If the news that Battlefield 6 only retained about 16 percent of its peak concurrent player base on Steam wasn’t enough, EA’s shooter has recently reached a new all-time low. In the past 24 hours, its player count on the platform dropped below 100,000 for the first time, hitting 94,088, according to SteamDB.
Granted, that doesn’t mean it’s dying or anywhere near so, especially if the console player bases continue to hold up. However, it is a response to continuing problems with the title. On Steam, it has a “Mixed” rating with only 68 percent of its currently 243,773 reviews giving it a thumbs-up. Check the recent reviews, and it’s far more dire – only 53 percent of the 17,231 reviews recommend it.
While excessive monetization is one complaint, many are lamenting the lack of persistent servers, shoddy netcode, and broken updates. “How can you ship such updates to your paying customers? Is there ANY testing / QA being done at DICE?” says one review. “Lots of other technical issues like hit registration, which is totally broken since forever, and becomes worse with every promised ‘improvement.’”
“This feels like a toxic relationship with you and me, and if it doesn’t improve later on, I quit,” said another review, which praised the gameplay but lambasted the progression, battle pass and AI-generated content. Other issues, such as the lack of large maps in Conquest and no naval combat (which is present in the free-to-play RedSec), also remain prevalent.
With Season 1 receiving its last major update in December 2025, Battlefield Studios hasn’t outlined its plans for this year or the improvement it’s looking to make. We’ll need to wait for more information, but in the meantime, it seems most players’ multiplayer itch is better sated by playing ARC Raiders, which reportedly passed 12 million sales last weekend.
It’s interesting to see how player engagement can shift over time. The decline in Battlefield 6’s concurrent player count highlights the challenges in maintaining a strong community. Hopefully, the developers can find ways to revitalize interest in the game.
You make a great point about player engagement! It’s also worth noting that the game’s frequent updates and changes in gameplay mechanics can significantly impact how players feel about returning. Keeping the community involved is crucial for maintaining interest.