In Battlefield 2: Special Forces, players choose to fight as one of six different Special Forces soldiers: Navy SEALs, British SAS, Russian Spetznas, MEC Special Forces, Rebel groups and insurgents. Armed with the latest special forces weaponry, players can take control of any of the game's 10 new vehicles to engage in major conflicts with up to 64 players.

Additionally, persistent character growth allows players to continue to rise through the ranks. The material penetration feature measures weapons' ability to fire through barriers based on their composition and players will need to know the difference between concealment and cover in order to survive. Team play features allow players to enter the action on the front lines as part of a formal squad, or work behind the scenes in Commander Mode to direct the strategic assaults of their teammates.