EA, the folks behind Battlefield 6, just dropped the official scoop on when gamers can start pre-loading this shooter. It's been four long years since the last mainline game, and Battlefield 6 hits PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on October 10. If you've already grabbed a pre-order on your platform, you'll be able to download the files starting October 3.

Back in 2021, Battlefield 2042 came out swinging but ended up getting slammed by players, even if critics were a bit kinder. It turned into one of the series' biggest disappointments. So, Battlefield fans have been hanging in there, hoping EA and DICE could bounce back strong. Looks like they did—heading back to the drawing board to deliver what could be the franchise's top entry so far. Last month's open beta weekends got rave reviews from testers, and it even smashed records as the biggest playtest in Battlefield history, beating out Call of Duty's peak players on Steam.

On the downside, that super-hyped Battle Royale mode in Battlefield 6 probably won't be part of next week's pre-load. Word on the street from a recent leak says it might skip launch altogether. But here's the upside: a trusted source in the industry says EA and DICE have it lined up for October 28. That means just under three weeks of waiting before you dive in. While nothing's confirmed yet, buzz points to it being free-to-play, much like Fortnite or Call of Duty: Warzone.

Battlefield 6 Pre-Load Begins October 3

With Battlefield 6's launch just under two weeks out, plenty of excited players have been itching to know when they can pre-load on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, or PC. It's all set for Friday, October 3, kicking off at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET / 4 PM BST—spotted first by a sharp-eyed Redditor. This goes for anyone who's snagged the Standard Edition or Phantom Edition pre-order. Once loaded, you'll be ready to roll the second it drops on October 10.

Now that the pre-load timing is locked in, it's smart to check your storage setup. Unlike some massive AAA games, Battlefield 6 clocks in at 55 to 80 GB. The exact size depends on your picks, since EA's borrowing a page from Call of Duty and letting you select what to install. Say you're skipping the single-player campaign? Just ditch it and stick to multiplayer to save space.