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Recommended reading Battlefield 6 isn't going to choose between closed or open weapons at launch—the dueling rulesets will coexist EA finally proves it's listening to fans, will let Battlefield 6 beta players have classic class weapons The Battlefield 6 beta returns with yet another close-quarters map and two iconic modes for a four-day Weekend 2 trial, so I know what I'll be playing The biggest thing that needs balancing in Battlefield 6 isn't the weapons—it's the attachments 'It's the definition of insanity here': The Battlefield subreddit's good vibes nosedive into outrage after DICE announces there'll be no class weapon restrictions in Battlefield 6 The Battlefield subreddit is an endless feed of leaked Battlefield 6 gameplay, and it might be the best marketing campaign of 2025 Battlefield 6 is making an excellent case to skip Call of Duty this year Battlefield 6 If this beta is any indication, Battlefield 6 isn't all that serious about supporting closed weapons Morgan Park 13 August 2025 Closed weapons is already an afterthought in the eyes of Battlefield 6. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: EA) Now that we know the full makeup of maps and modes coming in the second weekend of the Battlefield 6 beta that kicks off tomorrow, it's increasingly clear that Battlefield Studios isn't taking its "closed weapons" playlists very seriously. Similar to the first weekend, closed weapons gets the short end of the stick as BF Studios introduces new modes. There's only one closed weapons playlist running all weekend and, weirdly, it only supports the two modes from last weekend (Conquest and Breakthrough). That means all the folks excited to try out Rush, the two-bomb attack/defend mode that's been a series staple since Bad Company, can only do so with open weapons—a bummer if you, like me, tried both formats last weekend and decided closed weapons was the way to go. Here's the full schedule for the beta running from August 14-17. Related Articles Battlefield 6 isn't going to choose between closed or open weapons at launch—the dueling rulesets will coexist EA finally proves it's listening to fans, will let Battlefield 6 beta players have classic class weapons The Battlefield 6 beta returns with yet another close-quarters map and two iconic modes for a four-day Weekend 2 trial, so I know what I'll be playing Day 1, Thursday 14th Attack & Defend (Breakthrough, Rush) Close Quarters: Fast-paced playlist on smaller maps (Domination, King of the Hill) Closed Weapons All-Out Warfare (Conquest, Breakthrough) Day 2, Friday 15th Squad Deathmatch Close Quarters: Fast-paced playlist on smaller maps (Domination, King of the Hill, Squad Deathmatch) All-Out Warfare: Epic battles across expansive maps (Conquest, Breakthrough, Rush) Closed Weapons All-Out Warfare (Conquest, Breakthrough) Day 3-4, Saturday 16th - Sunday 17th Close Quarters: Fast-paced playlist on smaller maps (Domination, King of the Hill, Squad Deathmatch). All-Out Warfare: Epic battles across expansive maps (Conquest, Breakthrough, Rush) Closed Weapons All-Out Warfare (Conquest, Breakthrough) Closed weapons, if you're not familiar, follows the class system setup that all Battlefields used before Battlefield 2042: Your weapon choice is defined by your class, so Recons are the only class with sniper rifles, Supports get exclusive rights to the LMG, etc. Open weapons frees up any gun for any class. The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. BF Studios was not originally planning to include the closed weapons format in official playlists, but changed its tune after weeks of complaints. It has since made an unexpected commitment to support both rulesets in Battlefield 6 indefinitely—an awkward compromise that's already showing its limits. (Image credit: Battlefield Studios) Yes, the Battlefield 6 beta "supports" closed weapons, but so far it's treating the classic ruleset as a side activity with fewer modes and map options. BF Studios obviously thinks of open weapons as the default Battlefield 6 experience, which has this closed weapons enjoyer feeling like I've been thrown a bone to chew on so I'll stop barking at the table. That's a shame, because the closed weapons playlist really is a blast. I've noticed more weapon variety, overall fewer Recons auto-spotting everyone they look at, and a greater emphasis on class play. That last point is most obvious with engineers: Darn near everyone is packing an RPG in the open weapons playlist because there's simply no downside when you can also use your favorite all-arounder assault rifle. In closed weapons, the unique power of the RPG and anti-tank mine is checked by the engineer's SMG range disadvantage on larger maps. At this rate, I'm worried the full version of Battlefield 6 will also treat closed weapons as an afterthought, or even phase it out of official playlists when BF Studios decides it's too confusing to promote both at the same time. If that happens, I'll have to hope that Portal server browser is as useful as devs say it will be. Electronic Arts Morgan Park Social Links Navigation Staff Writer Morgan has been writing for PC Gamer since 2018, first as a freelancer and currently as a staff writer. He has also appeared on Polygon, Kotaku, Fanbyte, and PCGamesN. Before freelancing, he spent most of high school and all of college writing at small gaming sites that didn't pay him. He's very happy to have a real job now. Morgan is a beat writer following the latest and greatest shooters and the communities that play them. He also writes general news, reviews, features, the occasional guide, and bad jokes in Slack. Twist his arm, and he'll even write about a boring strategy game. Please don't, though. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Battlefield 6 isn't going to choose between closed or open weapons at launch—the dueling rulesets will coexist EA finally proves it's listening to fans, will let Battlefield 6 beta players have classic class weapons The Battlefield 6 beta returns with yet another close-quarters map and two iconic modes for a four-day Weekend 2 trial, so I know what I'll be playing The biggest thing that needs balancing in Battlefield 6 isn't the weapons—it's the attachments 'It's the definition of insanity here': The Battlefield subreddit's good vibes nosedive into outrage after DICE announces there'll be no class weapon restrictions in Battlefield 6 The Battlefield subreddit is an endless feed of leaked Battlefield 6 gameplay, and it might be the best marketing campaign of 2025 Latest in FPS Team Fortress 2 player cooks themselves by destroying a Golden Frying Pan worth $6,800—for the second time Stalker 2 says to hell with it, let's just update our entire Unreal Engine implementation in new roadmap for the rest of the year The Battlefield 6 beta returns with yet another close-quarters map and two iconic modes for a four-day Weekend 2 trial, so I know what I'll be playing Battlefield 6 players are crying out for a 'real' server browser, and it's about time we demanded the basic FPS feature that Call of Duty killed Battlefield 6 lead producer says 'large maps exist,' confirming the full game will offer bigger battles than the beta's cramped, chaotic firefights Remedy is 'unsatisfied' by poor sales of FBC: Firebreak and a tiny PC playerbase, but says 'despite the rocky launch, we believe we have a solid game to build on' Latest in News I think Dungeons and Dragons peaked in 1982 and that's why I can't wait to play this 'hand-drawn black and white dungeon crawler' coming next year 'This year seems shakier than ever,' BioWare veteran Mark Darrah says, and live service games are a big part of the reason—but Grand Theft Auto 6 might force the industry to change Steam payment headaches grow as PayPal is no longer usable for much of the world: Valve hopes to bring it back in the future, 'but the timeline is uncertain' Team Fortress 2 player cooks themselves by destroying a Golden Frying Pan worth $6,800—for the second time My most anticipated fantasy tabletop RPG of 2025 is available now, and it's got a free demo in the form of a gorgeous interactive comic Stalker 2 says to hell with it, let's just update our entire Unreal Engine implementation in new roadmap for the rest of the year HARDWARE BUYING GUIDES LATEST GAME REVIEWS Best PCIe 5.0 SSD for gaming in 2025: the only Gen 5 drives I will allow in my PC Best graphics cards in 2025: I've tested pretty much every AMD and Nvidia GPU of the past 20 years and these are today's top cards Best gaming laptop in 2025: I've put the best of this new generation head-to-head and we have a winner Best gaming chair in 2025: I've tested a ton of gaming chairs and these are the seats I'd suggest for any PC gamer Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads Mafia: The Old Country review—A failed experiment and a bitter disappointment Arctic Xtender PC case review Corsair Platform:4 gaming desk review Wildgate review — A brilliant concept that's too clever for its own good Acer Predator GM9000 2 TB NVMe SSD review PC Gamer is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 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