Are there any circumstances in which 弈 (yì) could be mistaken for 野 (yě)?
It may be possible if we say only one word, 奕 or 野, quickly and ambiguously. 

When they are combined with other words, we have these words to judge it. 

牧野 is the name of a place, and we always use this term as a whole. 

奕 usually goes with 博 or 對 to form 博奕 or 對奕 for games. 

Even somebody mixes 奕 with 野. It is not so easy to mix 博奕 (Bó yì) or 對奕 (Duì yì) with 牧野 (Mù yě).