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'Battlefield 6' will be available for last-gen game consoles

You'll benefit from a PS5 or Xbox Series X, but you won't need one.

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You won't have to spring for a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X/S to play the next Battlefield game. According to Eurogamer, EA chief Andrew Wilson told investors that Battlefield 6 (or whatever it may be called) will be available on "both current gen and next-gen" consoles. The new title will be focused on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, but you won't need one of the newer systems to play.

The future release will take advantage of more recent hardware to improve physics, AI and the "immersive nature," Wilson said.

EA and DICE have teased a reveal for the upcoming Battlefield in June, although it wouldn't be surprising if there's a fuller launch at the EA Play Live virtual event on July 22nd.

The decision to maintain legacy support isn't completely surprising. The PS5 and new Xbox models are still young, and ongoing shortages have further limited the number of systems in gamers' living rooms. There were just 7.8 million PS5s sold as of the end of March, for example, versus over 115.2 million PS4s as of the end of 2020. EA risks missing out on millions of sales if it limits important game franchises to newer consoles, and the situation is unlikely to improve by the time the new Battlefield is available.