Battlefield 6 Reveals Patch Notes for Upcoming January 20 Update

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EA and Battlefield Studios have announced details for an update to Battlefield 6 coming out on January 20, 2026. The update is designed to enhance the player experience and recapture the positive feeling many had when the game first launched. Battlefield 6 had a strong start, with popular beta tests suggesting a return to the franchise’s roots. However, player excitement dipped during the first season, and EA and Battlefield Studios are working to bring that initial enthusiasm back.

Okay, so Season 1 of Battlefield 6 has been… a bit of a rollercoaster, honestly. They launched that new RedSec mode – their take on Battle Royale – and while it’s cool, it hasn’t exactly taken the world by storm. Plus, the main game itself had a lot of issues, and people weren’t thrilled with some of the rewards and how the AI worked. It’s gotten to the point where the player numbers are really worrying. But the team at DICE and the other studios are determined to fix things, and they’re hoping this first update of 2026 will be the start of a big turnaround. I’m really hoping they can pull it off!

Although the release of Battlefield 6 Season 2 has been delayed, the development team is planning to roll out improvements and bug fixes much sooner. The first update arrives on January 20th, and Battlefield Studios describes it as a focused set of changes designed to refine and improve the overall experience. While not a huge update, dedicated fans should find some positive changes in the patch notes.

Many players have criticized the user interface (UI) and heads-up display (HUD) in Battlefield 6, noting the main menu’s layout resembles streaming services like Netflix or Hulu. Battlefield Studios is addressing these concerns with this update, making improvements to how players navigate menus, see their aiming reticle, and track armor. Players can now also personalize the color of their aiming reticle when using weapon or gadget scopes.

We’ve made several adjustments to improve game balance. Jet cannon damage against other aircraft has been reduced by 40%. We also focused on melee combat based on player feedback. The knife attack speed is now faster, and both knife and sledgehammer attacks feel more responsive. We’ve also changed how sprinting works during melee attacks – you’ll only be briefly interrupted before being able to move again. Finally, vehicles will no longer explode when a player performs a takedown on someone lying on top of them.

Image via EA

Several improvements were made to the assault ladders in Battlefield 6. Player animations while using the ladders have been smoothed out, and issues causing players to be unexpectedly launched have been resolved. Additionally, players can now properly interact with ladders positioned directly above them.

Image via EA

EA has brought on Julian Gerighty, formerly the head of the Tom Clancy’s The Division franchise at Ubisoft, to help improve the Battlefield series. Gerighty announced his departure from Massive Entertainment, expressing confidence in the team he’s leaving behind. He’s now joined DICE, another studio in Sweden. While it’s unlikely he’ll impact the current Season 2 content, players can probably expect to see his influence on future Battlefield games and the franchise overall.

Battlefield 6 Update 1.1.3.5 Patch Notes

Major Updates for 1.1.3.5

  • Improved responsiveness, consistency, and sprint behavior for melee attacks, including knives and the sledgehammer.
  • Updated jet combat balance by reducing jet cannon effectiveness against other air vehicles.
  • Updated and refined the UI and HUD across Multiplayer and REDSEC, improving armor bar visibility, reticle presentation, and menu navigation.

CHANGELOG

VEHICLES:

  • Fixed an issue where vehicles could explode when a takedown was performed on an enemy soldier lying on top of them.
  • Reduced jet cannon damage against other jets and helicopters, requiring approximately 40% more hits to destroy enemy air targets.

WEAPONS:

  • Bipod attachments no longer display as always providing a hipfire accuracy bonus, as this bonus only applies while the bipod is deployed.
  • Fixed an issue where the GRIM 1.50x optic on the DB-12 cost fewer loadout points than intended (15 instead of 25).
  • Fixed an issue where the RPKM iron sights would shoot low when using the short barrel.
  • Fixed an issue where the TR-7 Light Barrel incorrectly improved muzzle velocity.
  • Fixed bipod mount input behaviour for Alternate, Lefty Alternate, Southpaw, and Legacy Southpaw presets so the bipod mount now follows the melee button.
  • Improved attack speed for knife melee attacks.
  • Improved buffering behaviour for knife and sledgehammer attacks.
  • Improved consistency of melee damage timing against enemies and the environment.
  • Improved consistency of recoil modifiers when using a controller across different weapons.
  • Improved how sprint is interrupted when performing melee attacks. Sprint is now only interrupted until the attack reaches its target, rather than for the full duration of the animation.
  • In the Firing Range, target dummies can now take damage while in the process of getting back up.
  • Shooting with a suppressor now emits a small muzzle flash when viewed from close range only.

GADGETS:

  • Fixed an issue where the GDPIS was not destroyed when targeted by the XFGM-6D Recon Drone, Defibrillators, or the Repair Tool.
  • Fixed an issue where the Sniper Decoy did not properly hide scope glints from nearby snipers.

Assault Ladder

  • Fixed an issue where ladders positioned above the player could not be entered.
  • Fixed an issue where soldiers could be launched unexpectedly when attempting to enter a ladder.
  • Improved the soldier animations while climbing ladders.

UI & HUD:

  • Added a new option allowing players to customize the reticle colour inside weapon and gadget scopes.
  • Fixed an issue where home screen focus navigation could become locked to the bulletin.
  • Fixed cases where weapon menus displayed incorrect Reload Time stats for LMGs.
  • Soldier lightning improvements to the front-end
  • Improved front-end lighting to enhance the visual quality of soldier characters.
  • The Reticle Colour option now correctly updates reticle colours for Thermal Scopes and other supported gadgets.

VFX & Video:

  • Adjusted explosion particle effects by lowering the shockwave force.

REDSEC

WEAPONS:

  • Fixed an issue where jump landing movement speed reduction behaved inconsistently in REDSEC compared to other multiplayer experiences.

MAP & MODES:

  • Fixed an edge case in Gauntlet mode “Data Extraction” where the drone could disappear permanently if drives were deposited at the exact moment it landed.

UI & HUD:

Battle Royale

  • Fixed an issue where the armor bar could disappear intermittently.
  • Fixed an issue where the Airburst Incendiary Launcher icon appeared as a grenade in the loot feed.

Gauntlet

  • Fixed an issue where the armor bar could disappear after quickly editing a loadout.

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2026-01-17 01:18