The next Battlefield is Battlefield 2042—here’s the reveal trailer

After nearly a year of leaks and teases, the reveal trailer for the next Battlefield game is finally here. It’s called Battlefield 2042, and it’s launching on October 22nd (or October 15th with early access) on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.

Set in a post-apocalyptic future where ecological disaster has caused mass exoduses across the globe, Battlefield 2042 will see two forces of Non-Patriated (or “no-pat”) soldiers duking it out on behalf of either the U.S. or Russia in matches that host up to 128 players.

Battlefield 2042 will not have a single-player campaign. DICE leadership said that it’s focusing on what it does best, which are large-scale multiplayer experiences. However, players can play with and against AI, solo or with a squad of friends, to get a feel for the maps and weapons before jumping into PvP multiplayer if they wish.

The reveal trailer—which doesn’t show any actual gameplay but was made in the updated Frostbite engine—shows a series of “only in Battlefield” style set pieces across the game’s seven currently announced launch maps.

Check out the trailer, then read on for more details about Battlefield 2042 that we learned during an online preview event:

As you saw, there’s a lot going on in the trailer. Like the ill-fated Battlefield V trailer, while none of what’s in the trailer is actual gameplay, it does hint at many of 2042’s gameplay elements.

First off, yes, you can use a wingsuit in Battlefield 2042 and dive off a cliff in Antarctica, which is the setting for one of the game’s launch maps. Not everyone can use a wingsuit, however. That particular gadget is tied to one of the 10 Specialists that will be in the game. Instead of having four basic classes, Battlefield 2042 will have Specialists that each have their own unique gadget and perk. You can read more about Specialists in our in-depth coverage.

The next thing you probably noticed (besides the massive scale of the urban-based, South Korea–set map) is the robot dog that seemingly falls from the sky. It’s unclear if this killer pup counts as a gadget for a Specialist or as a vehicle, as players can call in vehicle drops throughout a match instead of having to wait for them to spawn. We’ve gone a little more in-depth with our vehicle coverage.

The trailer then moves to Egypt (you can read about all of the game’s launch maps—at least the ones we know about—in more detail in our maps article), where a massive wall of sand is encroaching on the battlefield and a giant wall is collapsing. From what we understand, DICE is once again calling these sorts of large-scale destruction events Levolution, though these moments are seemingly more dynamic (and more plentiful) than those in Battlefield 4. Read our maps coverage to learn more about 2042’s Levolution.

The next scene shows a large group of soldiers moving through a shipping container yard in Singapore when they’re jumped by another group of soldiers. We see a melee kill and the snatching of dog tags, followed by a massive explosion of unknown origin. This scene is set at night, which means we could have a mix of day and night maps, or there might be a day-night cycle that can happen during a single match. Soldier customization is also pretty noticeable, as the characters are wearing a diverse range of gear like camo, helmets, vests, and gloves.

Then the trailer goes back to Antarctica to show off some vehicle gameplay, before moving over to French Guiana and an epic rocket launch. From what we understand, that rocket launch can go very poorly and cause mass destruction on the map.

Qatar is the setting for the next scene, and the oppressive red hue in the mostly urban setting is due to a massive sandstorm that swallows the map over the course of a match. We also get a look at some helicopter gameplay—something that the series has sorely missed since Battlefield 4 (and, to a lesser extent, Hardline). We also see what appears to be a Little Bird raining bullets upon soldiers gathered on the roof of one of the map’s skyscrapers and an intrepid infantry player ghost-riding a four-wheeler into the chopper. As we understand it, this map (and the one set in South Korea) will feature a series of zip lines that go across the map’s rooftops, which players can access in an elevator from the ground floor.

The four-wheeler move is also a nod to how 2042’s sandbox will encourage more “only in Battlefield” moments—as is the next scene, which shows a pilot ejecting from their fighter jet, killing the pursuing jet with a rocket, and landing back in the cockpit. Ponylion would be proud.

But the next scene is where 2042 and the updated Frostbite engine really get to show off. A massive tornado touches down in the middle of a crowded urban setting and lifts both infantry and vehicles off the ground. These tornadoes will be random, dynamic events that occur during a match, and they will do exactly what the one in the reveal trailer does. If you have the wingsuit, you can use it to fling your forward before gliding to safety, or you can sit in your jeep and pray to whatever god you prefer. During the presentation, DICE also stated that the storm will fling random debris that can pose a threat to nearby players.

Finally, the trailer ends with another date: June 13th. That’s when we’ll be seeing the gameplay trailer, which will give us a better sense of how the moments portrayed in the reveal trailer will actually play out in-game.

So that’s the reveal trailer, but we learned a lot more about the game during an online pre-reveal event. You can read our coverage on Battlefield 2042’s maps, Specialists and gadgets, game modes, weapons and vehicles, and live service.