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New Delhi: Battlefield 6 is already shaping up to be one of the most talked-about launches of the year. After smashing Call of Duty’s Steam record with more than 500,000 concurrent players, the latest beta numbers are now making headlines. According to financial services firm Oppenheimer Holdings Inc., over 20 million players took part in the Battlefield 6 Open Beta; far more than the initial estimate of 5 million.
Electronic Arts (EA) hasn’t confirmed the figures yet, but this new projection highlights the franchise’s strong pull across PC and console platforms. Oppenheimer’s data suggests that the player base split was roughly 70% PC and 30% console, showing how PC gamers are still the backbone of large-scale betas.
The report, spotted via Battlefield Wire, notes that Oppenheimer “significantly revised” its earlier estimates after analysing Steam concurrent player data and trends from similar game launches. “The first week of the beta test established a strong baseline for player engagement,” the firm observed.
The scale of participation appears to have boosted confidence in EA’s market standing. The company’s stock has already seen a 36% return in the past six months, and analysts have maintained an “Outperform” rating on EA following the positive beta reception.
While the second beta weekend did not surpass the record-breaking debut, Oppenheimer’s note pointed out that most negative reactions focused on the Rush game mode. The criticism, however, was not enough to dent the “overall positive reception of Battlefield 6 among players thus far.”
The numbers raise eyebrows because EA has yet to officially boast about the success. Typically, such milestones are celebrated publicly, but for now the company has stayed quiet.
The hype also spilled over to Battlefield 2042. Following a surprise Update 9.2 earlier this week, which added the iconic Iwo Jima map and new unlockable rewards tied to Battlefield 6, the older title saw its player count spike by over 500%. This crossover push shows how EA is using its existing titles to stoke excitement for the next big release.
Interestingly, reports suggest EA is looking to make Battlefield an annual series over the next five to six years. With the kind of momentum seen in this beta, that target could come sooner. For now, though, all eyes are on the full launch of Battlefield 6, and whether it can carry forward this wave of enthusiasm into long-term player engagement.
