Battlefield 6 may have made a huge splash when it launched, but it has certainly seen a decline in the months since its release. While it's true that every multiplayer game goes through highs and lows, the drop in players for this particular title is hard to ignore. From a disappointing season 1 to a controversial adjustment of BF6s move to a battle royale mode that came and went, there have been many complaints about the game in recent months. And while platforms like Battlefields official subreddit has become a cesspool of negativity, regularly making the same complaints and ad nauseam that the game is also Cod-like and maps that lack breathing space, there are genuine criticisms to be made.
Battlefield 6Season 2 is under a lot of pressure to win back lost players, and there are plenty of things that can be done to make that happen. There are common requests both big and small, from a chart to ribbons, while a more appealing stroke pass would give players something to grind for. Above all else, Battlefield 6 could benefit from several large, vehicle-focused maps and a wave of nostalgia via fan-favorite map remasters. Unfortunately, Season 2 seems to miss the mark on both of these counts despite being close in both respects, which doesn't bode well for the coming months of the game's lifespan.
What's wrong with Battlefield 6's Season 2 starting map?
Early leaks about Battlefield 6 has suggested that Season 2 would once again only have 2 full-fledged maps, with one coming at launch and the other being released during the season. Battlefield Studios has since revealed some maps they are working on via a blog post about testing them through Battlefield Labs, with this season's launch map being called Contaminated. Although the first looks at the map were promising – it is visually stunning and similar to the popular one Battlefield 1 map Monte Grappa — the game has since been leaked on various social media platforms. And, as is often the case too late BF6the complaints have started pouring in.
In the first clips shown for Contaminated, people noticed that some of the objective capture points were a sniper's paradise, offering little cover and looking very difficult to capture without a vehicle. This immediately gave players flashbacks to the largely loathed Battlefield 2042who had to rework several of their maps to include more cover. The next issue that came up was the map boundaries, once again players cannot fly very high or very far outside the boundaries, limiting the potential for interesting aerial combat and flanking strategies.
The lack of love for vehicle players continues in more leaked images, as a variant of the Little Bird helicopter makes a welcome return in Battlefield 6no jets will be available on the new map from now on. This is a major headscratcher considering how Contaminated is set on an airbase, a locale that should be perfect for this neglected vehicle type. The map will also be medium-sized, described as falling “between Eastwood and Mirak Valley” in terms of scale, continuing the trend of BF6 avoid massive maps.
Even Battlefield 6's Remaster Choice turns out to be a mixed bag
Big kart fans will eventually get their wish in the form of one Battlefield 4 map remaster, which will make some changes to modernize the game. But unlike fan favorite maps like Paracel Storm, BF Studios is bringing the slightly more divisive map Golmund Railway for its first BF4 remasters. This has led to heated debates on social media, with some players excited and others outraged that what they feel is the “worst map” is the first bit of Battlefield 4 representation. It's really a bit of a risk not to pick a fan favorite, as the following major maps would probably have gone down better with the community had they been revived instead:
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Caspian border
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Strike at Karkand
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The Sinai desert
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Kharg Island
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Dragon Pass
The divided opinions on the Golmund Railway have been addressed by Battlefield Community Manager T0TALfps, who defended Golmund as a strong choice. He claims the map offers “evolving combat” and “rich opportunities for combined arms play.” With that still 24/7 Golmund Railway servers on Battlefield 4the map has its fans, suggesting its detractors may be a vocal minority. Still, BF6 needed a unanimous win with their remaster choice, so choosing a more iconic map might have been a better decision. Something like Paracel Storm could have hit the big map and sea map requirements at the same time, but it looks like fans will have to keep waiting for the latter form of gameplay.
It is currently unclear whether the Golmund Railway is a third BF6 map for Season 2 or if it will take the map spot during the season, though fans will no doubt be hoping the former is the case. However, it is described as a “multi-session project”, which suggests that it may be a ways off and may not even be released in Season 2. Season 2's second map may be an undiscovered original map instead.
Battlefield Labs could be Season 2's Saving Grace
Clearly, Battlefield 6The leaked Season 2 viewers (and the confirmed remaster plans) haven't filled the community with confidence. There's still a chance BF Studios has an ace up its sleeve – perhaps a standout Battle Pass, a returning mode like Operations, or a three-map plan for Season 2 – but right now there's a real concern that this new content drop will be more of the same. But BF Studios letting players get started with both Contaminated and Golmund Railway via BF Labs testing is a big deal. So much of the discourse around Battlefield 6 has become repetitive and hateful, but now the community has a chance to be constructive and shape two maps to their liking.
Contaminated playtests can be the perfect way for players to fight for increased limits on air vehicles, jets within the map and proper coverage on the capture zones in Conquest mode. As long as the feedback is delivered in a friendly and professional manner, it will likely be heard. Furthermore, there is an even better chance of the Golmund Railway hitting the target as there is time for several tests to take place. If players fear that the playing space will shrink, they can communicate that. If they don't like how the vehicles are balanced on the map, that can be fixed. As stated by T0TALfps, players will participate in the early development process of Golmund, so there is more room for sweeping changes to be made than ever before. The players finally get their say in the shaping Battlefield 6s maps, so while the Season 2 offerings clearly aren't the perfect additions some fans had hoped for, they do have potential.
- Released
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10 October 2025
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, In-App Purchases, User Interaction
- Developer
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Battlefield Studios
