It had become a nightmare for all pilots. Since the launch of Battlefield 6, the homing missiles equipping infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) have been wreaking havoc, turning every map into a veritable aerial hell. Fighter planes and helicopters were often shot down as soon as they appeared, with no real means of defending themselves.
Faced with numerous complaints, EA and the developers at DICE finally decided to act. An official announcement, published on November 6 via the account Battlefield Commsconfirmed immediate action: “We have temporarily disabled the Lock-on Guided Missile (MR Missile) for the Infantry Fighting Vehicle while we work to correct inconsistencies found in that vehicle’s countermeasures.”
A weapon considered too effective and unbalanced
The MR missile, intended to lock on to a target in flight, had become a scourge on multiplayer maps. Its rapid targeting system, its overly generous range, its short reload time and its large ammunition stock made it a formidable weapon… even too effective.
The pilots did have decoys at their disposal, such as the famous flares, but these countermeasures often proved ineffective or too slow to activate. Result: once the rocket was launched, the outcome was almost always fatal.
The temporary suppression of this missile was therefore eagerly awaited. The first reactions on social networks, Twitter in the lead, reflect general relief: “Finally…” wrote a player, simply but clearly.
An upcoming patch to rebalance the VCI
If this deactivation solves the problem in the short term, it is only temporary. An official update is planned for next weekwith the aim of correcting the defects of the countermeasures system, while reintroducing the missiles into a more balanced framework.
The developers have affirmed: work continues to finely adjust the performance of the VCI without making it useless. The idea is not to deprive players of this functionality, but to adapt it so that it no longer unbalances the clashes.
Why this decision is important for gameplay
In an FPS based on modern warfare, the balance between ground and air units is crucial. An overpowered vehicle, without any real counterpart, can be enough to make a game frustrating and unbalanced for the opposing team.
By temporarily withdrawing the MR missile, Battlefield 6 fixes one of the most glaring flaws in its current gameplay. It is also a clear signal sent to the community: player feedback is heard, and concrete adjustments can be deployed quickly.