The official launch of Battlefield 6 may still be some time away, but thanks to the latest news from a reputable leaker, we may know when we will be able to experience not only the title's massive player count, but also its multiplayer action for the first time.

Tom Henderson, a well-known Battlefield insider with a solid track record, reports that an alpha version of Battlefield 6 is currently scheduled for July. This would fit nicely with the game, which is set to be officially announced in June.

Henderson claims that full information about the alpha version should be announced at the EA Play showcase, currently scheduled for July 22. According to this leaker, the plan may be to release a playable alpha during the show as a sort of mic drop moment, which seems quite plausible given that EA has pulled similar stunts in the past.

For those who don't know, an alpha generally refers to a playable slice of a video game that is made available to players prior to release. Essentially, it is the stage of development before the game goes into beta. The alpha version of Battlefield 6 is not the full game and will not be fully polished, but it will give fans a sense of how the game will play before its release later this year.

In a subsequent post, Henderson further emphasized the fact that the game is "set in the near future." The leaker also revealed that the game's online multiplayer competition has 128 players.

If this is accurate, this is a rather large upgrade, as the previous four games in the Battlefield series had a maximum player count of 64 (at least in the console versions). It is possible that doubling the number of players is a PS5 and Xbox Series X-only feature, as it would take a lot of power to run a match with this many players at a smooth frame rate.

Publisher EA has already confirmed that the upcoming shooter will not be a next-gen exclusive, despite previous rumors; it will also be available on PS4 and Xbox One, but these versions will come at some cost due to hardware limitations It will be. The developer, Dice, has strongly emphasized that the game is designed to be a "true next-gen experience," regardless of its cross-gen release.

According to all reports, the game is on track for release later this year, which is plenty of time to look for a PS5 restock or Xbox Series X restock. Alternatively, the game could be played on PC, in which case a rig would need to be purchased or built now.