Once again, MKAU Gaming was invited to a hand-off preview of the upcoming sixth season for Battlefield 2042, Dark Creations, hosted by DICE’s Community Manager Tom Straatman.
It opens with scenes of a lone soldier answering a radio call as one of his comrades desperately calls for help, and as he closes on his position, the room goes dark.

Moments later the lights come back, with an enemy squad instantly opening fire, and as he ducks behind cover to call in an evac, the camera pans across to his foes. Glowing yellow eyes and a sickly complexion are all we see before the scene transitions out, and we’re left watching as a Special Forces team moves through a top-secret research facility. Its name, Redacted.

Tom was excited to talk about the upcoming Battlefield 2042 Season 6: Dark Creations, and based on the short clip we viewed, Battlefield 2042 players will be too. Fear and Darkness run free, and Squads will need to work together to master the unknown as they battle through the claustrophobically close quarters of the newest map, Redacted. The research facility based in Outer Hebrides, Scotland, houses many secrets, and the DICE team looks forward to the players finding them as they set up ambushes around tight corners, making full use of the new weapons and gadgets coming along with the new season.

As the first-ever map to take place completely indoors, specialised weapons are being implemented, such as the VHX D3 Assult rifle, which looks something like a mashup between a Tavor TAR 21 and a Heckler and Koch G36c, specially engineered for close to mid-range engagements, while the new semi-automatic sidearm, the L9CZ is reminiscent of the CZ P-09 pistol. Alternatively, if you like using long-ranged weapons, the G428 DMR packs an armour-penetrating punch, vaguely resembling either an SR25 or an M110.

The Gadgets are a little light this year, with either ammunition or health pouches to throw around for your allies, which will certainly come in useful should you be subjected to the aforementioned ambushes due to poor planning, and while it can’t be used on the new map, the new vehicle will have you zipping around the battlefield. The YUV-2 “Pondhawk” is a bizarre mix between a quadbike and an oversized drone, featuring 4 powerful propellers that would have even the most relaxed OH&S officer placing a “Do Not Operate” tag on it, and with room for two, you and a friend can shave your legs in half the time.

The new season also sees the introduction of the new Battlepass Ultimate, an option that gives you an exclusive new skin and the ability to fast-track your progress with Tier skips, though it is completely optional, as just like previous seasons, anything affecting gameplay, such as weapons and gadgets, can be earned without paying extra money. You just won’t have access to all of the 100+ possible rewards.

As with previous years, a host of new quality-of-life features are coming with the season six update, aiming to make Battlefield 2042 Season 6: Dark Creations even more enjoyable to play. Console players could benefit from the Aim Assist enhancements, while those who prefer to cruise around in vehicles will find that tanks are more maneuverable, vehicles have higher speeds, and gravity has a greater effect on them as they launch through the air, either by taking a ramp too quickly or the age-old fun of jeep stuff.

Pilots will notice that jets handle better, and Recon players will find that both Raos and Casper have had some improvements as well. Raos’ hacking tool will no longer block firing on vehicles, instead, damaging vehicle states, and an enemy downed after being hacked will display nearby enemy information, and EMP Grenades and Casper’s Recon Drone have seen improvements to match the new hacking behaviours.

With horrific experiments gone wrong and a new map heavily influenced by fan-favourites Operation Metro and Operation Locker, Battlefield 2042 Season 6: Dark Creations is looking to bring the combat up close and personal, bringing some new firepower along for the ride. Grab your squadmates, and see if you can uncover the secrets of Redacted.

Written by: MKAU Gaming