The next Battlefield is coming this fall and it appears to be bringing plenty of mayhem. At an event today, EA revealed Battlefield 2042, the latest entry in Dice’s long-running shooter series, for the Xbox One, Series X, PS4, PS5, and PC through Origin, Steam, and the Epic Game Store. Among other changes to the formula, the game will introduce new tornadoes that move around the map, wingsuits so players can fly around, and weapons that can be customized on the fly.
It’s all pretty standard action fare until about two minutes into the clip when we see an ATV take out a helicopter. That sets the stage for the scene that follows. Starting at the three-minute mark, we see two jets chasing after one another. However, instead of playing out like your typical dogfight, the pilot of the lead plane pulls the nose of their jet up and ejects from the craft to take out their pursuer with a rocket launcher. They then grab the edge of the cockpit to get back in and on their way.
The staging of the scene is an homage to Stun_gravy, the creator of one of the most popular Battlefield-related videos you can find on YouTube and the person most closely associated with the RendeZook, the maneuver that’s on display in the trailer. The RendeZook calls back to the first game in the series, 2002’s Battlefield 1942. In that title, one of the most impressive aerial feats players could pull off was to eject from their plane after committing to a loop, take out their opponent with a bazooka and then get back in just as their ride levels out. Since jets make pulling off a loop a lot more difficult if you’re not there to control the craft, the RendeZook has become the gold standard in the Battlefield games that take place in a modern setting.
When 2042 does launch later this year, EA says that it will act as a live service game, with seasonal battle passes both free and paid that “will push the narrative of the world forward,” as well as add new features.
Battlefield 2042 launches on October 22nd. A mobile Battlefield spinoff is also in the works.
