Disclaimer: The next interview was carried out earlier than EA introduced layoffs throughout Battlefield Studios.
Simply two months into 2026, Battlefield 6 has had a tough yr.
As gamers returned from the holidays, hoping to see sweeping modifications with the launch of Season 2, writer EA and the four-studio crew that makes up Battlefield Studios – Criterion, DICE, Motive Studios, and Ripple Impact – introduced that their second season had been hit with a delay. It is an announcement that solely made the sixth mainline Battlefield recreation’s future murkier following a disappointing finish to Season 1. Now, following the lack of collection lead Vince Zampella, the Battlefield 6 crew is urgent ahead as it makes an attempt to recapture the viewers that had as soon as proven up in droves to see it launch.
Season 2 will preserve the ball rolling with Part 2, Nightfall, subsequent week, March 17, with lights-out recreation modes set on the new Hagental Base map, the Hayes M1030-M1 and TM/O 450 Dust Bikes, the CZ3A1 and VZ.61 weapons, and extra. We caught up with Ripple Impact studio design director Justin Wiebe to discuss the whole lot Season 2’s subsequent chapter has in retailer and discovered extra about how Battlefield Studios plans to work with followers to assist form its future.
IGN: Discuss to me about Hagental Base. It goes with out saying that gamers have been begging for bigger maps, so what are you able to inform me about this location that makes it a convincing motive for gamers to bounce again into Battlefield 6?
Justin Wiebe: Yeah, I imply, clearly, gamers have been asking for giant maps, and one factor to stress is that this was in improvement earlier than we even had that suggestions from the group. Some maps take some time to construct. Nonetheless, we’re additionally extraordinarily enthusiastic about this map as a result of it’s a subterranean map, and it is going to concentrate on much more close-quarters fight. Assume a bit of nearer to an Operation Metro sort of vibe with it, besides that it is also going to be featured in the darkish. That darkness goes to carry all types of various techniques to the foreground that, once more, can thematically change it up and make it really feel a bit of bit contemporary for gamers to have one thing utterly totally different than what they’ve already been experiencing. There’s going to be quite a lot of totally different modes which can be going to be featured on it. So, for instance, Workforce Deathmatch, Squad Deathmatch, and Domination.
These are all going to happen within this nighttime surroundings, and with that nighttime surroundings, it is actually going to let gamers use totally different methods or techniques they might not have in any other case used earlier than. Simply to offer you a couple of examples: evening imaginative and prescient goggles are going to be out there for all lessons. It isn’t one thing the place some individuals are going to have it, and some individuals do not. All people will get evening imaginative and prescient goggles to lower by means of the darkness utterly. Nonetheless, it does have a restricted battery life, so that you even have to strategize on whenever you’re going to give you the option to use it. When’s the proper time to put it on or take it off?
Nevertheless it’s not full darkish all the time; there are different mild sources that may give you a reprieve, or perhaps it is a protected area the place you need to flip it off and simply let it recharge a bit of bit earlier than throwing it on. Then there’s the side of counterplay, so if you recognize that different gamers are utilizing evening imaginative and prescient goggles, you may as well use different skills to make the most of that. For instance, you might shine flashlights at them. Lots of people have been utilizing [Incendiary Grenades], and it has been kind of a resurgence of [Incendiary Grenades] getting used tactically to drive individuals to take that break up second to flip it off, whilst you can then acquire the higher hand on them.
The thermal optic attachment – it is given a brand new lease on life for thermal imaginative and prescient and how it may be a bit of simpler in the darkness. Then, in fact, you possibly can have a look at flashlights. We have dynamic flashlights, so you possibly can truly use lights to attempt to discover enemies if you do not need to use your evening imaginative and prescient goggles or in order for you to interaction between them, so you are feeling such as you’re all the time creating a bonus. Then there are laser attachments, that are actually nice for ADS however may actually simply give away your location whenever you’re in the darkness. So, once more, quite a lot of new techniques which can be going to come simply with the addition of that Nightfall expertise utilizing this map.
So, it is not nearly shaking up gameplay with one thing new. You are additionally giving one other alternative for attachments like flashlights to shine.
Wiebe: Particularly if there are specific attachments, perhaps, that did not make as a lot sense when most of the maps are fairly nicely lit, and it is like, ‘Effectively, do I really want a laser? Do I really want a flashlight apart from barely annoying someone with a bit of little bit of a bloom impact?’ It is like, now it truly is extremely necessary and could make you rethink the way you’re establishing a few of your weapons. You might need a couple of weapons which can be arrange particularly for this Nightfall expertise, and then a pair for whenever you swap again to the different map, as a way to interaction and begin utilizing issues perhaps you hadn’t used earlier than.
I believe that is an excellent description of how Nightfall shakes up Hagental Base, however what are you able to inform me about how commonplace Hagental Base matches play out in contrast to Nightfall?
Wiebe: The map is designed once more with quite a lot of darkness in thoughts, however it additionally has the core staples of Battlefield destruction. There are going to be partitions that you are going to give you the option to take down. There are specific ceilings which can be going to be weak that you should use. We do not simply need visible spectacle. We actually all the time concentrate on tactical destruction. How do you utilize it to acquire an higher hand on one other squad?
Night maps are clearly one thing that gamers have needed to see for a very long time, and Nightfall provides them that, however it’s restricted to a limited-time mode. It is simply Hagental Base. Why did the crew select to discover an evening mode on this approach, and why now?
Wiebe: I believe that is the first check of getting gamers into an evening mode to see how they’re reacting to it. Are they having fun with the expertise? If it is a scenario the place the group desires extra, it is actually widespread, they do not need a restricted time, they need it again all the time… These are issues that we are able to discover primarily based on group suggestions. I might say this represents a check in the water to see if that is one thing that is attention-grabbing for the group. Would they like us to discover extra, or would they moderately focus once more on bigger maps in the day and say, ‘For us, that is the desire’? We’re going to study quite a bit from this. We’re working with the group and listening to the suggestions that we get, and that may assist inform future choices.
I suppose it would be exhausting to say, but when one thing like Nightfall or evening variations of maps had been to return, would that be restricted to Portal, or actually, is the door simply open for now?
Wiebe: It is too early to say proper now. I imply, once more, we have now received to have a look at the suggestions and attempt to determine it out. The factor I do love about Portal is… If the group’s like, ‘We actually need to play extra of this. We want we might do our personal issues,’ Portal is the place to go then to say, ‘Effectively, whilst you guys are going to work on exploring different evening maps, if it is one thing that is widespread, we wish to construct our personal model, use that map, however we wish to do it with these guidelines or these mechanics,’ in order that they’ll do it in the immediacy moderately than ready to see what the dev crew’s going to do in the future.
Now, the one factor I do need to stress, I do know that it is going to be a smaller map, and I would like to ensure that the group is aware of that they’ve been heard. We do have giant maps – for instance, in Battlefield Labs proper now, we do have [Golmud Railway] being examined, which is one in every of the largest Battlefield maps. So, there are thrilling issues coming down the pipes as nicely which can be being examined proper now.
I do need to get again to the evening gameplay, however because you introduced up Golmud, I do know you are doing testing every single day. Ought to gamers anticipate that to be a scaled-down model of the authentic map, like we noticed with Operation Firestorm, when it comes to measurement?
Wiebe: What I might stress proper now could be that we have heard the group that large maps are necessary. Proper now, we have now Golmud in Battlefield Labs testing, and look ahead to extra conversations about that in the future.
How does the Protection Testing Complicated POI evaluate to different areas in Fort Lydon? Might you give us a tease of the way it transforms that have, and how a lot area it takes up on the map?
Wiebe: Yeah, we’re fairly enthusiastic about this addition. For me, Fort Lyndon has all the time been like a top-secret navy base, and we wish to have secrets and techniques. We would like it to inform a narrative. It is like peeling off that subsequent layer of the onion, proper? It is like, OK, you performed the floor, however now there’s extra to it than what you noticed. For us, it is ensuring that we expose these secret areas to gamers in order that they know the place to go. It is a pretty vital POI, and it is nearly connecting, in a approach, three totally different POIs.
Operating proper between these three POIs, there are totally different entrances. We’re going to mark a couple of of these entrances for gamers to discover initially as a result of we do not need it to be such an excellent secret that no one ever is aware of the place to go and cannot discover it. So, we’re going to assist gamers establish a couple of of the totally different entrances. Then, there are various extra exits and entrances that they are going to uncover over time. To make it possible for gamers are incentivized for exploring, we’re going to put a few of the finest loot and most precious loot within that POI at the launch of this POI. There are going to be rewards, however there’s additionally threat.
In fact, whenever you’re getting into, it is going to be, not as darkish as I might say the Nightfall darkish map, however I might name it moody, the place it is going to be a bit of bit decrease mild, and you possibly can acquire a bonus by means of your attachments and issues like that to attempt to counterbalance it. That is the place you are going to have the finest probability to discover quite a lot of airstrikes, strike packages, legendary weapons, issues like that. The place it is price the threat, but in addition in the event you’re zip-lining down into this bunker, there are going to be choke factors that gamers are going to combat for management over.
So, it will undoubtedly be a hotspot for gamers.
Wiebe: Precisely. Then, the different factor featured in REDSEC is that there is additionally going to be a Gauntlet Nightfall occasion as nicely. That is going to be a variation of Gauntlet that is additionally going to happen in the Hagental Base, and it is going to be constructed for trios for the first time in Gauntlet, and that is going to characteristic three totally different mission varieties.
We’re going to have Vendetta, which is defending your squad’s high-value goal. We’re going to have Contract, which is the place you want to wipe out an enemy squad, but when your squad will get wiped, you get eradicated. Then Heist, the place you compete to get goals and return it to your base, kind of like a seize the flag sort of factor. In fact, the emphasis goes to be on evening imaginative and prescient goggles, balancing battery life, however it’ll be for much longer battery life in Gauntlet, so it will really feel actually balanced.
Backtracking to Nightfall, in a weblog publish, Battlefield Studios talked about the way it nearly brings a stealth expertise to Battlefield. Are you able to discuss what stealth seems to be like in a Battlefield multiplayer expertise for Gauntlet and for the commonplace limited-time mode?
Wiebe: I believe stealth can take many types relying on who you ask. I believe, actually, it is nearly audio. It is extra magnified whenever you’re underground. When you possibly can’t see as a lot, it is about trusting what you hear. I do know the audio crew has been actually working exhausting on bettering the spatial audio, so having the ability to inform with a bit of extra readability what course issues are coming from.
Then, in fact, it is enjoying with the transitions between the mild and the darkness. The place there is a candy spot, the place you possibly can attempt to sneak round. The place you are simply sufficient in the darkish. The place you are going to anticipate individuals to go in the mild and attempt to get a bonus on them after they’re transitioning, or taking off their evening imaginative and prescient goggles, so as to attempt to seize that one second to acquire and press your benefit.
I’ve seen different video games introduce evening variations of maps. Does it make the expertise scarier in any approach, if that is smart?
Wiebe: That is an excellent query. I believe that is down to the particular person, proper?
Oh, positive. The playstyle.
Wiebe: Yeah. It is like, for me, I am reckless once I play – evening imaginative and prescient or not. I am simply going for it. I am the one which’s operating, and my squad’s like, ‘Shhh! Sluggish it down. We’ll take the benefit!’ And I am Leroy Jenkins. I am going to run in, guns-a-blazing [laughs]. It actually comes down to the playstyle, however I believe, for me, it truly is about studying the techniques and studying all the totally different grenade varieties and issues that may create new benefits between your squad and your opponents to attempt to get the higher hand, particularly when there’s aggressive modes like Gauntlet the place it is elimination-based, and you want to press your whole benefits. Each elimination you get is a degree on your crew, and so you might win or lose by a single loss of life relying on the way you play. I believe that for me is the place the techniques actually begin to get refined.
So, the darkish actually is a software for gamers to experiment with and use to their benefit on either side.
Wiebe: Yeah, I believe so.
gameplay throughout Battlefield 6, Battlefield Studios is all the time speaking with the group, placing out weblog posts, and speaking intimately about what’s coming. Are you able to give us a teaser relating to how the fundamentals of Battlefield 6 have been tweaked with the launch of Nightfall, how issues are going to change, how motion’s going to really feel, and particulars like that?
Wiebe: Sadly, I am not the proper individual to get into that degree of specificity with you. There are much more skilled specialists that may go into it. I do know that there have been some weblog posts shared very lately about a few of the work that they are doing on taking a look at the [time to kill]. All of it’s being balanced each with group suggestions and what we’re gaining from what the telemetry is telling us about the modes and the experiences, to attempt to make it possible for we’re hitting that candy spot.
The factor I would like to reiterate is, we’re listening, and we’re reacting, and it is going to proceed that approach for a really very long time. We’re getting wonderful suggestions from the group, and we’re consistently attempting to attempt to make the finest recreation attainable. So we recognize the group’s time that they take to share the particulars of what is working and what’s not working for them, and we take it very severely.
Clearly, there was a break with the delay. How is the crew feeling after the launch of Season 2, and is the response from followers the one you had been hoping for?
Wiebe: I believe we’re very happy with the launch of Season 2. I believe the Contaminated map is doing very well. I believe the response to the VL-7 expertise has been fairly good, however we have now quite a lot of work to do forward of us, and I believe, for me, it is like, OK, Season 2, we’re proud of the approach it launched, however we have now quite a lot of stuff that we’re going to proceed to work on and we’re removed from completed.
Some pockets of the group have been extra vocal than others when it comes to what they need to see modified when it comes to Battlefield 6 post-launch content material. Clearly, some plans have been in place for months and months and months. Has the crew felt the want to cater extra to participant needs as post-launch assist has continued?
Wiebe: I’m not going to converse for everyone. My private philosophy is that we launch the recreation that we wish gamers to play, and it is sort of our recreation, and we’re creating it over years. We’re testing it. The massive addition for us was Battlefield Labs. Historically, you fireplace it out, and you hope you bought the whole lot proper, and that everyone’s going to be joyful. Battlefield Labs gave us a possibility by means of improvement to actually begin to check with the group, to get early eyes to work out what’s working, what’s not working. It is actually efficient at taking a look at issues like gameplay for map content material, for mode content material, and issues like that. The place we have not had as a lot success are issues like challenges and development. Issues which can be more durable in a approach to check in a Labs surroundings since you want an extended cycle on that.
So, for me, as soon as we have launched the recreation, it is in the group’s fingers to give us suggestions. It turns into our recreation now. All suggestions is necessary, and we weigh the group suggestions, but in addition, like I mentioned, we have a look at the information of what is truly happening in telemetry. Generally it may be a notion drawback. Generally it is truly like, no, each sources of data are saying, ‘It is a large drawback, and subsequently we want to cease the plans we had been going to do and redirect and begin specializing in the issues that we’re seeing recognized.’ That is the primary factor to take away right here: It isn’t like, ‘Hey, we crafted this large plan, and we’re going to maintain to it.’ It is like, no. Something can change primarily based on what’s going on with the group, what’s going on with the suggestions, and what we’re seeing from the recreation.
You introduced up Battlefield Labs. How did Battlefield Labs and that testing assist form Nightfall into what it’s right this moment, versus what it began with?
Wiebe: [Laughs]
It is a lengthy record, I am positive.
Wiebe: Yeah. The sooner exams had been very telling. It was issues like the evening imaginative and prescient goggles would take approach too lengthy in the transition, the place it is like, ‘Oh, man, I am dying all the time, and I’ve no skill to react.’ Or individuals had been utilizing sure attachments to nearly exploit the nature of darkness to the level the place we had to readjust both the lighting or the time or the influence that you could be really feel when someone, for instance, throws a [Incendiary Grenade] at you, otherwise you’re attempting to transition from mild to darkish and how lengthy it takes on your eyes to regulate.
We received quite a lot of good data on that, in order that helps us refine the map structure, the place there have been a couple of too many choke factors. We added different paths that might permit individuals to circumvent a choke level and now assault the enemy from a special approach, or discover a wall to destroy, the place they’ll now create their very own benefit. I imagine it performs a massively crucial function in getting an early learn on some issues that may very well be a big misstep in the event you hadn’t in any other case validated it. I might specific an enormous thanks to all the gamers that do put their time into Battlefield Labs to present the suggestions that helps give us the information that we want to attempt to make the strongest seasonal releases we are able to.
So, it is about refining that launch path, actually, and that is what you’ve got seen with Nightfall?
Wiebe: Up to now, and I’m personally excited to see what number of extra earlier, in-concept issues we might put in Labs over time in order that we are able to, actually, get extra early eyes on it. Certainly one of the issues that we’ll be operating is, with battle royale, we wish to check a couple of various things with that. We would like to get the group’s learn. Once more, issues that may inform future seasons.
Is there anything you want to add relating to Battlefield 6 and Nightfall, but in addition particularly why this whole Part 2 replace is price leaping again in for?
Wiebe: I imply, I play nearly every single day. Clearly, I am each a developer and a participant, so once I’m not creating, I am going house, and I play, and I am personally excited simply because it is a bit of a change in ambiance. Very like the VL-7 smoke that was launched – which modified up how the recreation felt with the smoke and the way it reacts to the map, the way it modifications your techniques, the way it modifications the approach you understand the recreation – it is the similar feeling I get from Nightfall. It is one thing contemporary that I can perhaps break up my regular sample of enjoying by means of Breakthrough, Conquest, and then Battle Royale. Now, I am going to go, and I get to play Nightfall for a bit of bit, and then I will return to my normal, proper? All of us do. We love going proper again to Conquest and Breakthrough. These are the mainstays, however it’s good to have these pallet cleansers every now and then, simply to get an opportunity to do one thing a bit of bit totally different for a bit.
Michael Cripe is a contract author with IGN. He is finest recognized for his work at websites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Make sure to give him a comply with on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).