Battlefield 6 Winter Offensive is another huge update - here's what's new
Two months on from launch and Battlefield 6 appears to be going strong with over 140,000 Steam players still logging in daily and likely thousands more on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. That's in part down to the excellent state the game launched in, but developer Battlefield Studios has been keeping the flame alight with a constant drip-feed of new content with another huge drop happening today, December 9.
The Winter Offensive update is set to bring a bunch of welcome changes to Battlefield 6 and its RedSec Battle Royale, including a new limited-time map and mode, a new melee weapon and a bunch of minor tweaks to gameplay. There's also a brand new Battle Pass track to progress for those inclined to earn some seasonal rewards.
Available to download right now, the changes will come into effect at 4PM GMT for UK folks. If you're able, it's worth getting the 10.2 GB download on the go now so it's ready to go after work.
Here are all the major changes arriving in this Winter Offensive 1.1.3.0 patch for Battlefield 6.
New Winter Offensive Content• New Time-Limited Map: Ice Lock Empire State. A winter-shrouded version of Empire State featuring frozen streets and seasonal environmental visuals.
• New Time-Limited Multiplayer and Gauntlet Mode: A themed event mode playable across Domination, Conquest, and Gauntlet mission variations on Ice Lock Empire State featuring the event-limited "Freeze" mechanic.
• New Melee Weapon: the Ice Climbing Axe. Unlocked through the Winter Offensive Bonus Path.
• Portal updates: Ice Lock Empire State is available for use in supported Portal experiences during the event window.
• Battle Pass: Winter Offensive Bonus Path: an 11-tier, time-limited reward track featuring event cosmetics, XP Boosters, and the Ice Climbing Axe.
Major gameplay tweaks for update 1.1.3.0• Improved hit registration across situations that previously felt unreliable, including quick aim adjustments, firing before a zoom completes, and close-quarters fights with many players.
• Enhanced close-range soldier visibility, with stronger character highlights and improved prone animations to help soldiers stand out more clearly in low-contrast or visually busy areas.
• Refined weapon handling for more consistent accuracy, addressing issues with first-shot behaviour, recoil interaction, and attachment alignment so weapons feel more stable and predictable during firefights.
• Improved reliability across several core gadgets, including updates to the LWCMS Portable Mortar, Supply Pouch, Smoke Cover, and traversal tools to ensure they behave consistently and provide clearer feedback.
• Strengthened vehicle clarity and interaction, fixing issues around damage zones, HUD overlaps, seat reticules, and camera behaviour to make vehicle play more stable for both drivers and passengers.
• Updated Breakthrough and Rush layouts on multiple maps to improve attacker-defender balance, smooth out sector flow, and adjust vehicle distribution based on match outcome data and player feedback.
• Delivered a broad audio pass improving combat readability, including clearer footsteps and movement cues, more reliable armour-break feedback, and tuning across several high-priority gameplay sounds.