Battlefield 2042’s gameplay trailer shows its tornado tech in action

The Battlefield 2042 gameplay trailer debuted during the Xbox and Bethesda E3 showcase, and it showed the game’s impressive tornado tech in action.

Taking place across most of the game’s seven launch maps, 2042’s gameplay trailer largely focuses on the kinds of sandbox elements that DICE is trying to bring back to the franchise. Massive vehicle battles, helicopters crashing into buildings, and transport planes flying alongside a massive sandstorm on Hourglass are all on display. We even see a four-wheeler ghost riding into a Little Bird off a rooftop and another player detonating C4 that’s attached to it, blowing up the chopper and the pilot.

We also get to see a little bit of infantry gameplay. Notably, we see Specialist Webster McKay using his grappling hook to quickly reach the top of a massive construction crane, only to find a teammate knifing an enemy. Then, several soldiers use zip lines between two rooftops. It looks like these zip lines are part of the level and not a gadget like in Battlefield Hardline.

Other new gameplay features make an appearance. A tank parachutes down from the sky, thanks to 2042’s new vehicle call-in mechanic. Likewise, a squad riding an elevator to the top of a skyscraper uses the new Plus System, which lets them swap out their weapon attachments on the fly. It looks like this system is limited to two attachments per weapon part, so which two foregrips, ammo types, sights, and barrels you bring into the field is probably something you determine ahead of time.

One thing we don’t see a whole lot of in 2042’s gameplay trailer are actual gunfights. Based on what we’ve seen, we still don’t know what kind of gunplay Battlefield 2042 will have—will it be like Battlefield 4’s spread-based mechanics, or will it more closely resemble Battlefield V’s visual recoil? We also still have questions about the open gadget slot that Specialists will have in addition to their specific gadget. Can a Support Specialist like Maria Falck, who has a Syrette gun that heals and revives teammates from a distance, carry a rocket launcher as her secondary gadget? These are the details that Battlefield fans will be waiting to learn in the months leading up to the game’s release.

Here’s the gameplay trailer:

Battlefield 2042 is launching for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC on October 22nd. Players who pre-order the gold or ultimate editions will have access to the game on October 15th.