Future installment of Battlefield series, Battlefield 6, confirms abandonment of ray tracing technology, citing a focus on ensuring optimal performance for all players.

In a move that may come as a surprise to some, the latest instalment in the popular Battlefield franchise, Battlefield 6, will not feature ray tracing technology at launch. This decision, made by developers EA and Ripple Effect Studios, is aimed at ensuring smooth performance and optimisation for a wide range of gaming PCs.

The absence of ray tracing, a technology that simulates the behaviour of light to create life-like graphics, might not be a major concern for gamers due to the game's focus on performance and optimisation. The Battlefield series is renowned for its destructible environment, which offers more realistic gameplay and tactical choices, rather than relying on visual effects for appeal.

Battlefield 6 is designed to be playable on modest hardware, making it accessible to a wider audience. This approach seems to be tied to the developers' commitment to making the game available to as many gamers as possible, regardless of their hardware specifications.

While ray tracing is considered a non-essential visual effect in Battlefield 6, there is a workaround for those with powerful graphics cards to enable it. However, this may cause issues and is not recommended for the average player.

The game's competitiveness with Call of Duty is another factor to consider. Fast-paced games that cater to a large player base are less likely to include ray tracing due to the additional strain it puts on GPUs and the additional backend work for developers.

It's worth noting that the previous Call of Duty release, Black Ops 6, also did not include ray tracing. The developers of Battlefield 6 have prioritised performance and optimisation over graphical fidelity, a decision that reflects their strategic move to cater to a wider range of gaming PCs and to ensure the game runs smoothly on them.

However, the lack of ray tracing may make Battlefield 6 less accessible to some gamers, especially those with high-end graphics cards. Additionally, the game uses EA's Javelin anti-cheat feature, which requires Secure Boot and prevents the game from running on Linux-based devices like the Steam Deck.

In conclusion, Battlefield 6's decision to forgo ray tracing at launch is a strategic move aimed at ensuring the game runs great on modest hardware, making it accessible to as many gamers as possible. While this decision may not significantly impact the game's visual appeal, it underscores the developers' commitment to performance and optimisation.