Like other games in the long-running franchise, Battlefield 6 more often than not strives to achieve a sense of intense, heightened realism through more grounded warfare gameplay. Several popular games seem determined to shove as many skins and add-ons from across pop culture as possible, whether they make sense for the gameplay or not. Still, EA invited CGM to preview the upcoming Battlefield 6 and Top Gun crossover, and the results are like peanut butter and chocolate.
Since its launch, Battlefield 6 has worked to address player criticisms and improve the game in many ways. Bigger maps, new vehicles, and more unlockables welcome new and returning players, but August 18th will see the game’s first big crossover that will give a lot more reasons to return to the game. Besides the return of one of the franchise’s best maps, the next big update for Battlefield 6 will include new modes and unlockables that will help Top Gun fans feel like pilots more than the movies ever could.
Battlefield 6’s next content update will include enough new material that other online shooters normally include throughout an entire multiplayer season. Season 4 began last July with several adjustments and the refreshing return of naval combat with the Tsuru Reef map. However, the upcoming crossover event, running from August 18 to September 15, looks set to push Battlefield 6 into overdrive with a new mode inspired by Top Gun and another great map that uses almost everything the franchise excels at.
“The next big update for Battlefield 6 will include new modes and unlockables that will help Top Gun fans feel like pilots more than the movies ever could.”
The limited-time crossover Gauntlet mission, Fighter Sweep, reworks the naval-based Tsuru Reef map into a jet-only showdown. Pilots and co-pilot spotters can determine for themselves who is the best of the best in a new game type that is the perfect way to bring the Top Gun franchise into Battlefield 6 without feeling like a pandering advertisement. With actors Miles Teller, Lewis Pullman, and Charles Parnell from Top Gun: Maverick lending their likeness and voices to the crossover, fans of the films are in for the closest thing they’ll get to a third Top Gun movie they’ll have for a while.
Another addition that will hopefully be sticking around longer than other Battlefield 6 modes is Carrier Strike. The new mode pits two large teams against one another, each spawning from their own gigantic aircraft carrier on the huge new map Wake Island. It’s a returning favourite from several previous Battlefield instalments, and like other popular modes, Conquest and Escalation, players will need to battle for control of points across the map. However, gaining control of objectives will help damage and expose the enemy’s carrier.
The Carrier Strike game mode was extremely thrilling thanks to Wake Island’s design, which is built to accommodate almost every type of vehicle, be it from sea or air. But some of the most intense moments came when my team’s carrier hit a certain low point on its health bar, seemingly leaving openings for enemy soldiers to infiltrate, sabotage, and even set up bombs. The invasion proved to be too much for my team’s carrier to handle, but I can only imagine how nail-biting close games can feel while trying to defend your ship while the other is also low on health.
“The upcoming crossover event, running from August 18 to September 15, looks set to push Battlefield 6 into overdrive.”
A major complaint many players shared with Battlefield 6’s launch maps was that none felt nearly as large as previous instalments. This made sniping and vehicle combat feel more limiting, but I can confidently say the new version of Wake Island doesn’t suffer from either problem. It comprises a strip of land shaped like a backwards “C,” complete with nooks and crannies for boats to travel through, as well as extensive zip lines that make getting back into the action easier than ever on a map of this size. Big map traversal mechanics are a huge upgrade, and so are the new playable vehicles.
The new jets-only Gauntlet mission, Fighter Sweep, is the perfect way to introduce the new two-seater jets: the F/A-81F Super Spectre. Players will be able to fly and battle together like the iconic Maverick and Rooster Top Gun duo. While both players can use the jet’s weapons, dividing the fast-paced vehicle’s capabilities between two players instantly makes aerial combat far more accessible with the expanded possibilities. One player can focus on flying like an ace while the other can scan the environment much more effectively than a pilot normally could. Spotters track enemy targets with ease and help players enjoy intense jet gameplay without knowing how to fly.
Another vehicular addition includes the F-74A Seacat, a nimble two-seater naval ship equipped with anti-air missiles, torpedoes, and powerful guns. The new boats are extremely versatile, with weapons capable of handling nearly any threat Battlefield 6 can throw at them, and even pressuring the most skilled aircraft pilots who once felt nearly unstoppable.
The addition of Wake Island is an absolutely perfect map to showcase the new Carrier Strike mode and vehicles. Carrier Strike feels like one of the most intense game modes the franchise has produced, thanks to its effective use of vehicles and the evolution of the Conquest game mode, which clearly rewards claiming objectives. Still, even if the impressive new mode is removed like other beloved Battlefield 6 modes, Wake Island, the Seacat, and the two-seater Super Spectre jet are fantastic additions that expand one of the best multiplayer shooters around.
New content including the Wake Island map, Carrier Strike mode, and Top Gun crossover material will be available as a free update for everyone who owns Battlefield 6. However, the game will have a free trial period between August 18 and 25, so players with a stable internet connection and a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, or PC can try the new content.
