A new Battlefield was revealed this week, and it makes a nice reference in the title to two games from the past. Using the 2042 reference, DICE are making calls back to the game that started it all, Battlefield 1942, and the only futuristic title in the series so far, Battlefield 2142. Amongst all the hyperbole about 2042 having the largets maps ever and unprecedented scale, the website references a currently ‘Redacted’ game mode which is described as a love letter to the fans of DICE and Battlefield.

While the existence of a new Battlefield game is something to be celebrated, with a typically bombastic pre-rendered trailer featuring sky-diving, explosions, jets and a tuk-tuk showing off the action we can expect, I’m still left wondering what the love letter to the fans will be.

DICE have already confirmed that Conquest mode will return, along with the ever impressive Breakthrough mode. There will be a Hazard Zone mode, described as “an all-new, high-stakes, squad-based game type that is a moder take on the multiplayer experience”. It’s a mode which many media outlets have confirmed won’t be a Battle Royale mode (thankfully), while we also know there won’t be a singleplayer campaign.

PC Gamer have done some snooping, with tweets from members of DICE LA referencing Battlefield 1942. But what about 1942 would DICE LA want to take inspiration from? It’s a stone cold classic, but another part of the Battlefield 2042 site describes the ‘Redacted’ game mode as being a new way to play the game.

I’m puzzled, that’s for sure. How can this new, super secret game mode be both a love letter to the fans, and a new way to play? It’s safe to say that EA and DICE know how to get the long-time fans of the game intrigued, and I can’t wait to see what this new way to play is when revealed at EA Play Live on July 22.

For now though, I’m going to make use of the free copy of 1942 I downloaded nine years ago from Origin, install Vietnam from four (YES FOUR!) CD-ROMs, and take a look at 2142 for the first time in my life. I bought Vietnam and 2142 from Amazon back in 2011, so I must have known that EA would remove them from all of their digital platforms even back then. A weekend of retro Battlefield action sounds the perfect compliment to the reveal of 2042.