The Battlefield 6 hype train might be building steam with the game’s leaks coming like the bullet train, but one of the franchise’s main figures just tapped the brakes and not gently, either, with a couple of poor words toward the upcoming Battlefield title.
David Goldfarb, a name that holds a lot behind the Battlefield community, had a few things to say about the recently leaked Battlefield 6 gameplay footage, and it wasn’t a glowing review. For those unfamiliar, Goldfarb played its part as lead designer and writer on Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and Battlefield 3—two titles that arguably represent the series at its best. So when such an influential person gives a statement, the audience tends to listen with wide-open ears.
A Little Nostalgia at First… Then a Lot of Criticism
Goldfarb initially had a flash of good old memories from a decade ago when he watched the leaked gameplay with positive feedback. In a tweet, he wrote:
oh the BC2 vibes this is giving me, having flashbacks to the first time we playtested Arida Harbor https://t.co/M5Kyf21vFA
— David Goldfarb (@locust9) May 20, 2025
That brief happy-and-exciting moment, though, quickly gave way to criticism. In the tweet, Goldfarb got brutally honest towards the movement and character design:
movement looks a little weird to me tho and i cannot say i like the char design which seems very generic
— David Goldfarb (@locust9) May 20, 2025
Ouch.
This matters not just because of who’s saying it, but also because it strikes at the core of what DICE has been promising in recent updates. Movement is one of the pillars of gameplay mechanics the developers have been publicly polishing—they talk up improvements involving crouch sprinting and combat rolling in their May 2025 development update. The leaked clip shows these features, but if a series veteran finds it “weird,” that’s a red flag.
Regarding the character design, Goldfarb’s words with the “generic” comment cut even deeper. Battlefield 2042’s Specialist system had a major backlash, and DICE after that event claimed to stick back to the typical class-based format. But Goldfarb’s take suggests the company might have crossed the line in the other direction—removing personality to avoid controversy and ending up with forgettable, flavorless avatars.
According to some fans, the leaked media is likely from Battlefield Labs, so it’s pre-release material not intended for public consumption. Fair point, but considering EA has plans to release Battlefield 6 in the first quarter of 2026, these systems are likely nearing final form. That means any flaws spotted now such as movement quirks, generic design choices are more than just placeholders. They might reflect the foundation the game is being built on.
Fans Truly Long for the Bad Company Days
What’s interesting is how much this leak has rekindled love for Bad Company 2, the very game Goldfarb helped to make a success. The destruction level shown in the BF6 footage reminded fans of the glory days when buildings not only took damage but even got obliterated. That “blow it all up” energy is something longtime players think the franchise has been missing for long.
BC2 destruction blew my mind. Then got ramped up with 3/4
— Trix (@RumbleEanna) May 21, 2025
Others didn’t pull any punches about what they want:
This should be BC3, not BF6. Half Life 3 will get released before we ever get BC3.
— holden4ever (@holden4ever) May 20, 2025
Goldfarb, blunt as ever, responded:
yeah they def ain’t makin that
— David Goldfarb (@locust9) May 21, 2025
It’s a sobering reminder that, no matter how loud the nostalgia gets, EA wants to push the main Battlefield series forward, not reviving the cult-favorite Bad Company brand.
Is Battlefield 6 on the Right Track?
It’s a tough call. On one hand, the environmental destruction shown in the leaked footage is a great return to form something fans and critics have been begging for since Battlefield 4. On the other end, concerns about stiff movement, lifeless persona design, and franchise fatigue are very real.
Goldfarb’s verdict is a mixed bag and coming from someone who helped the Battlefield franchise witness its time of life, that’s not something to ignore.
If DICE wants Battlefield 6 to win back its original fanbase and maybe even have a few new scorers, it’ll need more than impressive destruction. It’ll need soul. Style. And the right gameplay. As we’ve seen time and again, flashy trailers and pre-launch promises only go so far.
