EA wants Battlefield 6 to pull in 100 million players eventually. It’s a figure that would dwarf every past entry in the series and even make it competitive with Activision’s Call of Duty franchise.
However, even with projections of a record-setting debut, analysts almost universally warn that achieving the long-term goal will be challenging without robust growth strategies following the release.
How Big Was the Beta and What Do Early Numbers Show?
Analysts at Ampere Analysis and Newzoo estimate that 22 to 25 million people joined the Battlefield 6 beta making it the largest in the franchise and almost four times bigger than Battlefield 2042’s.
Peak activity reached roughly 10.4 million users across platforms, which is more than twice the previous mark.
According to Ampere, around 1.7 million copies have already been pre-ordered on Steam, which is an unusually strong number for a premium multiplayer title weeks before its launch.
The game has been wishlisted over 2.4 million times on the platform.
How Many Sales Are Predicted for Launch Week?
Analysts note that early hype doesn’t necessarily mean strong launch sales.
Conversion from free tests to full purchases is rarely one-to-one, and Ampere believes only about a quarter of beta participants will buy in immediately.
The game is expected to sell around 5 million copies in its first week. It is an impressive debut yet modest compared with EA’s goal of 100 million players.
What Could Hold Battlefield 6 Back From EA’s Goal?
Battlefield 6 might struggle to keep its explosive launch pace, partly because it’s skipping PS4 and Xbox One and is locked to current-gen consoles and PC.
It won’t be offered on Microsoft’s Game Pass, unlike Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, which could turn away casual or cost-conscious players.
Direct competition is another issue, with Black Ops 7 set to launch just a month later. Some players may hold off and compare the two shooters before choosing where to spend their time and money.
EA’s decision to sell to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has put pressure on the game’s brand, with part of the community reluctant to back the franchise under its new owner.
EA may struggle to reach 100 million players since even Call of Duty has not consistently done so.
Why Do Analysts Still Expect a Strong Start?
According to Ampere, Newzoo, Circana and Video Game Insights, Battlefield 6 is expected to post one of the strongest openings in the franchise’s history.
Beta traction, wishlist interest, and marketing give it a better position than Battlefield V or Battlefield 2042.
The game has already drawn unusually heavy press attention, nearly equal to Black Ops 7. However, they consistently frame EA’s 100 million-player goal as a long road rather than an expected outcome.
To get there, premium sales may not be enough. It could demand free-to-play features, aggressive live-service growth, fresh seasonal content, and expansion to more platforms.