There's been plenty of debate about the Open and Closed Weapons modes in Battlefield 6, and if you're a newcomer to the series, you may be wondering what all the fuss is about. The discourse surrounding this topic has good arguments from both sides, you might find yourself torn between the two options.
Players will still get the full Battlefield 6 experience regardless of what playlist type they choose, but whether your choose Closed or Open Weapons might still have an effect on your overall enjoyment. Here, we'll be making arguments for both sides to help newer players find out which playlist suits them more.
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Battlefield 6: Open vs Closed Weapons Playlists
Traditionally, weapon availability in Battlefield games was restricted on a per-class basis. Sniper rifles were exclusive to the Recon class, LMGs were exclusive to the Support class, and so on. However, since the release of Battlefield 2042, the developers have opted for an Open Weapons system where everyone could use any gun they wanted. So, to put things simply, if you want a traditional Battlefield experience, stick to the Closed Weapons playlists.
There are no upsides or downsides to joining one playlist or the other (apart from the weapon restrictions themselves, obviously). You'll earn the same amount of XP and play the same game regardless of your choice.
Should You Play Open Weapons in Battlefield 6?
The class system in Battlefield 6 is similar to the previous game where all guns are free for everyone to use. Instead of having a limited weapon selection, players are instead incentivized to use their class' Signature Weapons. You'll get extra benefits if you use the weapon that's meant for your class, which are as follows:
- Assault: Faster swap speed and sprint-to-fire transitions with Assault Rifles
- Engineer: Better Hipfire Accuracy with SMGs
- Support: No movement speed penalty when using LMGs
- Recon: You can hold your breath for longer and rechamber Sniper Rifles more quickly.
Of course, the main benefit of the Open Weapons playlists is the ability for anyone to use any weapon they want regardless of class choice. This can lead to some interesting loadouts and playstyles, such as Assaults wielding an AR and a Sniper Rifle with their Tactical Sling, or Recons with SMGs supported by their detection tools for close-ranged supremacy.
Class identity is still retained in the Open Weapons playlists, and players should still feel like their playing as or against a specific class while playing here. However, the weaknesses of each class are a lot diluted in Open Weapons games — for example, sneaking up on a sniping Assault player is a lot less advantageous, as the Assault player could be packing a strong close-ranged weapon for emergencies.
There are also arguments to be made against potentially overpowered loadouts where players only use the best weapons in BF6, such as Sniper Supports with infinite ammo, and AR-wielding Engineers who are a little too versatile at dealing with both infantry and armor.
Should You Play Closed Weapons in Battlefield 6?
Closed Weapons playlists make the game feel more like Battlefield 4, where each class has access to their Signature Weapons as well as a universal selection of guns, which includes Carbines, Shotguns, and DMRs. It's easier to tell what class a player is using based on what weapon they have, and this can let you know how to more effectively deal with them.
This system has worked perfectly fine for previous Battlefield games, and if you're looking for a traditional experience, then this is the way to go. The only true downside here is that you won't be able to level up weapons that aren't available to the class you want to play.
Battlefield 6
- Released
- October 10, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, In-App Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Battlefield Studios
- Publisher(s)
- EA
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- All platforms
- Cross Save
- Via EA Account
- Franchise
- Battlefield
- Number of Players
- Single-player
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unsupported
- PC Release Date
- October 10, 2025
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- October 10, 2025
- PS5 Release Date
- October 10, 2025
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
