While ARC Raiders cruises, Battlefield 6’s player count has plummeted on the Steam charts — but why? Here’s what a diehard fan of the FPS thinks

by

Late 2025 saw the release of two major games: Battlefield 6 in early October and ARC Raiders at the end of the month. Both were initially very popular on Xbox, PC, and PlayStation 5. However, as 2026 began, player numbers and data from Steam suggest their popularity has started to decline.

As a researcher tracking player counts, I’ve been observing Battlefield 6. While it had a strong launch, peaking at over 747,000 players on Steam according to SteamDB, things have slowed down considerably. Right now, I’m seeing around 55,000 players active. Even taking into account it’s Monday morning when I’m writing this, the game has consistently struggled to reach 100,000 concurrent players, usually averaging between 85,000 and 100,000 during peak hours.

Unlike ARC Raiders, which has maintained a strong player base since its launch, many games see a rapid decline in popularity. ARC Raiders quickly became popular, reaching a peak of over 480,000 players on Steam. Even months later, it still has a dedicated community, with over 422,000 players currently active and around 226,000 exploring the game world at this moment.

Battlefield 6 started strong and was the best-selling game of 2025, but it hasn’t maintained its popularity as well as its competitor. However, it’s not a cause for major concern yet. On Steam, it’s still the eighth most played game and the eleventh best seller. On Xbox, it’s performing very similarly to ARC Raiders, indicating a closer competition on consoles.

Despite this, Battlefield 6 hasn’t performed as well overall when compared to Embark’s popular game. After spending over 200 hours playing the latest Battlefield since it launched, I believe there are several reasons for this difference.

Although Battlefield 6 has eleven maps, they’re noticeably smaller than maps in older Battlefield games. This lack of space has been a common complaint, with many players feeling the game is too cramped and resembles Call of Duty, even on the larger maps like Mirak Valley and the redesigned Operation Firestorm.

Players have also been unhappy with how slowly new content has been released for Battlefield 6. Many feel that Season 1 didn’t offer enough, with only two small maps and a few temporary game modes that weren’t very popular. (I personally enjoyed Ice Lock, but maps should be the main focus.) For comparison, Battlefield 4 received five large expansions between late 2013 and late 2014, and each one included four new maps.

It’s also important to talk about how players advance in the game. Many find it takes too long to unlock weapon attachments and cosmetic items like camouflage. These are often tied to spending a lot of time with weapons you might not even enjoy. Making attachments and camos easier to unlock, and linking them to weapon level instead of usage, would likely improve the experience. We’d also love to see more customization options for helicopters and jets.

Battlefield 6 has also been plagued by technical problems. Many players have reported issues with registering hits, lag that causes unfair deaths even while in cover, and glitchy animations during combat. These issues make the game feel unpredictable and can be really frustrating, significantly impacting the overall experience.

Beyond those major issues, Battlefield 6 also struggles with things like its unpopular Netflix-style interface, the poor presentation of fan-created Portal content, and imbalances in the Breakthrough game mode. These problems are the biggest hurdles for the game, and it’s unlikely to regain its player base until they are fixed.

While it’s not a perfect comparison, ARC Raiders has had a stronger start with updates and improvements after launch. It also feels more rewarding to progress and has more stable online gameplay. Because of these factors, plus the exciting unpredictability of its player-versus-player-versus-environment style, I think it’s currently doing better than Battlefield 6.

How does Battlefield 6 play compared to ARC Raiders right now? And what steps should Battlefield Studios take to make Battlefield 6 better and win back players? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

FAQ

Is Battlefield 6 crossplay or cross-platform?

Battlefield 6 lets players on Xbox, PC, and PlayStation 5 play together. Crossplay is automatically turned on, but console players have the option to disable it, although doing so might make it take longer to find a match.

Does Battlefield 6 have cross-progression?

Battlefield 6 lets you carry your progress across different platforms. If you play on Xbox, PC, and PlayStation using the same EA account, all your unlocked items – like weapons, attachments, and cosmetic gear – will be available no matter where you play.

Is Battlefield 6 on Xbox Game Pass?

Battlefield 6 isn’t included with Xbox Game Pass. You’ll have to purchase the game separately if you want to play it.

Is ARC Raiders crossplay or cross-platform?

Similar to Battlefield 6, ARC Raiders lets players on Xbox, PC, and PlayStation play together. This feature is automatically turned on, but you can disable it for PC and console players in the game’s settings if you prefer.

Does ARC Raiders have cross-progression?

Similar to Battlefield 6, ARC Raiders lets you carry your progress and earned items across all platforms – Xbox, PC, and PlayStation – as long as you use the same Embark ID on each one.

Is ARC Raiders on Xbox Game Pass?

ARC Raiders isn’t included with Xbox Game Pass. If you want to play it, you’ll need to buy the game separately.

Read More

2026-01-12 23:42