Battlefield 6 Beta Backlash — Rush Cut to 12v12 and Players Say Maps Are “Tiny”
Battlefield 6’s second beta week added a new map and the classic Rush mode, but many players in the open beta are complaining that the maps feel too small and that Rush no longer plays like the large-scale mode fans expect.
- What changed in the beta: new map, Rush mode return, and Custom Search.
- Key facts: Rush is 12v12 in this beta and EA labels it “medium-scale”.
- Player reactions: several highly upvoted Reddit threads call maps “tiny” and compare them to Call of Duty.
- Context: DICE previously admitted Battlefield 2042 maps were too big and later adjusted course.
- Beta numbers: the beta has attracted large player counts despite the complaints.
What changed in the beta
In week two of Battlefield 6’s open beta, DICE and EA rolled out a new map called Empire State, the return of Rush mode, and a Custom Search option. Importantly, Rush is limited to 12 versus 12 players in this beta, and EA describes Rush as offering “medium-scale” battles.
Some players responded quickly on Reddit. For example, one thread titled “Petition to change ‘Medium’ to Absolutely Tiny battles,” reads the title of a highly upvoted Reddit thread.
Player reactions and quotes
Players have posted multiple complaints about map size and pacing. For instance, a discussion about the new map says it’s getting slammed for the same reason — users describe the map as compact compared to older Battlefield levels.
Sample quotes from the beta threads include:
- “Feels like a COD map honestly,”
- “the old school BF feeling is gone now.”
- “The game has changed towards targeting a bigger audience, we’re no longer the target audience.”
How players describe Rush now
Traditionally, Rush was known for larger player counts and multi-map attacks. In this beta, with Rush capped at 12v12 and the maps feeling shorter, several players say the mode now resembles a faster, more confined firefight, rather than the longer, tactical pushes seen in past entries.
Context from Battlefield 2042
For additional context, DICE previously acknowledged that some Battlefield 2042 maps were too large. As one Reddit thread put it, “They were simply too big for even that many people,” and another comment read “And it’s pathetic that it took for extreme criticism from the community to let them know that they fumbled the maps badly.” That exchange appears in a remark in one popular Reddit thread.
At the time, DICE summarized the takeaway and said, “The biggest action point for ourselves is that bigger maps doesn’t necessarily mean more freedom and playstyles, or fun,” as reported by TechRadar.
https://www.techradar.com/news/battlefield-2042-maps-are-too-big-admits-dice
Beta numbers and next steps
Despite the complaints about map size and mode scale, the Battlefield 6 beta has attracted high player counts. GamesBeat and others reported that the beta reached large numbers; GamesPot specifically wrote about the beta “breaking record player numbers.”
EA has already made some changes during the beta, such as adding Custom Search. Therefore, further adjustments to map size, modes, or player counts could still arrive before and after launch.
Summary
In short: the beta introduced a smaller-scale Rush (12v12) and a new map, which led many players to complain the maps feel too small. DICE and EA have a recent history of changing map sizes in response to feedback, and the beta is drawing large player numbers even as debates continue.
