Highlights

  • Battlefield 2042 has worked hard to distance itself from its troubled launch and has seen a positive turnaround with consistent post-launch updates and new content.
  • The Redacted map in Season 6 brings a high-octane infantry-only experience that focuses on close-quarters combat, drawing inspiration from past Battlefield maps like Operation Metro and Operation Locker.
  • Redacted is a homage to the beloved close-quarters maps of the franchise, offering improved flanking and escape options while capturing the chaotic and frantic gameplay that fans love, bringing Battlefield 2042 a bit closer to the level of iconic Battlefield experiences.

Battlefield 2042 has recently been putting in a lot of work to try and distance itself from the negative reputation it developed due to its problematic launch in 2021. The unusually bare-bones nature of the title saw it quickly lose huge portions of its player base shortly after releasing, but consistent post-launch content updates are beginning to turn these tides for the better.

The past month or so has done wonders for Battlefield 2042 in this way, with a jam-packed new update and free-to-play weekends seeing the title's popularity skyrocket, being much more reflective of what success a Battlefield title should be attaining. This newfound popularity has only been boosted by recent additions to 2042's map pool, and the brand-new Redacted map is up there with some of the most high-octane Battlefield experiences of all time.

RELATED: What Players Need to Know Before Giving Battlefield 2042 a Second Chance

Battlefield 2042's Redacted Map: An Ode To Past Operations

battlefield 3 key art operation metro map

October 10 saw the introduction of Battlefield 2042's sixth in-game season, being officially billed as Season 6: Dark Creations. This update introduced a lot of welcome improvements to Battlefield 2042, but it was the addition of the Redacted map that really captured the attention of players. Alongside Redacted, Battlefield 2042's Season 6 has introduced the following content:

  • A brand-new 100-tier Battle Pass
  • The VHX-D3 assault rifle, L9CZ sidearm, and the G428 DMR
  • New Gadgets: Ammo and Medical Pouches
  • The YUV-2 “Pondhawk” vehicle

Redacted really leans into the close-quarters combat that Battlefield can foster, moving away from the much more open experiences that the IP often explores. While Battlefield excels at open maps with land, air, and even naval combat, the franchise is surprisingly suited for the chaos of restricted and tight engagements. Redacted is an infantry-only experience with no vehicles, taking place within a remote underground Scottish research facility that really leans into the game's semi-futuristic setting.

DICE has been very transparent with the role that Operation Metro and Operation Locker played in the development of Redacted. These past Operations appeared in Battlefield 3 and Battlefield 4 respectively, both being renowned for their bold close-quarters approach to more linear combat. Metro and Locker became defining maps for the IP, with Battlefield 5 even paying homage to them with its own Operation Underground.

Moving away from the cinematic aerial dogfights and massive open landscapes of traditional Battlefield maps, experiences like Metro and Locker opened up a whole new world of gameplay for the franchise. This is something that Battlefield 2042 sorely missed prior tor Season 6 and Redacted, only adding to past criticisms of the release not possessing the usual content of past installments to the IP.

Operation Metro and Operation Locker were so popular that 24/7 servers for both maps could be found regularly in BF3 and BF4, meaning that any similar maps are likely to be received well.

In the official communications regarding Redacted, DICE likened the new map to an evolution of Metro and Locker, maintaining the tight corridors and frantic chaos of past maps while making improvements to the flanking and escape possibilities within them. It is clear that a lot of respect has been given to Metro and Locker within Redacted, and fans of the past experiences will be right at home in the freshly added map. Not only does Redacted bring 2042 add a fantastic new angle for play-styles and tactics, but it crucially brings the once-struggling title up to speed with some of the most iconic gameplay experiences in Battlefield history.