Battlefield 6 makes fun of CoD: Blows up Zac Efron and a load of other celebs while players whoop and cheer

Battlefield 6 Paddy Pimblett cameo — (Image credit: EA)

Battlefield 6's official launch is just over a week away, and while most players are counting down the seconds, some are revelling in the latest official live-action trailer that seems to poke fun at a certain competing FPS franchise.

The trailer starts with a bunch of celebrities: Zac Efron, Jimmy Butler, Morgan Wallen, and Paddy Pimblett gearing up for a fight, but sadly, they don't really get too far as they're blown to bits in just a couple of seconds. This is followed by an unknown soldier asking, "Who was that?" as another soldier replies, "Doesn't matter, let's move."

Battlefield 6: Official Launch Live Action Trailer - YouTube

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I was pretty relieved when I saw these celebrities get blown up. It's not like I've got anything against them, but seeing a Battlefield 6 trailer with guest stars didn't fit the vibe that I thought Battlefield Studios was going for with this latest game. One of the biggest fears many players have had throughout the lead-up to Battlefield 6 was that it would unceremoniously morph into Call of Duty at some point, be that by adding ridiculous skins or with weird collabs that are out of place in its gritty battleground.

So blowing up Zac Efron and co may seem like a bit much, but it has worked wonders in quelling player fears and hyping people up for Battlefield 6. While some are loving the playful jab at Call of Duty, others are just revelling in the tongue-in-cheek trailer that feels like something we would've seen a decade ago.

"No way they officially posted that… It's like we've moved back in time," one player says. As others remark that this feels like a Battlefield 3 or Bad Company 2 promo—"Yeah, it feels like an old Battlefield commercial, well done to whoever was involved."

One of the most interesting things about watching the hype for Battlefield 6 unfold has been my realisation about how much players (me included) seem to just want a bit of nostalgia. While series like Call of Duty have seemingly strayed further and further from what players actually want over the last decade or so, a return to form for Battlefield has managed to fill a huge hole in the FPS genre.

This is the best death that specialists could have gotten from r/Battlefield6

Other players have been quick to point out how much of a "fuck you" to CoD this trailer is. "Every year, CoD is known to do a live action trailer featuring various celebrities and internet personalities in a light-hearted and comedic fashion, just like the opening," a player points out. "The BF team is really leaning on the tone shift and 'We're a grounded military shooter while CoD hasn't been in years'."

Regardless of what your takeaway is from this trailer, it's managed to keep on fueling the ridiculously high expectations and excitement for Battlefield 6 while also managing to capture the pure chaos of your squad trying to take out a rogue tank.

Elie is a news writer with an unhealthy love of horror games—even though their greatest fear is being chased. When they're not screaming or hiding, there's a good chance you'll find them testing their metal in metroidvanias or just admiring their Pokemon TCG collection. Elie has previously worked at TechRadar Gaming as a staff writer and studied at JOMEC in International Journalism and Documentaries – spending their free time filming short docs about Smash Bros. or any indie game that crossed their path.

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