"Call of Duty's player count record is shattered during Battlefield 6 open beta, also surpassing franchise's previous milestones"
The open beta for Battlefield 6 has taken the gaming world by storm, attracting an unprecedented number of players and setting new records for the franchise. The event, which runs from August 14 to August 17, has seen over 520,000 concurrent players on Steam, making it the highest concurrent player count the series has ever seen on the platform.
This player count surpasses the peaks of previous Battlefield games, such as Battlefield V (116,000 players) and Battlefield 1 (50,000 players), and even outperforms the concurrent player counts of Call of Duty titles on Steam. In fact, the peak concurrent player count for Battlefield 6's open beta is more than three times the peak concurrent player count for the previous Battlefield game.
This impressive performance places Battlefield 6 18th all-time among Steam games, ahead of Call of Duty titles and only behind a few other popular FPS (First-Person Shooter) and battle royale games like Counter Strike and Apex Legends.
The success of the beta is not only reflected in the number of players but also in the game's sales and community interest. Battlefield 6 has sold over 600,000 copies on Steam and amassed 2.7 million wishlists, indicating a strong interest from the gaming community.
The game's performance on Twitch is equally impressive, with over 870,000 viewers watching live streams of the open beta. The previous Battlefield game had a peak concurrent viewer count of around 350,000 on Twitch.
While some analysts caution that Battlefield 6 is unlikely to completely dominate Call of Duty sales this year due to Call of Duty’s entrenched market position, the beta's success signals that Battlefield is regaining significant traction and could potentially compete more evenly going forward.
However, it is important to note that the long-term competitive dynamics will depend on launch performance and sustained player retention. The latest Battlefield 6 reached a peak of 107,376 players on Steam after release, which is 31% below its open beta figure.
Despite this, the success of the Battlefield 6 beta is a significant indicator of a resurgence for the Battlefield franchise in the multiplayer FPS space, especially at a time when its biggest rival, Call of Duty, is struggling with a bruised reputation. The game's optimized performance and the positive reception it has received during the beta are undoubtedly contributing factors to its success.
The full release of Battlefield 6 is scheduled for October 10, and it will be priced at $70, avoiding the dreaded $80 price tag. Whether the game can maintain its momentum and return the franchise to its former glory remains to be seen, but the success of the beta is certainly a promising sign for fans of the series.
[1] PCGamesN
[2] GamesRadar
[3] IGN
[4] VG247
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