You can drive a Panzer in Battlefield 5's battle royale mode

Earlier today, Treyarch and Activision revealed the first trailer for Blackout, the battle royale mode in the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. EA did the same this week, finally letting us in on more about Battlefield 5's battle royale mode, called Firestorm, in a new post

Firestorm will support battles of up to 64 players—16 squads of four players each—on a map surrounded by a constricting ring of fire. Matches will have objectives similar to those in the Conquest mode, some in fixed locations and some random, that will unlock supplies, weapons, and vehicles when completed. Objectives don't need to be completed in order to win, but doing so will give you better gear, and thus increase your chances of survival. 

Vehicles in Firestorm will include heavy-hitters like the Panzer, although obviously they're not going to just toss the keys to anyone who asks nicely. "Getting hold of a tank can give you a great edge, but you won't be invincible—and you need to measure risk versus reward if you challenge other squads to secure the battlefield's most fearsome hardware," EA says. "Jumping into a transport vehicle will give your squad an edge in speed and power. If you find something with wheels, you can drive it into battle—or plot a quick escape." 

EA also revealed a Firestorm-themed preorder bonus for Battlefield 5, although it will be usable in all parts of the game. The Firestorm Ranger Set includes goggles, light battle fatigues, and the MkIII(S) Elite Combat Dagger. That comes on top of other preorder extras including a Paratrooper Outfit, "Special Assignments" with unique rewards, and immediate access to five of the First World War's "most modern weapons" in Battlefield 1. 

Battlefield 5 releases on November 20, though a little earlier for Origin Access subscribers and pre-orderers. 

Andy Chalk

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.