I recently had the opportunity to attend EA’s digital preview event for Battlefield 6’s single-player campaign. This exclusive look provided access to three distinct missions, showcasing a wide array of environments and combat scenarios. From massive tank assaults on Gibraltar’s beaches to intense, close-quarters engagements in the heart of New York City, the preview delivered everything one expects from a Battlefield experience: signature weaponry, realistic military visuals, and an abundance of devastating explosions and environmental destruction.
The narrative of Battlefield 6 unfolds in 2027, a world where NATO has collapsed, and the powerful private military corporation, Pax Armata, has seized control. Their relentless pursuit of dominance threatens to plunge the globe into an all-out war. Players will follow Dagger 1-3, an elite US Marine raider unit, as they engage Pax Armata forces across various international battlegrounds. My hands-on experience included missions spanning Gibraltar, the United States, and Tajikistan.
During the preview, an embedded video showcased six minutes of intense Battlefield 6 single-player campaign gameplay, offering a dynamic glimpse into the action.
My first dive into the campaign was ‘Operation Gladus,’ the third mission. Set in the iconic city of Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, the mission began with a waterborne assault to reclaim beaches occupied by Pax Armata. The majestic Rock of Gibraltar loomed to my left upon landing, creating a breathtaking backdrop even with my laptop’s adjusted graphics settings.
Assuming the role of an engineer inside a tank, my primary objective was to provide suppressive fire for my squadmates charging the beach. Pax Armata had established a heavily fortified outpost with trenches, but my tank’s powerful artillery effortlessly demolished their defenses. Amidst a storm of gunfire, explosions, and smoke, I relished the opportunity to decimate enemy positions. Flattening everything in sight was incredibly satisfying, offering a level of destruction that felt distinctly Battlefield, possibly even exceeding previous campaign experiences.
After securing the outpost, the battle moved to the confined city streets of Gibraltar. I stayed close to a friendly tank, ready to perform repairs – a clear indication that the game’s class-based roles are integrated into the campaign, helping new players grasp Battlefield’s core mechanics. Ensuring the tank remained operational was crucial, as its destruction would halt mission progress.
The sheer destructive force of the tank during Operation Gladus.
Equipped with an RPG and a grenade launcher, I attempted to contribute to the destruction, though my impact felt more limited within the dense city streets. While I could chip away at sections of buildings, I couldn’t flatten entire areas as I had on the beach. Nevertheless, I managed to repair the tank just in time to witness it cleave a massive building in two, a truly satisfying spectacle.
The subsequent mission, ‘No Sleep,’ tasked us with infiltrating Pax Armata’s Brooklyn Headquarters. Taking place at night in New York City, the mission adopted a dark, gritty atmosphere. My gear included night-vision goggles and a thermal-scoped rifle, essential for navigating the urban labyrinth of streets and apartment blocks with my squad. Every corner brought intense, close-quarters combat against waiting enemy soldiers.
A standout feature in this mission was the Battlefield 6 sledgehammer melee weapon, introducing a novel method of destruction. While its multiplayer potential extends to demolishing walls, doors, and even floors, its destructive capabilities felt somewhat reined in during this campaign segment. I wasn’t able to punch holes through apartment floors, but I could effortlessly shatter enemy cover, obliterate full walls, and even thoroughly demolish an entire bathroom. Although destroying bathroom fixtures wasn’t a mission requirement, my curiosity was satisfied to find it entirely possible.
Observing the extensive wall demolition during the intense ‘No Sleep’ mission.
Accompanying this intense combat, a gallery of images highlighted various moments from the campaign, including a bomb drone in Operation Ember Strike, further destruction during the No Sleep mission, general scenes from No Sleep, the Operation Ember Strike hydroelectric dam, and a wider view of Operation Ember Strike.
After the Brooklyn HQ raid, our squad found ourselves deep underground, pursuing Pax Armata forces. This segment delivered a heart-pounding chase – a quintessential element of any military shooter campaign. We commandeered a vehicle to pursue enemies fleeing on a train through an antiquated New York subway tunnel. This mission was packed with high-octane, action-movie-esque moments and constant close-quarters skirmishes. Even with my brief detour into structural demolition, ‘No Sleep’ maintained a pervasive sense of tension and urgency, solidifying it as my favorite among the previewed missions.
Finally, I embarked on ‘Operation Ember Strike,’ which stood out as the most open and free-roaming experience. Set in the vast, rural landscapes of Tajikistan, I adopted a recon role, armed with a sniper rifle and a formidable drone. This drone proved invaluable, enabling me to scout and mark enemy positions, and even deploy bombs to neutralize vehicles and hostile units.
The mission area for ‘Operation Ember Strike’ was expansive, featuring three surface-to-air missile sites that could be tackled in any order. Each site was equipped with alarms that, if disabled, would prevent reinforcements. While a stealthy approach was an option, I opted for an aggressive, ‘guns blazing’ strategy, forcing my way through to each SAM site. After successfully neutralizing all targets, we witnessed one of the preview’s most spectacular moments: the destruction of Tajikistan’s hydroelectric dam. A dramatic cutscene followed, depicting Pax Armata’s forces being swept away by the surging waters as they desperately attempted to escape.
Based on my experience, Battlefield 6’s single-player campaign isn’t reinventing the wheel. It delivers the familiar, action-packed modern military shooter experience, complete with cinematic set pieces. However, its execution is so polished and enjoyable that I thoroughly relished every moment. While we can’t yet discuss the full narrative, which might offer further unique elements, the campaign is clearly brimming with tanks, jets, spectacular explosions, intense action, and the unparalleled environmental destruction that defines the Battlefield series. This alone has me eagerly anticipating its release on October 10th, ready to dive back in and wreak more havoc.
The article concludes with a gallery showcasing several confirmed maps for Battlefield 6, including iconic locations like Empire State, Manhattan Bridge, New Sobek City, Siege of Cairo, Saint’s Quarter, and Iberian Offensive, among others.