Look, it’s not been an easy six months for EA DICE’s Battlefield 2042. Bugs had people clamouring for refunds in record numbers. Core features and roadmaps didn’t shake out as expected. Not to mention concurrent player numbers, which have not looked promising to say the least, dipping below 1,000 concurrent players on Steam for the first time ever. All-in-all, it’s been an unusually bumpy road for EA’s flagship shooter franchise.
But even on a bad day, there is a certain magic about Battlefield 2042 that you just can’t find anywhere else. Despite everything that’s come and gone since launch in November, players are still managing to pull off those breath-taking displays of skill which make for incredible montages and YouTube videos.
We all remember the RendeZook from Battlefield 3 – it was, at least, recreated in 2042’s fanservice-heavy trailer – but this clip from Twitter almost does one better. Shared by YouTuber ‘Westie’ on Twitter, ‘INeedAmmo6161’ chucks himself off a building with Sundance, gliding along in the path of a helicopter. Then, in a moment of madness, they whip out their bazooka and fire a shot – taking down a squad-filled helicopter.
It’s a move that has since been dubbed the ‘Wing Zook’ and its proof that, despite the dwindling numbers, players are still pulling off the moments this series is known for.
I call it The Wing Zook😂. @BearlyGG @Rickshade3 @Standingfast85 @thetedbaron #Battlefield2042 #BF2042 #PCGaming #twitch pic.twitter.com/Utu5J2IQJa
— I NEED AMMO6161 (@INEEDMONEY6161) November 14, 2021
Westie, who has been covering the game since launch on his Youtube channel, explains that “despite all that’s gone on”, we still are getting those ‘Battlefield moments’ the series is known for. The game might not be where players want or expect it to be, but those stunning glimpses of carnage from the reveal trailer that got fans hyped last year can still be found in 2042 – you just might have to look a lot harder than usual to find them.
While the user score on Metacritic for the game continues to linger at a gallingly-low 2.1 (at time of writing), the clip can’t help but make one optimistic for the future of Battlefield 2042. While the bad press may in some ways be insurmountable for the title, there’s still a lot of fun to be had with this latest entry – even if perhaps that fun tips a little too far towards the absurd at times.