
Battlefield 6 debuts with 747,440 concurrent players on Steam | Credit: Electronics Art
Battlefield 6 Achieves EA's Biggest Steam Launch With 747k Players
EA's latest military shooter ranks among Steam's top three games, quadrupling predecessor's peak in minutes
Highlights
- Battlefield 6 debuts with 747,440 concurrent players, becoming EA’s largest Steam launch and third most-played game globally.
- The title quadruples Battlefield V’s peak, surpasses Apex Legends, and crosses one million PC players across all platforms.
- With Battlefield 6 launch, EA focuses on stability and community-driven fixes after 2042’s backlash
Electronic Arts' Battlefield 6 launched with 747,440 concurrent players on Steam on Oct. 10, marking the video-game publisher's largest debut on the platform and signaling a potential turnaround for the embattled franchise.
The first-person shooter claimed the third spot on Steam's most-played games chart within hours of its global release, trailing only Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2. The milestone surpassed both 2021's Battlefield 2042, which peaked at 105,397 players, and battle-royale hit Apex Legends on Steam, according to data tracker SteamDB.
Industry analysts estimate total PC players across Steam, EA's proprietary platform and Epic Games Store crossed one million during the opening weekend. The game quadrupled Battlefield V's all-time high within minutes of launch, marking the fastest growth trajectory for any EA shooter. Within 25 minutes of release, servers surpassed 500,000 concurrent players, briefly creating queue backlogs.
EA Prioritizes Performance and Player Feedback After 2042 Backlash
The strong reception represents a critical win for EA's DICE studio, which spent months attempting to rebuild trust with the franchise's fan base. Battlefield 2042 launched to widespread criticism over technical issues and design choices, prompting EA to establish extensive player-driven testing programs based on community feedback.
EA disabled ray-tracing features at launch to maintain stable frame rates on mid-tier computers, prioritizing performance over visual effects. Battlefield 6 currently holds a "Very Positive" user rating on Steam, a stark departure from 2042's mixed reviews.
The launch experienced minor complications. Brief server queues and login issues affected some players during peak hours, though the scale remained limited. EA deployed a day-one patch containing roughly 200 fixes to address technical problems and maintain server stability.
The company's swift response appeared to limit any damage to player sentiment, with the game maintaining its momentum through the weekend. Battlefield 6 now ranks among the top 20 most-played games in Steam's history.
Author
Kamalikaa Biswas is a content writer at Outlook Respawn specializing in pop culture. She holds a Master's in English Literature from University of Delhi and leverages her media industry experience to deliver insightful content on the latest youth culture trends.
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