To say Battlefield 2042 had a rough launch would be an understatement.
DICE has been scrambling to patch the game after it arrived riddled with bugs. But just as it has started to quell the community’s frustration with the game, the EA developer has kicked off a set of new frustrations.
Today’s update included a range of cosmetic items that seem to have been accidentally revealed too early, although this does explain why the update is a meaty 5GB in size (on the PlayStation 5).
Players haven’t taken too kindly to the hidden cosmetics, which one fan described as “Fortnite skins” (sorry, Fortnite fans).
But one particular skin has been seen as particularly offensive to the hardcore Battlefield community: the legendary “Father Winter”.
Available for the specialist Pyotr Boris Guskovsky, the sentry operator dons a red-hooded jacket that perfectly complements Boris’ lush beard.
Preview of the upcoming weekly mission rewards! ?
The #Battlefield2042 pre-season will last at least 8 weeks. pic.twitter.com/jRptlTrcD1
— Battlefield Bulletin (@BFBulletin) December 2, 2021
The main gripe players have is the creative decision by DICE to move away from the dark and gritty tone the franchise is known for to something more akin to the likes of Fortnite, which is continuously monetised through the addition of new cosmetics.
“DICE expects me to be able to take the game seriously with literal santa claus running around shooting people in what’s supposed to be a world where billions are displaced, natural disasters are destroying the planet, and there’s about to be a massive world proxy war,” questioned one Reddit commenter. “And we’re supposed to take all that into account with santa fucking claus running around on the battlefield.”
Similar issue has been taken with the post-match quips, which seem out of place in a game where players actively slaughter each other.
DICE has yet to comment on the fan reaction to these latest additions.