Battlefield 6 Free Week Fizzles—Call of Duty Still Reigns Supreme

Black Ops 7 faceplanted. So you would think Battlefield 6 rolling out a free week right now would be the perfect chance to scoop up frustrated Call of Duty players. Yeah... not happening.

What EA put on the table

EA opened up Battlefield 6 for a limited-time trial from November 25 to December 2. If your rig can run it, you can jump in. The free window lets you sample three multiplayer modes and a small slice of the broader package. A nice pitch on paper, especially with CoD stumbling.

Did people show up? Not really

Expectations were that BF6 would see a big surge, but player chatter on the official subreddit and the SteamDB charts tell a different story. The numbers during the free week have been basically flat compared to before the event. You can spot a few new players on the trial maps, sure, but for a full-priced game running a free week, you would expect a much bigger spike.

And yes, there is already a free option called RedSec in the mix, which complicates things a bit. But even with a dedicated free mode around, you would hope a full-game trial would move the needle more than this.

Why the vibe is 'Mixed'

Over on Steam, Battlefield 6 is currently sitting at a Mixed rating. The complaints are not about the core gunplay or moment-to-moment feel, which most people seem to think is fine. The frustration is how EA is handling monetization inside the game. A lot of players find it way too aggressive, to the point of being annoying. Pair that with a weak campaign that did not win anyone over, and the reputation hit is real. Even with the game free to try for a week, people are hesitant to invest time.

Can Battlefield actually challenge CoD?

I am not saying Call of Duty is the better franchise. In a bunch of areas, the latest Battlefield genuinely has an edge. The problem is that none of those strengths matter if players do not stick around, and millions still flock to CoD without thinking twice. That is what a decades-deep brand does: it is very, very hard to flop at this point.

• Lean into Battlefield being Battlefield. The answer is not copy CoD. EA has tried chasing that formula before and it backfired. Keep the big-sandbox identity and double down on it.
• Deliver a legit single-player campaign. CoD has cranked out some excellent one-and-done stories over the years. BF6 missed that beat. A strong campaign would go a long way.
• Dial back the monetization heat. People will tolerate a store. They will not tolerate it feeling insufferable.
• Play the long game. CoD wins on reflex and habit right now. Battlefield can chip away, but it will not be instant.

A small oddity worth flagging

One detail that reads a little funny: Battlefield 6 is listed with a 2025 release year, yet the free trial is live right now through December 2. Labeling aside, the takeaway is simple: you can try the game this week, and the early response is not the surge EA probably wanted.

For the basics: this is EA's Battlefield 6, and the stated release year is 2025. If you have jumped into the free trial, how is it treating you? Are you seeing the same flat player counts, or are the charts missing something? Tell me how your matches have gone.