Battlefield 4 is the eighth mainline Battlefield game, a modern military first-person shooter developed by DICE and published by Electronic Arts on 29 October 2013 for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, with PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions following in November 2013. It is best known for 64-player Conquest, Commander mode and “Levolution” map events, and in 2026 it still has official multiplayer servers on every platform.
Last verified: November 2026 · Game: Battlefield 4 · Type: game
| Field | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Developer / publisher | DICE / Electronic Arts | Box, credits |
| Engine | Frostbite 3 | DICE |
| Release | 29 Oct 2013 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360); 12 Nov 2013 (PS4, NA); 22 Nov 2013 (Xbox One) | EA release notes |
| Setting | 2020, US and China in a fictional conflict (campaign) | Game |
| Max players | 64 (PC, PS4, Xbox One); 24 (PS3, Xbox 360) | DICE |
| Classes | Assault, Engineer, Support, Recon | Game |
| Launch maps | Siege of Shanghai, Paracel Storm, Operation Locker, Zavod 311, Lancang Dam, Flood Zone, Rogue Transmission, Hainan Resort, Dawnbreaker, Golmud Railway | Game |
| Paid expansions | China Rising (Dec 2013), Second Assault (Nov 2013 Xbox One, Feb 2014 others), Naval Strike (Mar 2014), Dragon’s Teeth (Jul 2014), Final Stand (Nov 2014) | EA |
| Free map packs | Night Operations (Sep 2015), Community Operations (Oct 2015), Legacy Operations with Dragon Valley 2015 (Dec 2015) | DICE LA |
| Storefronts in 2026 | EA app, Steam (since June 2020), PlayStation Store, Xbox Store | Stores |
Link to section: What it isWhat it is
Battlefield 4 is the direct successor to Battlefield 3 and the game that defined the series’ modern template: four classes, combined arms with jets, helicopters, tanks and boats, large destructible maps and squad-based objective play. Its headline features were Commander mode (a top-down player directing the team), Levolution (scripted map-changing events such as the collapsing skyscraper on Siege of Shanghai and the dam breach on Lancang Dam) and the Battlelog web companion for stats, loadouts and server browsing.
The launch was troubled by crashes and netcode problems; DICE spent most of 2014 on the “Community Test Environment” and a long series of patches that eventually made it one of the most-played games in the series. All five paid expansions were later bundled into Battlefield 4 Premium, and after 2015 DICE Los Angeles released free maps, including a remake of Battlefield 2’s Dragon Valley.
Link to section: How it playsHow it plays
Conquest on 64 players is the core mode: capture and hold flags while the enemy’s ticket count drains. Rush, Obliteration, Domination, Defuse, Team Deathmatch, Squad Deathmatch, Air Superiority and expansion modes such as Carrier Assault, Chain Link and Capture the Flag round it out. Vehicles are abundant on most maps, so Engineer and anti-vehicle play matter more than in later entries. The suppression and spotting systems reward squad coordination, and the weapon roster (well over 80 primaries across the expansions) is the largest in the series.
Easter eggs are part of the game’s identity: the Phantom Program (unlocking the Phantom Bow), the Megalodon, and the DICE LA camo puzzle on Dragon Valley 2015. See the DICE LA camo guide.
Link to section: Changes by patchChanges by patch
| Date | Update | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2014 | Fall patch | Netcode overhaul from the Community Test Environment, high-frequency network updates | [verify: link archived notes] |
| Sep 2015 | Night Operations | Free map Zavod: Graveyard Shift | DICE LA |
| Oct 2015 | Community Operations | Free community-designed map Operation Outbreak | DICE LA |
| Dec 2015 | Legacy Operations | Free remake Dragon Valley 2015; DICE LA camo easter egg | Legacy Operations behind the scenes |
| Dec 2015 | Holiday patch | Final balance pass | Holiday patch notes |
Link to section: SourcesSources
- Battlefield 4 Legacy Operations behind the scenes (2015)
- Battlefield 4 holiday patch notes (2015)
- Battlefield 4 free DLC: Dragon’s Teeth giveaway thread (2016)
- Battlefield 4 forum on this site
Link to section: FAQFAQ
Is Battlefield 4 still active in 2026?
Yes. Official servers run on PC, PlayStation and Xbox, with the most populated servers on PC in Europe and North America at evening peak. Current counts are tracked in Is Battlefield 4 still active in 2026? once published.
How many players does Battlefield 4 support?
64 on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One; 24 on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
Which expansions does Battlefield 4 have?
Five paid: China Rising, Second Assault, Naval Strike, Dragon’s Teeth and Final Stand, plus three free DICE LA map releases in 2015.
Does Battlefield 4 have a campaign?
Yes, a six-hour single-player campaign following Tombstone squad in 2020.
What came before and after Battlefield 4?
Battlefield 3 (2011) before it, Battlefield Hardline (2015) after it. See every Battlefield game in order.
Discuss the game in the Battlefield 4 forum. This page is part of the Battlefield Wiki.