suppress enemies, blow up a vehicle, or mark targets, creating a dynamic and engaging battlefield.

The three missions previewed during the hands-on session demonstrated this versatility. The first mission, a chaotic beach assault on Gibraltar, felt like a modern-day “Normandy” invasion, with players storming the beaches as an Engineer and using a tank’s turret to clear a path. A later mission in New York City gave players a sledgehammer to create new entry points, leading to a tense breach-and-clear scenario through apartment complexes. The final mission was more open-ended, allowing players to destroy surface-to-air missile sites in any order they chose. This variety and sense of player freedom is a welcome return to form for the series, offering a much-needed break from the more rigid and scripted campaigns of past entries.

• Squad Dynamics: Players can command their AI squadmates to provide covering fire, resupply, or offer tactical support, making the campaign feel like a true team effort.
• Player Agency: While the campaign is a single, linear story, the levels offer multiple approaches to combat and objectives, encouraging creativity.
• Grounded Story: The campaign is a return to a more realistic military thriller, with a focus on a single narrative rather than the episodic format of recent titles.
• Destruction as a Tool: The series’ signature destruction physics are now a key part of the gameplay, allowing players to manipulate the environment to their advantage.

While the single-player experience is not without its flaws—early previews noted some occasional AI issues—the overall impression is overwhelmingly positive. “Battlefield 6” is poised to deliver a campaign that is not only a worthy successor to the series’ best but also a compelling military shooter in its own right. With a full release scheduled for October 10, 2025, fans of the franchise and military shooters, in general, have a lot to look forward to.