Custom Lobbies and Spectator Mode Guide

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

• ORGANIZE THE BATTLEFIELD
• HOW CUSTOM LOBBIES WORK
  • CREATING AND JOINING A CUSTOM LOBBY
  • ORGANIZING TEAMS AND SQUADS
  • HOST AND ADMINISTRATOR CONTROLS
• SPECTATOR MODE
  • JOINING AS A SPECTATOR
  • SPECTATOR TOOLS AND CONTROLS
• ORGANIZED AND COMPETITIVE PLAY
• THE FUTURE OF CUSTOM LOBBIES

ORGANIZE THE BATTLEFIELD

Take control of the fight and watch every move unfold from across the battlefield.

Starting August 18 with the release of the Season 4 Top Gun Update at 12:00 p.m. UTC (5 a.m. PDT), Custom Lobbies and Spectator Mode will give communities, creators, and tournament organizers new ways to set up, manage, and follow organized Battlefield matches.

Available through Battlefield Portal, Custom Lobbies allow hosts to organize private matches and adjust supported match settings. Spectator Mode provides tools for watching the action unfold from multiple perspectives across the battlefield.

Together, these features establish a new way to enjoy and participate in community events, competitive matches, content creation and other forms of organized play.

Whether you are arranging a community game night, settling a rivalry between squads, running a tournament*, or monitoring every decisive play, Custom Lobbies provide the tools to bring everyone together and keep the match moving.

Here is everything you need to know before opening your first lobby.

HOW CUSTOM LOBBIES WORK

Custom Lobbies are a dedicated Portal server type designed to give communities, creators, and tournament organizers greater control before and during a match.

Unlike standard Portal servers, Custom Lobbies include a pre-match lobby where players can organize themselves into teams and squads before the server begins loading the match.

Hosts can also assign designated administrators, giving multiple organizers access to enhanced controls and settings that can help events and tournaments run more smoothly.

Custom Lobbies can be used to:

• Arrange players into teams and squads
• Assign administrators to help operate the lobby
• Manage supported lobby and match settings
• Assign participants as players or spectators
• Run organized community and competitive matches

CREATING AND JOINING A CUSTOM LOBBY

To create a Custom Lobby:

1. Go to the Portal section on the main menu.
2. Select a supported Verified Portal Experience.
3. Choose the option to host the experience.
4. Ensure you turn “Enable Lobby” on to host as a Custom Lobby.
5. Configure the available lobby and match settings.
6. Invite players or share the join code, which will be hidden by default.
7. Organize participants into teams and squads from the pre-match lobby.
8. Assign additional administrators and spectators.
9. Start the match once everyone is ready.

To join a Custom Lobby:

Players can join an existing Custom Lobby in two ways.

They can browse available servers from the Servers page in the Portal section. In the server information, look for Lobby Enabled to confirm that the experience includes a pre-match lobby.

Players can also enter a Join Code provided by the host to access the lobby directly.

After selecting an experience, players enter its pre-match lobby and can choose a team or wait for the host to begin the session. Any players who have not selected a team will be assigned automatically when the session starts.

The host retains overall control of the lobby, while designated administrators can help manage players and supported settings throughout the event.

ORGANIZING TEAMS AND SQUADS

The pre-match lobby gives organizers a clear view of everyone taking part before the match begins.

Hosts and administrators can arrange players into the intended teams and squads, assign available spectator positions, and confirm that each participant is in the correct role before starting a match.

This makes it easier to prepare organized matches without relying on players to switch teams or reorganize after the action has already started. For community events, scrims, and tournaments, that means less time sorting out the lobby and more time focused on the match itself.

HOST AND ADMINISTRATOR CONTROLS

Custom Lobby hosts can designate additional administrators to help operate the server.

Depending on the selected experience and available functionality, hosts and administrators can use enhanced controls to:

• Move players between teams and squads
• Remove players from the lobby
• Assign participants as players or spectators
• Manage supported match and lobby settings
• Restart or end a match
• Automatically appoint a new host if the current host leaves or is disconnected, allowing the lobby to continue without needing to be recreated

The host remains responsible for the overall lobby, but administrator permissions allow tournament and event staff to share operational responsibilities.

Available settings and controls may vary between experiences. We will continue expanding Custom Lobby functionality over time.

SPECTATOR MODE

Spectator Mode allows designated participants to watch a supported Custom Lobby match without joining any active teams.

Spectators can follow players, move between available viewpoints, and observe the wider flow of the match. These tools can support tournament administration, content creation, community events, and anyone who wants a better view of how the action unfolds.

The host and designated administrators control who is assigned as a spectator before the match begins.

JOINING AS A SPECTATOR

Spectator roles are managed through the Custom Lobby.

Before starting the match, the host or an administrator can assign eligible participants to available spectator positions from the pre-match lobby.

Once the match begins, spectators can use the available camera and interface tools to follow the action. Spectators are not assigned to an active team and cannot directly participate in the match.

SPECTATOR TOOLS AND CONTROLS

Spectator Mode provides several ways to follow a match, from focusing on individual players to stepping back for a wider view of the battlefield.

Depending on the selected experience, available tools include:

• Following active players
• Moving between first person and third person perspectives
• Using a free camera to observe the match
• Viewing supported team, squad, objective, and match information
• Adjusting available camera and interface options

This gives spectators more flexibility in how they watch and present the match, whether they are tracking a specific player, following an objective push, or capturing the wider scale of the fight.

ORGANIZED AND COMPETITIVE PLAY

Custom Lobbies and Spectator Mode have been developed to provide communities and tournament organizers with more control over how matches are managed and presented.

Hosts can assign spectators and administrators before a match, allowing organizers to perform separate roles within the same lobby.

Organizers should review the available controls, current technical limitations, and Community Tournament Guidelines before using Custom Lobbies for community tournaments or competitive rulings.

To ensure quality performance with more than 100 participants, REDSEC Battle Royale Custom Lobbies run a consistent 30 Hz simulation rate throughout the entire match instead of transitioning to 60 Hz as the number of remaining players decreases. We plan to make changes over time to make this an even better experience but are confident in the meantime that this setup will provide a thrilling and entertaining competitive experience.

THE FUTURE OF CUSTOM LOBBIES

Custom Lobbies and Spectator Mode are the beginning of a broader set of tools for organized Battlefield play. As communities, creators, and tournament organizers begin putting them to use, their feedback will help us understand where these features are working well, where more flexibility is needed, and which additions would have the greatest impact.

We will continue evaluating how these tools can evolve to better support competitive events, broadcasts, community-run experiences, and the many ways players organize around Battlefield.

At launch, Custom Lobbies and Spectator Mode will support Conquest and Battle Royale Quads as the initial pilot modes. Support for additional Verified Portal Experiences is planned to expand over the course of Season 4 and beyond.

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This article may change as we listen to community feedback and continue developing and evolving our Live Service & Content. We will always strive to keep our community as informed as possible.

*Read EA’s Community Tournament Guidelines here: https://www.ea.com/compete/guidelines