DICE built a tool that can obliterate an entire map with a single tap. The button destroys every breakable element across a level so developers can see the map when it is fully wrecked. The studio uses the tool to test whether maps stay balanced and playable as they move from fresh to broken to utterly ruined.
Big Red Button
The button is gleefully simple in concept. Press it, and every destructible wall, roof, or prop vanishes. The tool can cause chaos for performance teams, because the studio did not design all the destruction to trigger at once. That stress test reveals where frame rates or memory use might fail under extreme load. The button also helps the team confirm that players will still have routes and cover once the fights are at their most destructive stage.
DICE said the test is practical, not just theatrical. The developers view every map as working in three states. First, the map opens as it was designed, in a pristine state. Then the map goes through an in-between state as structures begin to fall. Finally, the map reaches a peak of destroyed state when many weapons have been used. The team must ensure the game is enjoyable in each state and that no one state breaks core play loops.
Design and Balance
Blowing up an entire map at once makes it easier to spot balance faults. The team can check if there is still enough cover at each objective. The team can test whether pathways become too open or too cramped. It is a fast way to measure whether a map’s flow still supports vehicles on foot and the roles each player class expects.
The method also highlights technical risks. Massive destruction pushes the Frostbite engine and hardware. DICE has had to optimize memory and instance handling across consoles. Past reports show the team spent extra time to keep performance steady on lower memory hardware. That work matters when entire buildings collapse and many objects must be streamed or simulated at once.
Players will see how the ideas land when they can play full matches. Fans and modders may also recreate dramatic scenes once the title is live. For now, the big button is a tool for craft. It helps map makers prove that a level is fun and fair, no matter how the battle rages.
What’s Next
DICE still has decisions to make. The studio must decide which breakable elements are essential to the map’s identity and which can be removed. The team must tune spawn points and objectives so matches do not stall when structures are gone. The big button makes those choices faster, because it shows the end case in one pass.
This approach shows how design and engineering work together. The button is a test tool and a reminder that destruction is a gameplay variable. DICE wants maps that feel good at the start and that remain good as the world breaks around players. The studio will refine maps and systems in response to the tests and to player feedback as the game nears launch.