Battlefield 6 Closed Beta Brings Back Server Browser and Player-Owned Servers

Battlefield Studios has confirmed that the upcoming Battlefield 6 closed beta will put a spotlight on one of the community’s most-requested features: a server browser. Accessible through Battlefield Portal, this long-awaited tool will allow players to find and host custom matches, complete with tags, descriptions, and pre-set shortcodes for quick access.

While still experimental, it’s the clearest step yet toward giving fans back the control they’ve been asking for since the controversial launch of Battlefield 2042.

These beta sessions will take place under Battlefield Labs, EA’s private testing environment where unfinished content and ideas are trialed. The studio has made it clear that much of what players will see is still in alpha form and may be unstable, but that’s part of the process: rapid testing and feedback designed to shape the game’s final direction alongside its community.

Beyond the server browser, Labs will introduce player-owned servers, allowing hosts to configure their own lobbies by altering map rotations, descriptions, and rule tags. EA notes that this will be the first public look at the Portal user interface, with a focus on accessibility and usability feedback. Whether this system ends up becoming the backbone of Battlefield 6’s multiplayer experience will depend heavily on how players respond during these sessions.

Two new maps are also entering the fray: Operation Firestorm and Mirak Valley. Both are designed to showcase Battlefield’s trademark vehicle warfare, complete with tanks, quad bikes, and aircraft dominating sprawling landscapes. Early impressions suggest these maps bring back the combined-arms chaos fans have missed in recent years.

The closed beta will run in the lead-up to Battlefield 6’s full launch on October 7, and EA has promised a “wave of content” across both Battlefield 2042 and Battlefield 6 during this period. That includes a free pass celebrating the franchise’s legacy, a remastered Iwo Jima map, and dozens of unlockable cross-rewards – 20 of which will carry directly into Battlefield 6 on day one. Major adjustments to movement, player counts, and modes are also expected at launch.

For now, all eyes are on the server browser and the return of community-driven experiences. It’s not the polished final product yet, but it’s a signal that Battlefield might finally be steering back toward its roots.