Battlefield 2042: How Season 6 – Dark Creations is Bringing More Variety and Versatility
Category: Games
Battlefield 2042: How Season 6 – Dark Creations is Bringing More Variety and Versatility
Published
October 6, 2023
Battlefield 2042 has seen quite evolution since its initial launch back in 2021. This year alone has seen a tremendous amount of work put into the game to address fan feedback, including the return of the Class system, continuous quality of life improvements, and getting a handle on its expansive in-game narrative with a new Codex feature. Now its next steps forward are with a bit of a look to its past, with a new infantry only map that harkens back to Battlefield 3 and a major Gadget inclusion that could potentially be a game changer to keep players in the field longer.
What struck me immediately as I ran through a Conquest match on Battlefield 2042’s new Redacted map – coming soon with the launch of Season 6 – Dark Creations on October 10, 2023 – is how familiar it felt to the Close Quarters expansion pack for Battlefield 3. In that, the epic scale of all-out warfare was brought indoors for a tight-knit series of interior firefights that were equally a blast to play in and destroy, as bullets shattered just about everything in sight.
Here on Redacted, the whole map takes place under a ruined, domed facility – a recent “incident” has unearthed this gigantic hidden tech lab – thus negating any flying or drivable vehicles. Even though it’s infantry-only, it’s still a tremendously large play space, with unique traversal options like underground ziplines (effectively standing in for vehicles), allowing players to quickly move from one end of the map to the other. These kept the action moving at a chaotic pace, having to work with my squad to capture and defend on an epic scale – there was almost never any downtime.
There were a few solid “meatgrinder” spots as well – common chokepoints where the body count can quickly pile up. One area in particular, that could best be described as a type of loading zone, saw action constantly. But overall, it felt incredibly balanced and a ton of fun to play. I hope this is the start of a series of additional interior-focused maps because the team seems to have a good feel for what makes for some exciting corridor shooting. Season 6 – Dark Creations and Redacted both feel like the start of the next major phase of support behind Battlefield 2042, by tapping into a bit of its past (e.g. Close Quarters) to help inform its future.
Season 6 – Dark Creations will also see the arrival of some additional quality of life features, like aim assist improvements on console (helping with fairness during cross-play matches), vehicle handling improvements for jets and tanks, and balancing the Recon class a bit – these were all items we did not have a chance to test (see above: interior map with no vehicles) as our preview session was PC-only. While I can’t expertly speak to how these new features will be incorporated on console, I appreciate that – like DICE has done for much of this year – continues to make solid quality of life changes to help meet fan expectations.
One new feature I was able to try that’s coming with Season 6 came in the form of Pouches, a Gadget item that can come in Ammo and Health varieties. These are not intended to replace Crates (those will still hold more resupply value), but are designed to bring a mobile option for resource replenishment to squads and players that like to push deeper into enemy territory without the need to hunt for a Supply Crate. An added benefit here is that it gives some versatility to some of the other Classes as well, providing a valuable lifeline that hadn’t been so readily available before. I am very interested to see how this plays out across all the larger maps in the game.
Also, as you may have seen from the recent reveal trailer, the narrative surrounding Season 6 – Dark Creations continues to take the series down a heavy sci-fi, almost cyberpunk-like path, with modified soldiers and mysterious bio labs making an appearance. Most of the core details surrounding this and how it ties into the larger narrative are things the dedicated Battlefield community is trying to crack. If you’re interested in following their progress, check out The Exodus Archives where they have expanded upon the current Season 05 lore and what that may mean for players in the upcoming Season 06.
Tying that together will be a pretty exciting looking Season 6 Premium Battle Pass (for purchase) with an awesome looking Legendary Skin for Mackay as a part of the Premium reward tier, which gives me some strong Enemy Territory: Quake Wars vibes. There will also be a free Battle Pass that includes a specialist skin for Boris, new weapons, gadgets, and more.
While DICE may have picked the work “dark” to refer to their latest creations this Season, its inclusions to Battlefield 2042 with this upcoming update are making the future of the game shine even brighter. We’re excited about where this game is heading into the next year and are eagerly looking forward to the launch of Battlefield 2042: Season 6 – Dark Creations starting on October 10, 2023.
Battlefield
2042 Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
Electronic Arts
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
$69.99
$62.99
Get it now
Buy the Battlefield 2042 cross-gen bundle and get both the Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S versions.
Battlefield 2042 is a first-person shooter that marks the return to the iconic all-out warfare of the franchise. With the help of a cutting-edge arsenal, engage in intense, immersive multiplayer battles.
Grab your squad and embrace your fears in the claustrophobic close-quarters battles of Season 6: Dark Creations. Master any obstacle with new gear as you seek out the enemy lurking in the darkness of a secret facility hidden within the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. When diving into Season 6, you’ll wield the new VHX-D3 AR, the L9CZ Sidearm, and the G428 DMR. You’ll pilot the YUV-2 “Pondhawk” vehicle and use throwable Ammo and Medical Pouches to save teammates who are on the ropes. Unlock 100 new tiers of Battle Pass content as you fight through Battlefield 2042’s darkest and most nerve-racking season yet.
Lead your team to victory in both large all-out warfare and close-quarters combat on maps from the world of 2042 and classic Battlefield titles. Find your playstyle in class-based gameplay and take on several experiences comprising elevated versions of Conquest and Breakthrough. Explore Battlefield Portal, a platform where players can discover, create, and share unexpected battles from Battlefield's past and present.
This game includes optional in-game purchases of virtual currency that can be used to acquire virtual in-game items.
*REQUIRES BATTLEFIELD 2042 (SOLD SEPARATELY) & ALL GAME UPDATES. NO WEAPON, MILITARY VEHICLE OR GEAR MANUFACTURER IS AFFILIATED WITH OR HAS SPONSORED OR ENDORSED THIS GAME.
Battlefield 2042 Elite Edition Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
Electronic Arts
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
$99.99
$89.99
Get it now
Get the definitive version of Battlefield 2042. Packed to the brim with value, Battlefield 2042 Elite Edition contains:
• Dual Entitlement: Battlefield 2042 Elite Edition includes both Battlefield 2042 Xbox Series X|S and Battlefield 2042 Xbox One
• Four Seasons worth of content instantly unlocked: battle on 17+ maps, wield over 35 weapons, deploy as 14 Specialists
• “Lost World” Epic Cosmetic Bundle* containing:
– Epic “Forsaken” Rao Specialist Set
– Epic “Starved Vulture” Vehicle Skin
– Epic “Banisher” Weapon Skin
Battlefield 2042 is a first-person shooter that marks the return to the iconic all-out warfare of the franchise. With the help of a cutting-edge arsenal, engage in intense, immersive multiplayer battles. Lead your team to victory in both large all-out warfare and close-quarters combat on maps from the world of 2042 and classic Battlefield titles. Find your playstyle in class-based gameplay and take on several experiences comprising elevated versions of Conquest and Breakthrough. Explore Battlefield Portal, a platform where players can discover, create, and share unexpected battles from Battlefield's past and present. Battlefield 2042 has never played better thanks to ongoing improvements like a returning Class system, map overhauls, weapon balancing, squad management tools, and much more.
This game includes optional in-game purchases of virtual currency that can be used to acquire virtual in-game items.
*Conditions and restrictions apply. See www.ea.com/legal for details.
©2023 Electronic Arts Inc. EA, the EA logo, the DICE logo, Ripple Effect Studios, and Battlefield are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc.
NO WEAPON, MILITARY VEHICLE OR GEAR MANUFACTURER IS AFFILIATED WITH OR HAS SPONSORED OR ENDORSED THIS GAME.
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