Image credit: Battlefield Studios

Battlefield 6 rockets past its own beta and Call of Duty with over 745,000 Steam players just hours after launch.

Battlefield 6 launched with over 745,000 players on Steam within just hours of release. That is not just a good sign for the game; it is a major statement. For Electronic Arts, this kind of turnout is rare. The number crushes previous Battlefield launches and edges out its biggest rival. Call of Duty peaked around 500,000 players on Steam at its strongest point. Battlefield 6 passed that in about ninety minutes.

Battlefield 6 Launch Player Count Steam EA

To put that in perspective, even the Battlefield 6 open beta topped out at 521,000 players. That was already seen as a big win for EA. But the full game blowing past that number shows just how many players were ready to jump in with their wallets, not just try a free test. The difference between interest and commitment? Battlefield 6 made that gap disappear.

Yes, the launch came with some issues. There were massive queues. At one point, six-figure waitlists were common. But most players reported that servers processed smoothly. It was not flawless, but it worked better than expected. If you waited a bit, you got in.

Platform and Reach

Platform availability helped too. Battlefield 6 is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and Series S. But the 745,000 figure only reflects Steam users. That means console player numbers are not included. The actual total across all platforms is likely over a million. And that is just for launch day.

Multiplayer Focus

Reviews are starting to land, and they paint a clear picture. Multiplayer is the star. Critics are calling the campaign forgettable, but multiplayer is getting real praise. PCGamesN called it “most bombastically entertaining entry in the series”. For a series that has struggled in recent years, Battlefield 6 feels like a course correction.

Why This Matters

The timing of the release matters. Launching just before a weekend means more players are free to play. That helps explain the spike in numbers. But even with that advantage, these numbers are exceptional. The last time Battlefield generated this kind of attention was years ago.

Looking back at Battlefield 2042 makes the contrast even sharper. That game peaked at 107,000 players on Steam. Battlefield 6 did seven times that within its first few hours. That is not a step forward, it is a full leap. And it puts the series back in a position of relevance after a rough stretch.

Business Implications

The broader context here matters too. EA recently confirmed a fifty-five billion dollar deal to go private, backed by a group including Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and Silver Lake. A strong launch like this makes that move look more stable.

What Drove the Surge

What helped drive this demand? The trailers were strong, but more importantly, the developer communication was clear. The community felt like it was being heard. Features were explained ahead of time. Cross-platform support was confirmed. And the marketing stayed focused.

It is also worth noting that Call of Duty Black Ops 7 launched close to the same window. But Battlefield 6 still pulled bigger Steam numbers, even though Call of Duty often sees more console and Game Pass play.

Final Thoughts

So far, Battlefield 6 is doing more than just breaking records. It is giving the franchise the momentum it badly needed. We will see how it holds up in the coming weeks, but for now, this is a launch that few expected to be this strong.