Battlefield V‘s open beta kicks off on September 6, DICE announced during the Nvidia GeForce RTX 20 reveal event ahead of Gamescom. The beta is open to PS4, Xbox One, and PC players. Those who pre-order the game will get access to the beta two days early on September 4.
Two of Battlefield V‘s multiplayer maps will be on display across a pair of game modes during the beta. Conquest, the series’ signature game mode that sees players capturing areas across a large map, will be playable on Rotterdam and Arctic Fjord. Rotterdam is set in a commercial area of Holland ravaged by warfare. EA released an explosion-filled trailer for the map last week. Arctic Fjord, as the name suggests, is set in a frigid, snow-capped area of Norway, inspired by the Battles of Narvik. Arctic Fjord will give players their first experience with Grand Operations, the new multiplayer portion of the game that combines a few multiplayer modes and maps into one story-driven experience.
We had a chance to check out the closed alpha last month and greatly enjoyed what we played at the time. Battlefield V offers a more cohesive multiplayer experience that leans into its emphasis on squad-based play.
We’re sure EA is hoping that the open beta will entice more people to pre-order the game. A recent report has suggested that pre-order numbers for Battlefield V are not looking so hot. It probably doesn’t help that Battlefield V launches October 19, one week after Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 and a week prior to the game no publisher wants to go up against, Red Dead Redemption 2.
As we said, though, there is reason to believe that Battlefield V could offer a comprehensive experience for all types of gamers. Unlike Black Ops 4, Battlefield V has a single player campaign mode, along with several new multiplayer features, including “Royale,” DICE’s attempt at capturing the battle royale zeitgeist.
Battlefield 1, the last entry in the series, brought in more than 25 million players for its take on World War I. We’ll probably have a better sense if Battlefield V will achieve similar success once players get their hands on the open beta.
