DICE has confirmed that naval combat will return in Battlefield 2042 after it was notably missing from recent trailers.
Battlefield has always been about the all-out warfare between land, air, and sea. Since the beginning of the series in 1942, naval vehicles play a heavy role in the tactical gameplay of Battlefield.
Some fans were concerned that developer DICE may have let naval vehicles fall by the wayside with the upcoming release of Battlefield 2042. Throughout both the five-minute reveal trailer and the shorter gameplay showcase, not a single RHIB Boat or Attack Vessel can be seen.
Luckily, the design director at DICE, Daniel Berlin, has confirmed that naval combat will be a prominent feature in Battlefield 2042. In an extended interview featured during the Xbox Games Showcase, Berlin discusses what the ‘All-Out Warfare’ game mode will entail. He says:
“This is the place you go in 2042 when you want to have those classic Battlefield experiences. There’s a massive war where there’s air, land and sea just coming together in these massive battles.”
It could just be a force of habit for Berlin to mention naval combat while talking about Battlefield, though it seems bizarre to mention boats if they don’t exist in 2024.
Which maps could host naval combat?
Looking at the collection of maps on the Battlefield 2042 website, there are several that would be capable of hosting boat battles. Orbital, the map with the rocket launchpad, is set on a coastline with swathes of the ocean that could potentially hold naval ships.
The smaller map Kaleidoscope, set in a South Korean cityscape, has a small lake that’s glimpsed in the reveal trailer. It’s definitely more of an RC boat sized lake, but could still host jet skis if DICE wanted it to.
Manifest and Breakaway also look like there’s potential there for naval warfare. Manifest is one of the smallest maps in the game but is set in a dock filled with shipping containers. While the infantry has its fun snaking through the tight corridors, I imagine that boats could patrol the edge of the docks looking for stragglers.
Credit: EA/DICE Credit: EA/DICE Credit: EA/DICE
Breakaway is the icy map set in Antarctica. While there’s no sea to be seen, it’s possible that the ice could melt or be destroyed over time. In fact, we catch sight of hover vehicles in the reveal trailer. That could indicate that they’re designed to drive on both land and sea simultaneously.
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Featured Image: EA/DICE