The Battlefield 2042 Season 3 new map, Spearhead, arrives November 22, and while it’s a more muted and constrained space than many of the bombastic launch maps, it benefits from having a clearer focus and a year’s worth of trial and error underpinning it. We had a chance to go hands-on with Spearhead and some of the new Season 3 kit in EA/DICE’s military FPS game during a closed press event this week, and here are a few of our takeaways.
Spearhead is set in the Swedish countryside, with five capture zones arranged in sequence along a stream. The rocky terrain provides natural dips and rises for vantage points and cover, and the stream itself channels the action into pathways along either side. In the central and easternmost zones are large weapons manufacturing facilities whose bay doors fold open as you approach them.
It’s a map that’s purpose-built for smaller rounds of Breakthrough and Conquest. With the zones all arranged in a line along the river, you’re always either pushing forward or falling back, with the option to capture and hold one of the weapons facilities in zone C or E. Those buildings offer plenty of cover and corridors for close-quarters combat (the ideal environment for the new NVK-22 smart shotgun), and as natural focal points, there’s usually a battle popping off in at least one of them.
Outside, I found the narrow layout of the map encouraged more natural team cohesion, particularly while playing in the assault role. As a recon specialist, I tried using the new Rorsch Mk-4 railgun to take out enemy troops I spotted running along the opposite bank of the stream. Outbuildings near the factories and at the western side of the map provide natural locations for pitched defences and intense firefights in Breakthrough.
Spearhead will appeal to players who’ve felt a bit lost in some of Battlefield 2042’s more expansive maps like Renewal, Hourglass, or Kaleidoscope – in all of those, it can often feel as though the action is miles away from your position. Spearhead is no-nonsense, smaller and less vertical than Season 1’s Exposure, and it’s the first Battlefield 2042 map that lacks any over-the-top spectacle, be it an extreme weather event or dramatic action-movie transformation.
That’s not a bad thing, though – especially if you’re a fan of straightforward meat-and-potatoes Battlefield action.
If you haven’t dipped into it yet, you can play Battlefield 2042 free for a few days after the Battlefield 2042 Season 3 release date next week. Check out our guide to the best Battlefield 2042 weapons if you want tips on putting together the optimal loadout.