Battlefield 6's post-holiday glow has faded very sharply, with Steam concurrent players dipping below 100,000 for the first time since its October 2025 launch. SteamCharts reports a recent 24-hour peak of 92,590, down from an all-time high of 656,067 to 747,440 on day one, marking an 85% retention loss in under three months. While still ranking in Steam's top 15, the slide from Season 1 onward signals deeper troubles for DICE's live-service shooter.
The decline accelerated post-Season 1, which introduced the Blackwell Fields map to widespread criticism. Players slammed its vast open spaces as a sniper fest, with inadequate cover leaving infantry vulnerable to long-range picks and unchecked vehicles. Forums lit up with complaints of frustrating gameplay loops, where matches devolved into repetitive deaths without meaningful progression. Steam reviews tanked accordingly, reflecting broader dissatisfaction.
Compounding issues, the December Winter Offensive update unleashed a barrage of bugs. Breakthrough and Portal modes broke entirely, UI elements froze on main menus, and severe stuttering plagued sessions with some of them fixed only by disabling Steam friends lists. Game breaking hitches, invisible gadgets, and poor lighting further eroded trust, while AI generated event cosmetics drew mockery for their low effort. The Battle Pass faced a bit of anger for FOMO driven challenges and lackluster rewards, alienating casuals and veterans alike.
Community sentiment is a bit grim with posts of players calling it a dying game that are amassing traction. However defenders of the game note Steam omits EA App, PlayStation, and Xbox numbers potentially 250K-300K total daily actives. Reddit threads highlight "evaporating" queues, but some argue 90K+ peaks outperform past titles like BF4 at this stage.
Contrast this with ARC Raiders, retaining 91% of its base at 400K+ daily peaks, thanks to smart matchmaking and steady content. Call of Duty faces similar scrutiny, however that is Call of Duty and that is to be expected. BF6's rapid fall from launch is cautionary tale and a reminder that is raising alarms.
However not all is lost for BF6, DICE must pivot: Deliver more maps beyond Blackwell, overhaul Portal for reliable custom play, refine the Battle Pass to reduce grind, and squash bugs via hotfixes. Season 2 looms as a make or break, with free to play teases failing to stem the tide.
Battlefield 6 isn't dead by any means as 100K Steam actives dwarf predecessors but sustained drops risk irrelevance and of it dying. Swift, player-focused updates could reclaim momentum before competitors solidify gains. What do you think they need to change or add to the game to keep players interested and gaming?