Battlefield 6: Redsec Elite Series launches as eSports blockbuster with a $1 million prize pool, update 1.1.2.0 live
It almost seems as if Electronic Arts wants to prove via its latest shooter spin-off that it has what it takes to become an e-sports giant, having just announced the Battlefield Redsec Elite Series. The competition will kick off on December 10, 2025. The goal is to bring more competitive depth to the series and provide a stage for the community. To ensure that this doesn't remain empty PR rhetoric, the publisher is offering a massive prize pool. A total of over $1 million will be distributed across three regional finals.
The format sounds exciting and deviates from the usual fare. Fifty squads will compete in each of the Americas, EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa), and APAC (Asia-Pacific) regions. The competition will begin with six matches in Redsec Battle Royale mode. The eight best teams will advance to a final showdown, which will be played in Gauntlet mode. This is a merciless knockout format designed to separate the wheat from the chaff. Executive Producer Christian Grass said that the experience has "true Battlefield DNA" and was developed in collaboration with the community.
Anyone who thinks this is only for the professional elite is mistaken. Alongside the Elite Series, the Open Series kicks off on Friday, December 12. This competition is aimed at all players, regardless of skill level. The barrier to entry is low, as squads can register via the Repeat.gg platform and try to accumulate enough points. According to the developers, those who dominate here can advance to the Elite Series and compete against the best in the world. An important aspect for tech enthusiasts to consider is that all competitions are cross-play and allow cross-input, meaning the combination of mouse/keyboard and controller.
In line with the eSports offensive, update 1.1.2.0 was released on Tuesday. The patch is a big one, introducing a completely new map called "Eastwood", set in Southern California. Variants of this map are now available for all official modes. In Conquest mode, fans can use tanks, helicopters and, believe it or not, golf carts. The latter are now also available in Battlefield Portal's Builder mode.
In addition to the new map, developers have also introduced the limited-time "Sabotage" mode, which focuses on demolition and counterplay. The weapon arsenal has also grown with the introduction of the DB-12 shotgun and the M357 Trait Sidearm secondary weapon for combat. Controller players should note that aim assist has been completely reset to the open beta settings. This should improve aiming at long range.
Despite all the excitement about prize money and new maps, there are also undeniable downsides. The mood in the community is currently rather mixed. Some are complaining loudly that the free spin-off, Redsec, is allegedly receiving preferential treatment compared to the paid main game. While Redsec shines with huge maps and destructible environments, buyers of the full-price title often have to settle for smaller maps and less dynamic elements. According to some community comments, a portion of BF6 players are slowly but surely "fed up". Apparently, some players feel downright "cheated" and suspect that resources are primarily being funneled into the battle royale mode, which is strongly reminiscent of its Call of Duty competitor.
Added to this is the discontent over the aggressive pop-up ads for the Battle Pass in the game menu. The fact that the free-to-play mode, of all things, is now being pushed as the flagship eSports mode with millions of dollars at stake could cause further frowns among regular players who have shelled out $70 or more. Whether patch 1.1.2.0 will really win back the BF6 community remains to be seen in the coming days.
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