Battlefield 6 is finally here, but don’t let the franchise‘s erratic numbering system confuse you; it’s not actually the sixth game. A new entry has arrived almost every year since 2002, but they’re far from being made equal.
From the classics to enormous hits such as Bad Company 2 and Battlefield 3, and flops like Play4Free and 2042, we’re ranking the entire franchise from worst to best, including 2025’s Battlefield 6.
17. Battlefield Play4Free
- Release Date: April 4, 2011
- Developer: Easy Studios
- Platforms: PC
What it’s about: A free-to-play version of Battlefield 2 that could be played on more modest PCs, which never left Open Beta.
What we think: Battlefield Play4Free was a budget Battlefield experience that did what it promised, but with a huge caveat. Yes, it was free-to-play, but it was riddled with pay-to-win microtransactions.
It was essentially Battlefield 2 stripped to a mere shell, where you could pay real money to unlock powerful weapons and attachments, and even just to try out more classes. The only positive is that it allowed anyone with a decent PC to try Battlefield, but that’s it.
16. Battlefield Heroes
- Release Date: June 25, 2009
- Developer: DICE & Easy Studios
- Platforms: PC
What it’s about: This free-to-play Battlefield spin-off used cartoony visuals instead of the series’ photorealistic graphics, with gameplay similar to Team Fortress 2.
What we think: Battlefield Heroes was ahead of its time, essentially being Fortnite before the world was ready for it. This free-to-play third-person shooter was a far cry from anything seen in the Battlefield franchise before. Bright, colorful, cartoony, and full of microtransactions, it was something that, had it been released a decade later, might’ve had a better chance.
Its main downside was that it eventually became a pay-to-win nightmare, where you could spend real money to rent (not even buy!) powerful weapons. Despite this, almost any PC could run it, and it was genuinely fun to play.
15. Battlefield 2042
- Release Date: November 19, 2021
- Developer: DICE
- Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC
What it’s about: This multiplayer-only entry is set in a near-future ravaged by climate collapse and geopolitical fallout.
What we think: Battlefield 2042 was not the only game in the series to suffer a rocky launch, but its problems ran much deeper. Barren, boring maps with way too many players, floaty gunplay, no classes in favor of Specialists, minimal destruction, and not even a Scoreboard at launch… Could go on. Although there was a ton of hype, it just wasn’t fun to play, and no Battlefield game has fallen so short of the mark.
Four years and several game-changing overhauls later, it’s not awful, but it’s not good either. Would it have had as much hate if it had launched in its current state in 2021? Probably not. Would it be ranked among the best Battlefield games? Absolutely not.
14. Battlefield 2: Modern Combat
- Release Date: October 24, 2005
- Developer: DICE
- Platforms: PS2, Xbox, Xbox 360
What it’s about: Battlefield’s first console-only game, it was heavily inspired by Battlefield 2 but much smaller in scale and with its own single-player campaign.
What we think: Battlefield was a PC-only franchise until Battlefield 2: Modern Combat, but this stripped-back version of a better game was beloved by those on consoles who played it, yet did little to capture the mainstream PS2 and Xbox audience.
It was a solid introduction to the franchise for console players, but its worse graphics and smaller matches paled in comparison to its more successful older brothers. But hey, the campaign’s hot-swap mechanic, where you could switch between different soldiers, was cool.
13. Battlefield 1943
- Release Date: July 8, 2009
- Developer: DICE
- Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360
What it’s about: A WWII Battlefield for consoles, this multiplayer-only budget title launched with only a few maps set in the Pacific and no single-player.
What we think: There’s a lot of fun to be had in Battlefield 1943, but unfortunately, it immediately followed Bad Company, a much better game. Like its predecessor, it could only do as much as its hardware allowed, but Bad Company offered a much more complete experience. 1943 launched as a digital multiplayer-only title with just three maps and Conquest.
Still, it only cost $15, was a blast to play, and brought WWII-era Battlefield gameplay to consoles. It has its diehard fans, but this budget title couldn’t live up to more complete offerings.
12. Battlefield Hardline
- Release Date: March 17, 2015
- Developer: Visceral Games
- Platforms: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC
What it’s about: Developed by Visceral Games instead of DICE, Hardline featured cops vs robbers instead of the traditional military theme.
What we think: Battlefield Hardline is a bit of an anomaly in this list. Following the success of Battlefield 4, it did something completely different by ditching large-scale military warfare and opting for a cops and robbers theme.
Trading tanks and fighter jets for police cars and sedans, it focused more on infantry combat. Gunplay was strong, and some of the new modes were really fun, but didn’t feel like a true Battlefield game.
While it was decent, it wasn’t something that dedicated Battlefield players wanted, and would’ve been better as an expansion pack or even a spin-off franchise, rather than a mainline title.
11. Battlefield V
- Release Date: September 4, 2018
- Developer: DICE
- Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
What it’s about: Bringing Battlefield back to the Second World War, BFV focused on the lesser-known conflicts like Norway and Greece
What we think: It was always going to be hard to follow Battlefield 1, and unfortunately, Battlefield V couldn’t quite live up to it (confusing naming convention aside). While Battlefield 1 nailed the atmosphere, Battlefield V often didn’t even feel like a WWII game. Focusing on the overlooked fronts didn’t bring the Spielberg-esque atmosphere many hoped for.
Combine that with a buggy launch that had poor hit-reg and game-breaking issues, and it was just a bit of a let-down. However, it only improved as time went on, and the Pacific DLC that launched towards the end of its lifecycle was stellar, resulting in a strong final product.
10. Battlefield 2142
- Release Date: October 17, 2006
- Developer: DICE
- Platforms: PC
What it’s about: Set in the year 2142, the Earth is in a new ice age, and a world war rages between the European Union and the Pan-Asian Coalition.
What we think: Since it was released less than a year after Battlefield 2, the gameplay is very similar, but the setting couldn’t be further away. Set in the future, it had mechs, hovercrafts, and other contemporary sci-fi tech.
While it has a cult following, it didn’t feel like as complete an experience as Battlefield 2, with forgettable maps. Its saving grace was the Titan mode, where the teams are tasked with destroying each other’s huge, airborne carriers. Despite some jank, it was a great mode and a reason to keep playing 2142.
9. Battlefield Vietnam
- Release Date: March 15, 2004
- Developer: DICE
- Platforms: PC
What it’s about: A follow-up to Battlefield 1942, it trades WWII for the jungles, rice paddies, and urban areas of the Vietnam War’s most famous battles.
What we think: Battlefield Vietnam is a lot like 1942, but it didn’t quite live up to its predecessor. Although a very solid game with little to fault, it just didn’t bring that sense of awe that the first game, or even Bad Company 2’s later Vietnam expansion, did.
Still, it was very fun, and the audio department absolutely nailed it. Not only were explosions and gunshots booming, but the soundtrack was stellar. Blasting iconic music from the best Vietnam movies, like Fortunate Son, Surfin’ Bird, and Ride of the Valkyries was simply awesome.
8. Battlefield: Bad Company
- Release Date: June 23, 2008
- Developer: DICE
- Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360
What it’s about: The U.S. is at war with Russia, and B-Company, a ragtag group of American soldiers, goes rogue to steal mercenary gold.
What we think: Although it’s not the first Battlefield game to come to console, it’s the one that brought it to the mainstream. This console-only entry did what every previous entry failed to do – create a genuinely good single-player. With a lighter tone than Call of Duty, but all the cinematic destruction you could ask for in huge, explorable areas, Bad Company’s exploits were the perfect appetizer to its stellar multiplayer.
Although it didn’t have the huge 64-player battles that PC entries before it had, its maps were perfectly designed for 24 players, keeping the action focused, chaotic, and extremely fun. It also introduced Gold Rush, later called ‘Rush,’ an inspired attacker and defender mode that’s become a series staple.
7. Battlefield 1942
- Release Date: September 10, 2002
- Developer: DICE
- Platforms: PC
What it’s about: This multiplayer-only game brought large-scale infantry and vehicle combat to iconic battles from the Second World War.
What we think: The game that started it all, Battlefield 1942 is the first-ever Battlefield game, and it raised the bar forever. Although outdated now, it’s hard to overstate its impact at the time. Back in the early 2000s, most large-scale WWII games were RTS, but 1942 arrived with huge battles across Europe and Japan’s most famous conflicts.
Despite a forgettable single-player, an online first-person shooter against 63 other players with tanks and planes you could drive and fly turned dreams into reality. And not only was it a revolutionary idea, but they stuck the landing, making an excellent multiplayer game.
6. Battlefield 4
- Release Date: October 19, 2013
- Developer: DICE
- Platforms: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC
What it’s about: Set in the 2020s, six years after Battlefield 3, it takes place during a world war between the U.S., China, and Russia.
What we think: Although Battlefield 4’s maps, atmosphere, and single-player fall short of the entries above it, it’s still a fantastic game. The gunplay and vehicles felt great, the map-altering Levolution was fantastic, and it kept that balance between infantry and vehicle combat that made BF3 so good. It was also the first game to bring 64-player lobbies to console, making for epic, large-scale warfare.
Sure, it wasn’t as revolutionary as Battlefield 3, and it had an extremely rough launch, but its clean graphics and strong gunplay allow it to hold up incredibly well today.
5. Battlefield 2
- Release Date: June 21, 2005
- Developer: DICE
- Platforms: PC
What it’s about: This multiplayer-only title had players battle in a near-future conflict between the U.S., China, and the fictional Middle Eastern Coalition.
What we think: Battlefield 2 was a major step forward, both in setting and gameplay. While the first two Battlefield games dealt with the Second World War, BF2 went to the near-future. Taking everything that made 1942 and Vietnam great and building on it, it became not just the blueprint for Battlefield going forward, but large-scale multiplayer shooters as a whole.
It had all-time great maps and a wide variety of vehicles and weapons, but its changes to the squad system really cemented its status as a game-changer. Smaller squads allowed for more tactical gameplay, and squad leaders who could issue orders and act as a mobile spawn point became a franchise staple.
Although it looks pretty dated now, it was another huge step forward for the franchise, and is actually the highest-rated Battlefield game on Metacritic.
4. Battlefield 1
- Release Date: October 21, 2016
- Developer: DICE
- Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
What it’s about: Taking the franchise to the First World War for the first time ever, it focused on conflicts around Europe and Africa.
What we think: Battlefield 1 has the best atmosphere of any first-person shooter. From the muddy trenches to the stunning Italian mountaintops, everything about it is immersive. Graphics, sound design, art direction, and soundtrack come together in perfect harmony to create a true work of art.
It quickly dispelled any misgivings about its World War 1 setting – a more rudimentary time period rarely seen in big-budget games – by cranking everything up to 11 with cinematic chaos. Nothing has come close to the feeling of charging the enemy frontline on horseback as a zeppelin crash-lands in the distance.
Although its gameplay was shallower than previous entries, with fewer customization options and more casual gunplay, it’s one of the most enjoyable Battlefield games, and it’s all down to its exceptional atmosphere.
3. Battlefield 6
- Release Date: October 10, 2025
- Developer: DICE
- Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
What it’s about: Set in 2027, NATO is on the brink of collapse as it battles with private military company, Pax Armata, which is seeking to reshape global power.
What we think: Following the ultra-disappointing Battlefield 2042, Battlefield 6 put the series back on track. A return to the franchise’s roots, it brings the tight gunplay, epic destruction, strong balance between vehicle and infantry combat, and class system that made players fall in love with Battlefield in the first place. Its modern setting allows for a wide variety of weapons, vehicles, and customization, echoing the ‘golden age’ between Bad Company 2 and BF4.
While the exciting campaign could have been longer and interface improvements are needed at launch, this is the revival the franchise desperately needed.
You can check out our full Battlefield 6 review for more.
2. Battlefield 3
- Release Date: October 25, 2011
- Developer: DICE
- Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, PC
What it’s about: Set in 2014, the U.S. is at war with Russia and a fictional Iranian faction, and the campaign and the multiplayer take you to the resulting conflicts in the Middle East.
What we think: Battlefield 3 is the quintessential modern Battlefield game. Fantastic maps, great gunplay, and a wide variety of vehicles make it the title all future games would be compared to.
With customizable weapons, well-defined classes, and a fantastic balance between infantry and vehicles, it’s often considered the franchise’s peak. It has the best map lineup of the franchise, with Caspian Border returning in BF4 and Operation Firestorm returning in Battlefield 6.
Had the campaign been better and the destrucion as impressive as Bad Company 2, it may have been number one.
1. Battlefield: Bad Company 2
- Release Date: March 2, 2010
- Developer: DICE
- Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, PC
What it’s about: The U.S. is still at war with Russia, and B-Company is back, attempting to put a stop to a mysterious super-weapon.
What we think: Bad Company 2 is the rare Battlefield game with not only near-perfect multiplayer, but a fantastic campaign
With stunning locations, cinematic action, and a squad of genuinely memorable characters, it boasts the best Battlefield campaign. However, it’s the multiplayer that sticks in most players’ minds – and for good reason. Although scaled back to work on both consoles and PC, it never sacrificed quality. Although the maps were smaller, they were tailored for specific modes like Rush, and it worked incredibly well.
It was the first game to really go all-in on the destruction elements, and it’s still arguably the best in the franchise, perfectly capturing the chaotic fun Battlefield is known for. Combine that with excellent gunplay, squad mechanics, plus the stellar Vietnam DLC, and you have not only the best Battlefield game, but one of the best shooters ever.
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