Free game Battlefield 6 Battle Royale game mode has officially arrived in the form of Battlefield REDSEC – but it’s probably not exactly what you think.
Surprisingly, EA and Battlefield Studios released Battlefield Battle Royale on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S just a few moments ago, bringing months gossip AND leaks finally, a standalone offer, free for both Battlefield 6 owners and non-owners. Its name, compact for “Redacted Sector,” heralds an updated take on the popular multiplayer experience, which has been included with two additional modes: Gauntlet and Portal. There’s more to REDSEC than fans could ever expect, and it’s all related to Battlefield 6 under one umbrella.
Battlefield Battle Royale
Battle Royale is undoubtedly the headliner, offering access to 100-player matches where classic Battle Royale gameplay is mixed with the formula of Battlefield 6. In the first trailer, infantry can be seen parachuting into an explosive shootout that shows how BF Studios has brought familiar elements to the Battlefield universe, all while they play in the background 2Pac and “California Love” Dr. Dre.
Finding sporadic loot, collecting armor plates, mastering petite and huge points of interest, and completing missions with friends are imperative elements of many battle royales, and each of them is imperative to survival in Battlefield as well. It’s more Warzone than Fortnite, but REDSEC has some features that set it apart from the rest.
The backdrop for each match is Fort Lyndon, a Southern California location that EA and BF Studios call “the largest Battlefield map ever.” As the trailer shows buildings falling into disrepair, REDSEC aims to convince players that it can build on the Battle Royale experience without sacrificing what so many love about the series: tactical destruction.
Map-changing vehicles are a staple of any true Battlefield experience, and the same is true in Battlefield 6 Battle Royale, where you’ll find everything from tanks to assault boats and golf carts to find. As the ubiquitous, ever-shrinking ring of fire (fans may remember it from Battlefield V: Firestorm) pushes teams out of the frying pan, discovering the M1 Abrams could mean the difference between victory and succumbing to the flames. There will be plenty of less menacing vehicles to discover on the fresh Battle Royale map, but those looking to drive the heavily armored tank will first need to complete missions, earn a keycard reward, and then apply it to unlock specific garages.
Battlefield 6 and REDSEC will coexist, so those who liked the first version can expect familiar vehicles, weapons and gadgets in the second version – with a few tweaks. Class upgrades are just one element to consider and provide Stormtrooper, Engineer, Support, and Recon players with upgrades to work on. For example, earn enough XP as the Scout class and you’ll gain access to an upgrade that buffs drones with the ability to drop bombs. Custom loadouts can also be created and used, and players can earn them by completing missions or betting on the slightly more adventurous option of waiting for constrained global drop events.
Battlefield 6 players have been eagerly waiting for Battle Royale updates for months. Now that the REDSEC team has finally arrived to throw Battlefield into the Battle Royale mix, fans should know that this isn’t the only fresh game coming today.
Glove
If you need a break from Battle Royale, Gauntlet is a separate mode that is also offered as part of the fresh free-to-play standalone game. While Battlefield Battle Royale allows teams to hunt for loot between gunfights during longer matches, Gauntlet is recommended as a relatively compact, elimination-based match.
Instead of 100-player games, all of Fort Lyndon has just 32 players (eight teams of four players each). BF Studios says Gauntlet is structured as a tournament, with teams tasked with competing in fast-paced missions divided into rounds.
Players have five minutes to complete an objective each round, and Gauntlet keeps everyone on the edge of their seats with rotating missions and locations. As goals and settings change, teamwork will determine which team wins.
Portal
Battlefield fans have been familiar with the Portal since its inception in Battlefield 2042. While the community has already taken advantage of the Battlefield 6 Portal to create quirky game modes and recreate fan-favorite maps, the REDSEC Portal opens fresh doors of opportunity.
REDSEC promises limitless game development tools and brings them to the enormous gaming area of Fort Lyndon. There’s more room for fans to let their imagination run wild, and one example we saw was an aerial obstacle course complete with golf carts, colorful containers, and narrow paths.
REDSEC Portal is more reminiscent of Grand Theft Auto Online than Battlefield, but that seems to be what EA and BF Studios are going for. Two official Portal maps will be available at launch, with more to come.
How does Battlefield 6 work with REDSEC?
Battlefield 6’s core gameplay is based on Call of Duty and is available in the REDSEC suite, allowing players to access it from a single main menu. Those who don’t own the recently released Battlefield game can still download REDSEC without any problem and at no additional cost, but there are a few differences between those who own the full premium version and those who don’t.
Coincides with Today is the premiere of Season 1 is a Battle Pass system in Battlefield 6 that shares unlocked rewards and XP progression between both the base game and its REDSEC counterpart. While each experience will have some unique challenges and events associated with it, and some Battlefield 6 vehicle skins will not appear in some REDSEC experiences, EA says it has “no plans” to unlock exclusively through REDSEC.
The portal is where things get a bit more complicated. Creative fans who own Battlefield 6 can apply the fresh Portal tools introduced with REDSEC completely freely, gaining access to all the fresh standalone experiences Fort Lyndon has to offer. However, those without the base game will not have access to any Battlefield 6-exclusive content, such as maps, while creating the Portal. These restrictions don’t end on the UGC creation page either, as EA explains that REDSEC-only players will not be able to create or play any content using Battlefield 6 content.
Battlefield REDSEC isn’t just a Battle Royale mode – it’s a completely different beast. This three-pillar standalone experience will evolve as seasonal updates roll out, and if the weeks after Battlefield 6’s launch go by quickly, it’s likely to change quickly as community feedback comes in.
Battlefield 6 launches on October 10 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X | S has proven to be the right moment for the series, but the real test of its potential begins in REDSEC and Season 1. While we wait to see how EA and BF Studios plan to maintain the next major addition to the Battlefield universe, you can read about all the changes introduced in Season 1. You can also learn how Engineer players are putting their repair tools to good apply, as well as the mode’s skin multiplayer game that ignited the community.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer at IGN. He is best known for his work on sites such as The Pitch, The Escapist and OnlySP. Be sure to follow him on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
