The China Mail - Heavyweight shooter 'Battlefield 6' to appear in October

A longtime rival to the dominant "Call of Duty" series, the latest "Battlefield" instalment's story and game modes were unveiled at closed-door events for journalists and influencers in Paris, London and Los Angeles.

Boasting hyper-realistic graphics and completely destructible environments, the new game drops players onto the front lines in a world where the United States is at war with a private militia supported by countries that have quit NATO.

"Battlefield 6" is set for release on PC, Xbox Series and PlayStation 5 after development by studios worldwide, including Sweden's Dice, the outfit that crafted the series's beloved first episode launched in 2002.

EA claims more than 100 million players globally since the first appearance for the series, which has a well-worn formula.

Two large teams of players battle across a miles-wide zone that might be ripped from the pages of history or completely fictitious.

The dozens of teammates can fight on foot or pilot tanks and jets, with the gameplay rewarding coordinated efforts to capture objectives and wipe out the enemy.

"Battlefield" had even made forays into the future, with the most recent instalment, "Battlefield 2042", taking place 20 years ahead of its 2021 release date -- although the latest episode has its feet firmly planted in present-day conflict.

Electronic Arts does not reveal official sales figures, but has acknowledged that "2042" did not perform as well as expected.

Its bosses will be hoping a return to the contemporary world of the third and fourth games released in the early 2010s will revive flagging sales.

The new release will go head-to-head in autumn with "Call of Duty: Black Ops 7", one of a long-rolling string of games in the franchise from Activision Blizzard, whose release date has yet to be revealed.

While dubbed "Battlefield 6", the new EA game is in fact the 10th in the series, which also includes several spin-off titles.

Q.Moore--ThChM