Here’s what’s included in Battlefield V’s last content update
Battlefield V‘s last content update, 7.0 or the “Summer Update,” is launching tomorrow, and developer DICE has released patch notes that reveal everything that’s going to be included.
Overall, the update will include one new map, an expanded version of an existing map, nine new weapons, six new vehicles, five new gadgets, and three new grenades. Many of the new weapons and gadgets were shown in previous trailers, including the “This is Battlefield V” trailer from September 2018, but are just making it into the game now.
The new map is Al Marj Encampment, which was previously in development for the game’s cancelled 5v5 competitive mode but then expanded for 64-player modes. It’s an infantry-only map set in Libya that features the American and German forces. The most interesting aspect of Al Marj is that the last sector on Breakthrough will play out similarly to Conquest Assault, according to community manager Adam “PartWelsh” Freeman.
The expanded map is Provence. Like Al Marj, Provence was originally created for the game’s competitive mode and then converted into a Squad Conquest and Team Deathmatch map when it was released. Now, Provence has been expanded from just the village to encompass large swaths of farmland.
Both maps feature the American and German forces as the playable factions, and three more existing maps will swap out the British faction for the Americans. Twisted Steel and Panzerstorm will replace the British with the Americans in every mode except for Grand Operations, and Al Sundan will follow suit after a hotfix is released that’s intended to patch an issue with the characters’ voice lines specific to that map. Because of this, the American forces are being expanded with 14 new customizable soldier characters, while the Japanese are getting two more as they aren’t being featured in any new maps.
As previously, the Summer update is introducing nine new weapons: six primary weapons and three sidearms. Support is getting the Sjögren Shotgun and Chauchat LMG, Recon is getting the M3 Infrared rifle and the K31/43 bolt-action, the Medic is getting the Welgun SMG, and Assault is getting the M1941 Johnson semi-auto. The new sidearms are PPK and PPK Suppressed, the M1911 Suppressed, and the Welrod. All players have to do to earn these weapons is log onto the game in the next few weeks. After that, they will be available for purchase with Company Coin, the game’s in-game currency.
The new vehicles mostly support the U.S. faction’s debut in Europe, with the A-20 Bomber, the P-70 Night Fighter, the P-51D Fighter, P-51K Fighter, and M8 Greyhound all coming with the update, as well as the Germans’ Puma Armored Car.
As far as new gadgets go, Recon is getting the Doppel-Shcuss double-barreled flare launcher and the RMN 50 Grenade Launcher, Assault is getting the Pistol Flamethrower, and Support is getting the Shaped Charge and Kampfpistole, which is an anti-personnel pistol grenade launcher. (Sorry, Medics, but you’re stuck with just a smoke grenade launcher or the AP mines.) All classes are getting access to three new grenades: the Firecracker Grenade, the Demolition Grenade, and the Type 99 Mine.
Overall, this is one of Battlefield V‘s largest content updates, on par with the game’s massive Pacific Update back in October 2019. While it’s the last content update for the game, community managers have clarified that the developer will continue to patch the game. Future updates are expected to introduce a team balancer as well as giving the underwhelming Community Games more features. You can read the rest of the Summer Update’s patch notes on the game’s official forums.
EA has confirmed that the next Battlefield game is launching sometime in 2021, with many speculating that it will launch in October or November 2021.
Michael Goroff has written and edited for EGM since 2017. You can follow him on Twitter @gogogoroff.
