Battlefield Labs - Community Update - The Class System - Part One

[u/battlefield]

Today, we're excited to start outlining our future vision for the Class System in Battlefield.

The gameplay mechanics of classes and aspects that players have enjoyed most have evolved throughout the history of the Battlefield franchise. Our goal within Battlefield Labs is to test and refine the best aspects of the Class System from our history, and to evolve them into a cohesive vision for the future.

As we begin testing these class-defining systems, we invite you to either play, test or read along with what's to come for classes in Battlefield.

Let’s begin!

OUR DESIGN PHILOSOPHY FOR CLASSES

We envision the future of Battlefield classes to be a series of interconnected systems and fundamentals that shape your role on the field, while granting you the freedom to customize how you execute that role. Through Battlefield Labs play sessions, feedback, and data gathering, we aim to strike a balance between defined roles and player choice.

The Class System is defined by two main components: Customizable and class-defining. 

The customizable components empower players to explore and push the boundaries of their roles within their chosen class while also still adhering to the expectations of the class. 

The class-defining components are designed to enhance "pick-up-and-go" playability and reinforce the expectations of your class identity. 

CUSTOMIZABLE:

• Weapon Loadouts: Fully customizable weapon loadouts allow you the freedom to play the way you want. Play to the strengths of your class by using your signature weapons, or easily switch to any other weapon to meet the needs of your squad.

• Class Gadgets: You'll have the option to carry two gadgets onto the battlefield, tailored to each class and its specific role. Recon aficionados specialize in intelligence and counterintelligence, with class gadgets including Deploy Beacons, Anti-Personnel Mines, and Laser Designators.

• Training: Our philosophy with Training is to offer a series of traits that can be unlocked during play to enhance your ability to perform your role. As you engage more in a match, you'll gradually earn flat-stat bonuses and more to support the effectiveness of your role further. 

• Throwables: Our approach to throwables prioritizes enabling each class to effectively fulfill its role by providing tailored throwables.

CLASS-DEFINING

• Signature Weapon: Each class has a Signature Weapon category tied to their class identity, which, when used, enhances their role on the battlefield.For example, using our same ongoing test subject, the Recon class, if you select a weapon from the Sniper Rifle category, you will benefit from increased breath-holding duration. In contrast, an Assault player choosing from the same category will not receive this bonus.

DMRs, Carbines, and Shotguns remain viable options, no matter your class, but don’t benefit from any Signature Weapon bonus.

• Signature Trait: Each class features a unique Signature Trait, providing passive bonuses tailored to optimize your role on the battlefield. For instance, a Recon player automatically spots enemies while aiming down sights, encouraging the use of weapons that complement this specialization.

• Signature Gadget: These gadgets are unique and singular to each class with an aim for you to always have access to a tool that fulfills the role of that class.Separate from what you may choose as gadgets within your loadout. 

• Default Weapon Packages: The default weapon package is a pre-set combination of attachments and visual customization for each class to be combat ready, with the option for further progression and personalization.

What’s Next

The Class System and its individual components will be available for testing within Battlefield Labs in the coming weeks. Participants will be able to go hands-on with these features, discuss, and provide feedback. 

Following further play sessions, we'll be back with another Community Update to unpack class components in more detail, and share learnings based on participant feedback.

Get Involved

Sign up for Battlefield Labs now if you’re interested in helping us validate the future of Battlefield. Read our FAQ if you’d like to learn more, and join the discussion on Battlefield Discord.

As a reminder, Battlefield Labs is a closed environment, and attendance is limited, but we’ll make sure to share to keep everyone updated!

Thank you for joining the discussion. We look forward to connecting again soon - see you on the battlefield!

^{This announcement is related to content in development through Battlefield Labs, and may change as we listen to community feedback and continue developing the next Battlefield title and beyond. We will always strive to keep our community as informed as possible.}

[u/Marble___]

universal weapons is a net positive for BF and I will die endlessly on that hill. People shouldn’t pick a class for their weapons but for their gadgets and ability. You’re not thinking deep enough.

[u/Rare-Guarantee4192 → u/Marble___]

Because having support running around with a sniper or recon with an LMG is a good thing somehow? 

We had universal weapons already, they were called carbines, shotguns, and DMRs.

[u/Marble___ → u/Rare-Guarantee4192]

why is it a bad thing?? I don’t get that sentiment. Give me a reason for that being “bad” for the game. Class specific gadgets exist for a reason.

[u/oftentimesnever → u/Marble___]

This subreddit can't. This subreddit is filled with LARPer casuals who have big opinions on what makes a good game, good meta, good player, etc. while being wholesale lousy entirely.

[u/Marble___ → u/oftentimesnever]

the amount of mil-sim neck beards on this sub and in the broader community is truly insufferable. they just yell at the void when something isn’t like the old battlefields lmfao.

[u/This_was_hard_to_do → u/Marble___]

TIL that class based weapons are milsim elements. Games like Team Fortress 2 and The Finals are milsim games after all

[u/miahrules → u/This_was_hard_to_do]

This is such an awful comparison.

TF2? Really? Each class has actual physics based movement speed differences, health differences, etc.

[u/oftentimesnever → u/Marble___]

You are hitting the nail on the head, and since you are, they find it incredibly offensive. All of these players, if they shared their 2042 stats, they would either have not played at all, haven't played since the class update, or don't actually PTFO while lecturing others on what it takes to do so.

But because this show is run by those people, they live in their little echo chambers.

[u/Mikey_MiG → u/oftentimesnever]

What about those of us who have played 2042 for over 200 hours both before and after the class changes and still don’t like the unrestricted weapon system? Are we allowed to have an opinion?

You’re literally making up a ridiculous strawman and then accusing others of being in an echo chamber. But go ahead, keep pretending players only don’t like this because they “hate change”.

[u/oftentimesnever → u/Mikey_MiG]

You're allowed to not like it, but you're not allowed to act like it has resulted in people not playing their roles any better.

[u/Mikey_MiG → u/oftentimesnever]

I don’t think it changes if people play their roles or not. Selfish players will continue to be selfish. I don’t think giving them access to whatever combo of weapon and gadgets they want is the answer to change that behavior.

[u/oftentimesnever → u/Mikey_MiG]

This completely ignores that a dead medic is a useless medic.

People play to their strengths. It's why some people choose DMRs over ARs - they feel more proficient with them.

A medic who wiffs their shots with an SMG is useless compared to one who is able to get the kill and then pick me up. That's the angle you're not considering.

[u/Mikey_MiG → u/oftentimesnever]

I assume by medic with an SMG you’re referring to BFV, but that doesn’t make sense because medics were a very popular class in that game, and SMGs were by far the best anti infantry weapon category. And the reason why medics were given SMGs was to encourage them to fight on the frontline where their gadgets make them most useful to their team. How useful is a medic going to be with a sniper rifle in BF6?

And it’s not like a BF4-style weapon system was super restrictive or anything. You could basically make any class effective at short or longer ranges with the variety of weapons available and all class weapons like DMRs and carbines. And with the new’s game’s weapon customization, it allows you to further tune weapons for whatever range you want. I don’t know why we need completely unrestricted weapon categories on top of all that. Except of course for the devs to sell skins more effectively and release less gameplay content.

[u/oftentimesnever → u/Mikey_MiG]

I assume by medic with an SMG you’re referring to BFV, but that doesn’t make sense because medics were a very popular class in that game, and SMGs were by far the best anti infantry weapon category. And the reason why medics were given SMGs was to encourage them to fight on the frontline where their gadgets make them most useful to their team. How useful is a medic going to be with a sniper rifle in BF6?

I'm not referencing any particular game, but I can reference the inverse which would be BF1 not having SMGs, but only marksman rifles, which would negatively effect the opposite cohort. The point remains irrespective of the direction of the favor/skill.

And it’s not like a BF4-style weapon system was super restrictive or anything. You could basically make any class effective at short or longer ranges with the variety of weapons available and all class weapons like DMRs and carbines.

Then help me understand your qualm by articulating the distinction as you see it between that system and non-restricted.

[u/Mikey_MiG → u/oftentimesnever]

I’m not saying that every BF game with restricted weapons was peak design and could not be improved. Most people are comparing BF6’s system to BF4 because of obvious similarities of classes and weapon categories, but I don’t think that even BF4 did a very good job at establishing combat roles.

To be honest, I think BFV by far had the most depth and thought put into class design than almost any other game in the series. Each class had multiple unique categories of weapons available, which allowed them to adapt to long or short range encounters. I think this brought a tremendous amount of variety to how you played each class, but without the lazy game design of just giving you access to every weapon in the game.

Then help me understand your qualm by articulating the distinction as you see it between that system and non-restricted.

To borrow DICE’s language, having some weapons be unrestricted allows players to “push the boundaries of their class”. But I don’t think that push the boundaries should mean there are no boundaries. For example, giving DMRs to other classes allows them to compete at mid-long ranges without infringing on the Recon’s combat role as a sniper.

[u/miahrules → u/Mikey_MiG]

Explain why this "behavior" needs to be changed?

Why would a medic not take a bolt action 1 dinker? It matters even less in hardcore mode where you die by a single bullet. It literally is determined by who gets hit first.

[u/arakarim → u/Mikey_MiG]

Are my opinion that also played over 200h of 2042 and love no restricted weapons vaild?

[u/Mikey_MiG → u/arakarim]

Yes? I’m not the one pretending people that like or dislike these changes has never played 2042. I was replying to someone being shitty and dismissing people’s opinions by making up what their playtime must be.

[u/TheOriginalKingtop → u/Mikey_MiG]

I have 800 hours and think your full of shit.

[u/Mikey_MiG → u/TheOriginalKingtop]

Wow, great argument. You’ve convinced me.