With Battlefield 6’s release on the horizon, EA is ramping up the marketing efforts for the latest entry in the franchise. The upcoming title received the best press possible after its successful Open Beta and is currently on the ascent, thanks in part to the fatigue surrounding its primary competition (Call of Duty). Battlefield also hasn’t shied away from aiming digs at Activision’s franchise, with its live-action trailer being the latest example.
Call of Duty has frequently fallen back on live-action trailers stuffed with celebrity cameos. You might remember its heavily-memed Warzone trailer, which featured rappers such as Young Thug, Gunna, and Jack Harlow, or its Modern Warfare III counterpart, which also featured rappers like 21 Savage and Central Cee.
As hilarious as these shorts can be, most fans will tell you that their novelty wore off years ago. These celebs are also integrated into the game as Operators, disrupting the mil-sim aesthetic that the franchise’s audience treasures. The resulting clash in identity has been one of the biggest complaints levied against Call of Duty in recent years. And this is precisely what Battlefield 6 took a jab at in its latest trailer.
Battlefield 6 Trailer Trolls Call of Duty’s Celebrity Cameos
The live-action trailer started with a squad of celebs forming up, much like what you’d find in a Call of Duty trailer. In this instance, the lineup included Hollywood star Zac Efron, Warriors’ Small Forward Jimmy Butler, Country Sensation Morgan Wallen, and UFC fighter Paddy Pimblett. The star-studded squad cock their weapons to prepare for combat, only to be wiped away by a missile. Talk about anti-climactic.
The celebrity fake-out is an obvious attempt at distancing Battlefield 6 from Call of Duty cliches, and as you’d expect, fans online ate it up. On YouTube, you’ll find near-infinite praise for the tactic, including comments such as “I’m loving this return to dunking on your competition when advertising your own product. Feels nostalgic to the 2000s.” Another user’s remarks effectively sum up the sentiment, “Did BF just break CoD’s ankles when they already 50 points up? The unsportsmanship is brutal….and deserved.“
After the celebs were blown to smithereens, the camera focused on a more relatable cast of characters, each imitating an in-game class. What ensued was 90 seconds of chaos, showing off every aspect of Battlefield’s combat formula. The trailer culminated in a massive explosion, of course, which leveled an entire building, before cutting to a Call of Duty-esque pre-order screen. So, I guess some cliches are too enticing to avoid.
With all that being said, what did you make of the trailer? Be sure to let us know in the comments.