Battlefield 6’s “No Preorders” Campaign From Fans Has Already Failed

When Battlefield 6 was officially revealed, fans of the franchise began to echo a familiar rallying cry: “Remember, no preorders.” If you’re unaware of the meaning, this phrase may not seem like anything special. However, it is actually borrowed from the infamous “No Russian” mission in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009), and it has become pretty much a meme within the Battlefield community. It may be partly a joke, but it also carries a very real frustration: Battlefield launches are notorious for being buggy, broken, and often unplayable in their first months.

And so an initiative was launched. “Remember, no preorders” was meant to be a movement that persuaded those interested in the franchise’s future to hold off on spending money on the next entry without proof of improvement. So when Battlefield 6 was announced, players were quick to remind each other not to get caught up in the hype. The idea was simple: wait until reviews came out, whether official or via word of mouth, before committing cash. But as the game’s beta arrived and general excitement skyrocketed, it quickly became clear that the so-called “no preorders” campaign was never going to hold. The movement has already collapsed, and Battlefield 6 is racking up hype at a pace that suggests a stellar upcoming launch.

“No Preorders” Hasn’t Hurt Battlefield 6

The evidence is staggering that Battlefield 6 will not suffer from the fan-led attempt to slow its growth. Reported preorder numbers circulating online have been exaggerated or outright false, but there are more reliable signs showing just how much excitement the game is generating.

For one, game-related boycotts have a well-documented history of backfiring. Their goal is to prevent a product from gaining momentum via collective action, the idea that if enough consumers refuse to purchase a product, it will directly impact its bottom line. However, these boycotts often fail because individual incentives rarely align with the group’s goals, creating a classic collective action problem. This is exactly what has occurred with Battlefield 6 when its beta was made available to the masses.

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A clearer indicator is Steam’s wishlist data. The game is near the top of the platform’s most-wishlisted titles, which is often a strong indicator of overall player interest. Wishlists often translate directly into early purchases, either at launch or when a sale hits, and seeing Battlefield 6 placed so high suggests players are not holding back their anticipation for the title, despite its checkered history.

Most importantly, the Battlefield 6 beta was a massive success. Across social media, the feedback was largely positive. Many got the feeling that Battlefield was finally “back to form” after years of missteps. Even skeptics who had sworn off preorders admitted that the beta had won them over. The collective sentiment was strong enough to overwhelm the anti-preorder message, creating a wave of excitement that translated into direct support for the game.

The truth is that “Remember, no preorders” never had any real legs to stand on. While it has been an enduring mantra in the Battlefield community, it ultimately relies on fan discipline. The second a product shows signs of quality, a trailer, a free open beta, or a demo, for example, that discipline evaporates into dust, and Battlefield 6 seems to be proving itself well before release.

Is Battlefield “Back” With Battlefield 6?

The real question has nothing to do with the failed boycott. Instead, now is less about whether players should preorder and more about whether Battlefield 6 truly signals a return to form. For years, the series has struggled to find its footing. Battlefield 1 had its fans but was highly constrained by its World War I setting and historical inaccuracies. Battlefield V launched with missing content and a muddled identity. And Battlefield 2042 quickly became infamous for its comical amount of bugs and balance issues.

The sense that Battlefield might finally be “back” is driving much of the preorder hype. This is not just nostalgia. It is a genuine sign of relief from fans who have waited years for DICE and EA to learn from their copious number of mistakes. Fans are finally seeing evidence that those lessons stuck. If Battlefield 6 launches with the same level of excitement that the beta showcased, it will be a massive turnaround for the franchise.

Still, it is worth noting that the success of the “no preorders” campaign was never really about stopping Battlefield sales. It was about protecting fans from disappointment. In an industry where hype often overshadows reality and developers promise but fail to deliver, the phrase served as a reminder to think logically. The fact that it has already collapsed in the face of Battlefield 6’s strong reception might be less of a failure and more of a hopeful sign that the franchise is actually delivering on its promises, this time around.

Should Battlefield 6 follow through at launch and avoid the pitfalls that haunted its predecessors, then the real story is not about failed campaigns or broken memes. It is about a franchise rediscovering what made it great in the first place.

Battlefield 6 will launch on October 10th and will come to PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.