Battlefield Labs PS5 Pre-Alpha Touts 60fps, Weaker Aim Assist Compared to COD, M&K Allegedly Works
[summaraize]
Two weeks ago, we reported that the Battlefield Labs playtest kicking off in Asia was set to be held on the PS5. While we’ve seen gameplay from the initial playtest surface, more details from players are surfacing, and so far, they’re mostly good news.
Before diving in, remember that all the details you’re about to read are from a pre-alpha build of the new Battlefield game, and there is a very high possibility that a lot of these could change from now until it’s out of the private playtest. There is a reason DICE is holding these tests private, and it’s so people don’t jump to conclusions.
That said, the early info shared is good to know which direction DICE is leaning on when designing the new Battlefield game.
Battlefield Labs PS5 Pre-Alpha Gameplay Info Confirms Framerate and More
Members of the community have shared a ton of info about BF Labs running on PS5 (brought to our attention by content creator rivalxfactor). For starters, the PS5 version will be able to run at a smooth 60 frames-per-second if in Performance mode, which confirms there will be multiple graphical modes for the game based on the client. While 60fps might not be a big deal for some games, Battlefield features 64 players in a match, and add in the vehicles, distractibility and whatnot, that adds to the performance strain.
We’ve split the early info into an easy-to-digest list broken into sections. For some of the missing features, DICE would very well include it in future updates to the BF Labs client, so don’t take everything you read as the final version of what we’ll be playing when the latest Battlefield game is released.
Controller and Technical:
- 60fps framerate confirmed via Performance mode (BF Labs client)
- No Tactical Sprint option
- No option to gyro aim
- DualSense trigger support is said to be “good”
- Rotational aim assist and aim slowdown are in the client but very weak — weaker to COD and even Apex Legends.
- Mouse and keyboard are supported on PS5. (However, one X poster said it is bugged with only one working, so we’re unsure whether DICE will implement this at launch)
Gameplay:
- Assault can equip two primary weapons one of their gadgets slots, which means players can spawn in with an assault rifle, a handgun AND shotgun/submachine gun/sniper/second assault rifle. This could be a bug, so don’t overreact yet
- Assault is the only class that gets access to all eight throwable types, while other classes only get 3-4 (again, could be a bug or something that will most likely change out of pre-alpha testing)
- “Field Specs” are returning, which we’ve mentioned previously. There are fou l;levels to each Field Spec, with the final level shared between Field Specs in a role. It functions similarly as an “ultimate” ability or kilstreak, giving players a one-time use, or a short duration where it’s in effect
- Expect RPG and grenade spam (which is par for the course in Battlefield games)
- Players who are sprinting have to stop before they can aim down sights (ADS), you cannot bring your gun up while in sprint to end the sprint
- Players can freely drag teammates around into cover when reviving
- Recoil is in a good spot as it’s mentioned that large caliber rifles have pronounced recoil, and players shouldn’t expect to hit targets past 30 meters if they are holding the fire button or going full automatic fire
- As part of the haptics implementation, players will need to hold the grenade button down to lob it full distance. If it’s pressed, it will only be released as if the player tossed it lightly out
- Engineers are said to be able to carry two rocket launchers. This means players can equip an RPG in one slot, and another anti-vehicle missile launcher in another slot (will most likely be changed if we had to make a guess)
- There are three types of mines: pressure, proximity and a “Bouncing Betty”-type like in COD.
Perhaps the most important part, one community member shared that not locking weapons to specific classes “doesn’t seem like a huge deal.” They add, “it makes playing support roles a lot more fun imo. No more being locked into SMGs just because you want to repair vehicles.” This is very good news, and should quell some of the outrage from the community that a developer from DICE even had to make an announcement about it on the private Discord.
What’s out there sounds good, right? Thankfully, we won’t have to wait long, as EA will officially unveil the game this summer.
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