New Battlefield 2042 Gameplay Shows Specialists in Action

DICE unveiled more specialists in a new Battlefield 2042 gameplay video, and we got to know their skills, specializations, and motivations.

In Battlefield 2042 we will not see the standard division into character classes (assault, scout, support, engineer). Instead, the developers decided to follow the current trend and put in the game a system of Specialists - similar to the one from Apex Legends or Rainbow Six: Siege. Each of them will have a unique character, specialization and abilities, while the weapons will be selected by us. Unfortunately, not all fans liked this change. Therefore, DICE (the studio responsible for the game), to allay all fears, decided to present how the specialists will affect the gameplay, in the following gameplay video (with a familiar theme song in the background).

If everything goes according to plan, on launch there will be 10 Specialists in the game. More will probably join as part of the post-release content. DICE presented us with five of them at the moment - including Irisha, returning from the fourth installment who already appeared in the short film Exodus, introducing the plot outline of the upcoming game.

The specialists themselves present themselves as follows (descriptions come from the game's official website):

Pyotr "Boris" Guskovsky is self-motivated and self-fulfilling, Boris seeks to acquire power and control in a chaotic world. While his leadership skills may be a bit aggressive to some, there is no denying his skills in the field. He is equipped with the SG-36 sentry system, which automatically spots and attacks enemy targets within a defined area. Thanks to the built-in Sentry Operator. he is able to spot an enemy target when the sentry gun is targeting it.
Webster Mackay is an outdoorsman, a nomad and a soldier. Mackay is an ass-kicker with a conscience. Following his father's footsteps, Mackay joined the Canadian military in his teens. At the height of his military career, he was a member of Joint Task Force 2 as a part of a counter-terrorism unit. Webster can fire a grappling hook, which attaches to a surface, and pulls the player towards the attachment point. He is also very nimble, enabling the player to move faster in aiming mode, further increasing their advantage.
Maria Falck is a veteran Support. She has a strong will that cannot be shaken by danger, fear, or rank. A skilled medic, she served in the German army for six years, touring North Africa and the Middle East – in an effort to bring a positive impact upon the world. She's equipped with the S21 syrette pistol, which fires syringes at allies to heal them. Upon hitting an enemy, the syringe deals damage. As a combat surgeon he can bring disabled allies back into combat with full health after being revived.
Wikus "Casper" Van Daele is a recon soldier, a loner – and the unflappable, calm presence on the Task Force. A former intelligence-gathering operative in South Africa, Wikus is a master of camouflage and long-range engagement. He relies on an OV-P recon drone, which can spot targets moving nearby and stun enemies with an electromagnetic pulse. It can also be used to mark targets for weapons with targeting capabilities. In addition, it has a motion sensor, to alert the player of approaching enemies, both when he's moving and when he's controlling the drone.
Kimble "Irish" Graves, a natural-born leader, is the commander of the Specialists aboard the Exodus. A native of Brooklyn, New York, his natural leadership qualities and combat skills help keep the Non-Patriated safe from harm. Having seen the cost of war first hand as a former Marine, this skilled engineer is dedicated to protecting both his squad as well as those who cannot fight for themselves. Irish has a deployable sfortification system that protects from bullets and explosives, as well as APS-36 shootdown sentinel, which intercepts explosive projectiles. As a veteran he gets armor and a bonus for defeating enemies.

More Specialists are to be revealed later this month. Battlefield 2042 will be released on October 22nd on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, as well as PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Fans continue to wait for the announcement of the game's open beta. Renowned insiders Tom Henderson and Jeff Grubb report that it is not expected until September 22. Well, time will tell.