Battlefield V just got a whole lot more exciting, with a new theater of war coming to the game next week. DICE announced the update a while back but up until today we had no idea when we would see the Japanese and Americans duke it out in the Pacific theater of World War II. And as it turns out, Battlefield veterans also have some good news coming their way as they will see two legendary old school maps returning to the game.
Starting October 31st, Battlefield V players will get unlimited free access to the upcoming update titled ‘War In The Pacific’ (or Chapter 5 if you’re counting). Apart from a couple of new maps (and some old ones, reworked), two new factions, and new player models, fans can expect a lot of new mechanics and ‘toys’ to play with.
New toys to play with in Battlefield V: War in the Pacific
Based on the trailer, the Americans will utilize fire to eradicate entrenched Japanese soldiers, both with a flamethrower and with a flame throwing M4 Sherman tank. There’s also what appears to be a Calliope Sherman tank coming to War In The Pacific; this Sherman is outfitted with a bunch of rocket launchers on top and will likely be a Specialization upgrade.
In terms of weapons the iconic M1 Garand rifle will also make it’s way to Battlefield V and therefore Japanese soldiers will have the typical ‘ping’ sound to alert them of when to initiate their banzai charge. Support players will also get access to the M1919A6 Browning machine gun and later down the line, the Grease Gun and possibly the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) will be introduced to the game.
And speaking of banzai charges, the katana will be introduced in Battlefield V. Though, like the flamethrower, the iconic Japanese sword will feature in the game as a Battle Pick-up and will not be unlockable in the traditional sense.
The Japanese will introduce a couple of well known weapons to the game as well. WWII fanatics may recognize the Type 99 Arisaka bolt-action rifle that will be coming to the Recon class. The Type 100 SMG will also be a new addition to the game.
Oh, and if you’re aching to do some kamikaze, DICE has got you covered. Although flying a plane into an enemy warship is an option, Chapter 5 will also introduce the Lunge Mine. In the trailer the handheld anti-tank weapon is used on a Sherman tank with devastating effect, but the Japanese soldier wielding it is surprisingly okay. In reality, it is a deadly weapon, both for the tank at the receiving end of the Lunge Mine, and the soldier wielding it. You’ll probably survive the usage of the weapon in-game, with the mine possibly also being a Battle Pick-up.
New (and old) Battlefield maps
Of course, you’ll use the new weapons in new locations. Both Pacific Storm and Iwo Jima will be introduced when the update launches. Pacific Storm will sometimes feature dynamic weather, brewing an actual Pacific storm in the vein of ‘levolution’ from BF4. The map will consist of many smaller island (sometimes with capture points on them) that are accessible with the new boats, landers and amphibious vehicles.
Iwo Jima, as veterans will recall, is a classic Battlefield map featured in both Battlefield 1942 and 1943. The island features a heavy initial landing by U.S. troops, with the Japanese falling back onto the high mountain-like volcano.
And then there’s the cream of the crop: Wake Island. First introduced in Battlefield 1942, the map has been a staple of the franchise with official renditions in Battlefield 2, Battlefield Heroes, Battlefield 1943 and Battlefield 3, and modded versions in Battlefield Vietnam and Battlefield 2142.
This will be the first ‘next-gen’ version of Wake Island to ever grace the franchise and we’re sure many veterans (including the entire Game Enthusiast staff) are excited to fight on the V-shaped island. Sadly though, the map will not be available right away when War In The Pacific is launched. Instead, the map will release somewhere in December, possibly along with some new weapons.
If you want to try out Battlefield V for free, there’s still one long weekend you can do that before War In The Pacific hits Battlefield V on the 31st of October.
Image credit (header & screenshots): Electronic Arts/DICE