Battlefield 2042 Reveal Trailer Breakdown and Analysis

Battlefield 2042

Earlier today, DICE and EA unleashed the Battlefield 2042 reveal trailer, and while there’s no gameplay shown off, it looked really good. If you’ve already watched it a few times and want to know more about it, go check out our Battlefield 2042 reveal trailer breakdown.

Thanks to YouTuber Flakfire (YouTube channel, Twitter), there’s a video feature below clocking in at just a shade under 15 minutes that analyzes the Battlefield 2042 reveal trailer. We’ve complemented that with images and text straight from Flakfire himself (thanks!). Below, the video is embedded, and we have a text version available as well with images captured from the reveal trailer (text by Flakfire).

Battlefield 2042 Reveal Trailer Breakdown (Video and Text):

What an incredible reveal trailer for Battlefield 2042. So many things that were just completely unexpected – and the best part about it was that it felt like Battlefield on steroids. It looks amazing. Which is one of the reasons we’re going to take an even closer look – tell me what you think in the comments. For this video, we’re breaking things down frame by frame to talk about everything going on and give you the inside scoop as to what DICE has up their sleeve when Battlefield 2042 launches later this year. 

So, buckle up – here we go. 

First up, we’re looking at icy tundra. This is from a map called Breakaway, which is located in Queen Maud Land, Antarctica. If I did the math right,  it’s the largest map in franchise history outside of Halvoy from Battlefield V’s Battle Royale game mode. We can see a tilt-rotor Osprey limping along, which deploys countermeasures in a futile effort to stave off a smart missile. Visible on this peak here is what appears to be a radar installation.

On the helipad, you can see a few soldiers armed with AK-style weapons, and the main soldier with an evolution of the M4 Carbine, which the game calls the M5A3. 

We have to take into account this game takes place some two decades into the future, so there’s going to be some fictionalization of real weapon and vehicle platforms. The soldier also appears to have some grenades or mines hanging off the strap near the parachute. 

As the Osprey crashes, we’re reminded DICE and EA promised a love letter to Battlefield fans with this game, and the next few shots really remind me of the jump on Davamand Peak in Battlefield 3. Also this guy bites it in the most “only in Battlefield” way possible. 

This shot reiterates just how large this map is, and you get a great feel for scale here. Next, we see the soldier deploy a wingsuit. Now – it’s important to know, wingsuits are not available to everyone in Battlefield 2042. Instead of traditional classes, we have specialists – and the wingsuit is available to some of them.  

The next map featured here is actually the smallest in the game. Let that sink in for a minute. This is Kaleidoscope, and it’s set in Sogdo, South Korea. Lots of Siege of Shanghai vibes here from Battlefield 4. As far as I know, you won’t be able to destroy the skyscrapers, but devs say there’s going to be plenty of destruction. 

The next shot showcases an air-dropped robot dog. You can call in a number of vehicles and other gear in Battlefield 2042 – and it will kill whoever it lands on, so these two were lucky. The robot dog is armed – no word on if you can pet it or not – but I love the cool detail of this spinning optical sensor as it checks its surroundings. It’s clearly got a rack or seat in back, so you might even be able to ride it. I’m not sure if this is a controllable robot or if it uses AI to function in-game.

The next few shots take place in what is probably a museum – it’s that big building in the middle of the Kaleidoscope map, and we can see some frenetic, close-quarters combat as well. 

Here we get our first look at armor in Battlefield 2042. Like other weapons and vehicles, this tank appears a natural evolution to modern-day vehicles. Judging from appearances alone, I’d guess the inspiration for this vehicle was the M1 Abrams. There are some flavors of the German Leopard II and Israeli Merkava here, but I took a look at everything from crew positions to exhaust before settling on the Abrams. I think the composite armor shapes are a bit of a red herring. In the background you can see the stern of a massive tanker ship, which is the main focus of the map Discarded – set in Alang, India. 

After a tank is struck, we see a controlled demolition of the side of the cargo ship. Developers had hinted there are a lot of player-controlled events on maps, ranging from raising bridges to bollards. It’s possible this destruction has been initiated by a player, with dire consequences to those below. This soldier is carrying an evolution of the Kriss Vector submachine gun, which is dubbed the K-30 in-game. I assume when this chunk of the ship is dropped, it opens up a new area for combat or at least makes it more accessible. Devs say the ship in question has a secret inside – a spy submarine. 

The next section of the trailer looks pulled straight out of Call of Duty’s classic shipment map – it’s called Manifest and it’s set in Brani Island, Singapore. Ironically, Manifest is one of the larger maps in Battlefield 2042 – it’s even bigger than the classic BF3 map, Caspian Border. Developers worked hard to create the potential for a wide variety of combat in the game, and other parts of the map are more open. I’ll point out that cranes on these maps do move some containers during the match, and you can even ride on them. 

The soldier in the front appears equipped with an evolution of the AK-12. Behind him, this soldier is probably holding a Remington 870 shotgun. Weapons are not tied to specialists in Battlefield 2042, so choose the weapon you want. Similarly, you can change weapon attachments on the fly in-game – so if you’re headed for close combat, you can swap out scopes and a fore-grip for better hip-fire accuracy. That’s revolutionary for an FPS game. Little bit or paracord here, nice utilitarian touch, and this map also looks like it takes place at dusk. 

In the ambush, we can see taking dogtags will make a return – no word on counter-knifing. I also wanna rewind that back a second – this patch here likely stands for No-Pats or “Non-Patriated”. In the Battlefield 2042 universe, weather and technological failures fractured the globe. No-Pats are refugee fighters from the remnants of countries, fighting for a place once the dust settles. 

In the next scene, I’m not sure if this is Breakaway or a new map, but fighting takes place among massive ice formations. We can spot a hovercraft, likely inspired by the Griffon 2000. It’s smaller than that – but it’s not uncommon for developers to tweak things for gameplay reasons. It is armed, as you can see the turret up top, and it does appear to handle like a hovercraft which will provide a challenge for players. 

This is a penguin. No, not the vehicle – over here.

The vehicle seen in this shot is based off of the Ripsaw. It also made an appearance in the Fast and Furious franchise. Again, this variant is armed, and it’s real-world counterpart can hit over 60 miles per hour. 

Next is an overview of a map called Orbital and it’s set in Kourou, French Guiana. This was the map showcased in the earlier leaks. You might be wondering what everyone’s fighting about – In the Battlefield 2042 storyline, some kind of event knocked out most of the satellites in orbit, leaving countries isolated and blind. Getting a new satellite in orbit represents a huge strategic advantage.

As the rocket launches, we see soldiers fighting all the way to the launchpad – a reminder that PC and next gen consoles support battles with up to 128 players. The vehicle you’re driving here is a light four wheeled truck, but it’s proven difficult to pin down. 

I don’t think these guys are gonna make it. This looks like it could be inspired by a Russian Mi-26 helicopter. As the rocket takes off – you might be familiar with the leaked footage in which it crashes. Devs say that doesn’t happen every time. It might even be a player-determined event.

We’re now looking at a map called Hourglass. This is set in Doha, Qatar – where desert sands are storming, shifting and slowly taking over the neon landscape. According to devs, this map is about three times the size of Battlefield V’s Hamada.

It’s the backdrop for a duel between what looks like a variant of the AH-6 Little Bird and two KA-52-inspired attack helicopters. After the Little Bird bamboozles its pursuers, it ascends to the roof, and lights up enemies with its twin miniguns.

In the chaos, this soldier hops on a Polaris ATV – you can actually see the logo and name here – which is interesting, because most of the time video games avoid doing that. Maybe there’s a special edition Battlefield four-wheeler coming out.  In true Battlefield fashion, the soldier bails at the last second, knocking the Little Bird out of the sky with the ATV. 

Back over South Korea, we get our first look at jet combat with a familiar sight in the F-35. It’s being challenged by an SU-57. As the F-35 pops the brakes, we can see a squadron designation in VMFAT-501. This is a real unit, but it’s a United States Marine Corps training squadron based out of South Carolina. The designation might be coincidental, or it might indicate how desperate both sides are, if they’re sending rookies into battle. 

What happens next is either shocking or expected, depending on your familiarity with the Battlefield franchise. The soldier actually ejects out of the stalled jet, and fires a Carl-Gustav recoilless rifle at the pursuer. For longtime fans, it’s a sign DICE is listening and putting the fun back in Battlefield. After the kill, the pilot manages to climb back into their aircraft. The move is called a Rendezook by the way, and it’s a classic. 

Back boots on the ground on Kaleidoscope, this soldier is armed with an UMP-9 inspired weapon, while an Apache flies overhead. The fictional model in-game is called the AH-64GX, which implies it’s a next-gen model. This soldier is equipped with a radio – it’s quite possible this is a squad leader – as they also carried radios in Battlefield V, which served as a quick means of identification. 

Next is a cool moment where lighting actually strikes next to the vehicle. It’s not clear if getting hit by lighting will kill you in-game or not, but by the looks of it, it’s the least of your worries. We can also see this soldier is wielding a weapon called the 4V9, it’s an assault rifle that looks loosely based on the Remington R4. Behind him, a soldier totes a semi-auto marksman rifle, probably inspired by the Chinese QBU-88. The tank on the right is based on the Russian T-14 Armata. 

Similarly, there’s that light strike vehicle in the background. Again, not sure what it is, but it showcases a quick way to get around the sprawling maps. 

Now, you’re staring down a massive tornado. Devs say these twisters take different routes through the map when they appear, sucking up everything in their path – including vehicles and people. This soldier’s equipped with a belt-fed light machine gun, probably developed from the MG5 in the game’s storyline. Meanwhile, another soldier carries what looks like an FN-SCAR. In her chest holster is a special dart weapon, the S21 syrette pistol, which can heal teammates. This is a unique gadget to a particular specialist. 

The next shot brings back the Tuk Tuk from Bad Company 2’s Vietnam expansion, and it’s one of my favorite moments in the trailer. Suddenly a sign drops from the sky. Developers say the twister in Battlefield 2042 can drop debris and vehicles across the map to fatal effect. 

It’s still incredible to see soldiers and vehicles sucked up by this thing. I honestly cannot believe this is a real thing in a game. I love this tongue-in-cheek joke here, too. Developers say you can actually use the tornado to traverse the map. 

I spent quite a while looking at debris and hoping to see a dinosaur or something snuck in there, but to no avail. I’m sure there will be plenty of Easter eggs in the game when it launches on October 15th, later this year. 

Before then, we’ve got EA PLAY LIVE on July 22, and we’ll get some more details on other experiences DICE has planned for Battlefield 2042. Other important tidbits of info – Open Beta also coming later this year – preorders get you early access to that. 

Before you go – tell me what you think of the reveal. 

I’ll be digging more into this reveal event stuff in the coming days – so make sure you leave a like and subscribe. Tap the bell for notifications – if you want to support the channel, share this video. 


That’s about it! What did you thinkof the trailer? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments below.

More Battlefield 2042 Reading:

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RedKnightOH5
RedKnightOH5
2 years ago

Battlefield 6 is built around…. climate change????? Oh how WOKE!

That alone may keep me from buying BF6. I’ve lived without BF since BF3… it might be time to cut BF loose and move on to other war games. Lots out there.

Darkthunder
Darkthunder
Reply to  RedKnightOH5
2 years ago

It’s not a new concept to the Battlefield franchise, nor is it “woke”. Climate Change is REAL, it’s happening, and 2042 looks to be one possible outcome if we don’t take Climate Change serious…

Also FYI: Battlefield 2142 was built around a new Ice Age caused by Climate Change. I suppose that’s Woke as well, in your world.

RedKnightOH5
RedKnightOH5
Reply to  Darkthunder
2 years ago

Typical Liberal delusions. You’re a lost soul. There will be a bloodbath in 2022 and 2024 as the Right takes over again. Sit down and take a seat.

Darkthunder
Darkthunder
Reply to  RedKnightOH5
2 years ago

May I ask why you involve real-world politics, for a VIDEOGAME? I’m not a US citizen, I don’t give a damn who wins in what election, so long as criminals aren’t in charge.

Typical Republitard delusions, believing everyone is the US or that the US is the only country in the world. Take a backseat for the next 4-8 years, or join your orange friend when he inevitably lands in jail…

RedKnightOH5
RedKnightOH5
Reply to  Darkthunder
2 years ago

“I’m not a US citizen”

Nuff said…..

Meurik
Meurik
Reply to  RedKnightOH5
2 years ago

No, not “Nuff said”

You got anything meaningful to contribute, or just spew the same rightwing garbage that comes out of “Trumpland” these days?

RedKnightOH5
RedKnightOH5
Reply to  Meurik
2 years ago

Reading your stuff is too funny!! Keep it coming!!

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