The first Battlefield 6 open beta weekend has wrapped up, and while there’s plenty of praise going around, former WWE star Samoa Joe might’ve summed up the mood better than anyone.
Is the new Battlefield kinda hitting for anyone else, or was the bar so low I’m just grateful? I’m really rooting for the former over the latter.
— Samoa Joe (@SamoaJoe) August 10, 2025
If you’ve been around the series for a while, like Joe, who’s been playing since the early 2010s, you’ll know exactly what he means. Battlefield’s had its fair share of highs and lows, and for a lot of players, the disappointment of 2042 is still fresh in memory.
Beta Weekend One: Big Numbers, Bigger Buzz
From August 7–10, Battlefield 6’s Early Access and Open Beta Weekend 1 pulled in massive numbers. Steamcharts recorded a peak of nearly 520,000 players, even outdoing Call of Duty’s all-time peak. And that’s not counting those still hanging around in servers 12 hours after they were meant to be offline.
‘Battlefield 6’ beta has beaten Call of Duty’s all-time player count record on Steam 🎮
• COD’s peak — 491,670 players
• Battlefield 6’s peak — 500K+ players pic.twitter.com/MKW2bCJ33a
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) August 9, 2025
Players got stuck into a mix of weapons, modes, and maps, with the servers holding up surprisingly well given the traffic. That in itself is a relief for long-time fans, considering how rocky some past Battlefield launches have been.
Sure, there were nitpicks, some maps felt cramped, the lack of a proper server browser annoyed a few, and not everything was perfectly balanced, but overall, the mood was optimistic. DICE seem to have taken lessons from past mistakes, bringing back the series’ more grounded, tactical feel.
From WWE to FPS
Samoa Joe isn’t just a casual drop-in. Aside from his wrestling and acting gigs (including playing Sweet Tooth’s physical form in the Twisted Metal series), he’s an avid gamer with a frankly “gross” Steam backlog, as he’s admitted. Seeing someone with his experience in both entertainment and gaming hype up Battlefield 6 is a solid sign the game’s hitting more than it’s missing.
Steam Sales… A gift and a curse.
— Samoa Joe (@SamoaJoe) December 21, 2013
Could Battlefield Finally Find Its Esports Footing?
Battlefield has never really broken into the mainstream esports scene the way Call of Duty has, but with high-profile players and celebrities talking about it this early, the potential’s there. If the final release delivers in October and the devs keep listening to feedback, we might see Battlefield 6 become not just a fan favourite, but a serious competitive title.
For now, the beta’s back on August 14 with more maps and modes to try. Whether you’re rooting for the “it’s actually good” camp like Samoa Joe, or cautiously enjoying the ride, it’s shaping up to be the most promising Battlefield in years.
Image Credit: EA and DICE