Battlefield 6 Update: EA Postpones Platoons After Scheduling the Feature for Season 5 Phase 3 on 8 December

Battlefield Studios has delayed the Platoons feature and B-81 Cavalry vehicle for Battlefield 6, removing both from Season 5 Phase 3, which remains scheduled for 8 December 2026. In a 5 November announcement, the studio said the additions were not ready for deployment because they did not meet its internal quality standards. Neither has a revised release date.

What Battlefield 6 Platoons Were Expected To Offer

The delay affects more than a new menu option. Platoons are intended to bring a larger social structure back to the Battlefield series. In Battlefield 3, they functioned much like clans, allowing players to organise groups and keep track of one another beyond their immediate multiplayer parties.

EA outlined the planned Battlefield 6 system in its 4 June community update. Platoons would support up to 100 members, with different joining settings and leadership tools to manage membership. Players would be able to group up with other members, represent their Platoon with a tag and earn XP bonuses when playing together. The studio described this as the foundation of a wider social feature set that would develop over several seasons.

More detail followed in EA's 21 October update. The initial version was to have a dedicated tab in the main menu, custom group names and squad tags, and a way to track a Platoon's combined gameplay statistics. EA also said it planned to expand the community and social tools over time, depending on how players used them. The announcement made the December launch sound imminent, making the subsequent delay a notable reversal.

What Remains in Season 5 Phase 3

The 8 December update, titled Frozen Aces, remains on the schedule. EA's Season 5 roadmap lists Operation High Roller and updates to Blackwell Fields and New Sobek City among its planned content. Battlefield Studios' latest statement also confirmed that a winter event will go ahead, despite the removal of Platoons and the B-81 Cavalry.

The map changes are intended to affect how matches play, rather than simply refresh their appearance. In October, EA said the redesigns would create more separation between headquarters, add playable space along map boundaries to support flanking, introduce more terrain breaks and provide additional ways to reach rooftops and approach objectives.

The B-81 Cavalry had been included in EA's October roadmap as part of the Frozen Aces update, alongside new weapons and gear. The latest announcement does not explain what specifically needs additional work on the vehicle or Platoons.

Server Browser Is Following a Separate Schedule

The Server Browser was also originally listed for Phase 3, but its rollout has been brought forward. EA said on 3 November that a limited public test would begin shortly after Phase 2 launches on 10 November. A global release is planned once the studio has reviewed live performance and made any necessary fixes.

EA has outlined some of the browser's practical features. Players will be able to find official Battlefield Studios servers and official player-hosted servers in one place, with filters for maps and modes and sorting options that include ping and player count.

The browser will also share a server pool with Quickplay and other matchmaking options, which EA says should help keep listed servers populated. Players will also be able to remain on the same server with their squad across consecutive rounds. The company expects the staged rollout to take place over a couple of weeks, although the full release depends on test results.

Community Reaction and What Happens Next

The timing has drawn criticism from some players. Kotaku reported comments questioning why the delay was announced only weeks before Phase 3 and pointing out that Platoons had featured in the season's promotional artwork.

Battlefield Studios has not said when Platoons or the B-81 Cavalry will arrive. It said it would share more about its wider plans for 2027 shortly after the holidays, leaving the next roadmap update as the clearest opportunity for players to learn when the postponed content might return.