Battlefield 2042 wingsuit is only available with one Specialist

Battlefield 2042
(Image credit: EA)

The Battlefield 2042 wingsuit featured in many of the game's trailers will be exclusive to one playable Specialist and therefore unavailable in most loadouts. 

DICE and EA shared this small downer as part of a big Battlefield 2042 FAQ answering all your questions on the game, and more pertinently, explaining how specialties and traits work. "We’ve noticed your excitement for a certain Specialist using a Wingsuit to navigate around the battlefield," the post reads. "That Wingsuit is their specific specialty and cannot be used by any other Specialist." 

Battlefield has been leaning more and more into absurdist action stunts in recent games, and the wingsuit quickly became the face of that mentality for Battlefield 2042. I'm sure everyone remembers that one madlad wingsuit-ing their way around a dang tornado in the reveal, and I'm sure many players hoped to role-play that madlad in multiplayer. You'll still be able to, of course, but you'll have to use a specific Specialist to do it. 

The good news is that you don't have to bend over backwards to get access to the wingsuit. Battlefield 2042 loadouts are split between your gear and your Specialist. You can fully customize your primary and secondary weapon, your equipment, and your throwable (that is, your grenade). However, your choice of Specialist locks in a specialty and Trait unique to them. The Specialist Mackay, for example, comes with a grappling hook and the Nimble trait.

So if you are hell-bent on becoming a flying squirrel soaring over the battlefield, you'll have to give up on every other specialty and trait. On the one hand, that's a bit disappointing, especially after all the hype for the wingsuit – though it is a good thing that there are clear advantages and disadvantages to each Specialist, as that means the system is working. On the other hand, it probably would've been a little too chaotic if everyone and their dog had a wingsuit all the time. I don't think DICE wants to turn Battlefield into a nutty arena shooter, and honestly, you probably don't even need a wingsuit all the time. Besides, as a grappling hook devotee myself, I'm already questioning my choice. 

The Battlefield 2042 technical playtest has been delayed, but that's given fans time to improve their chances of participating. 

Austin Wood

Austin freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree, and he's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize that his position as a senior writer is just a cover up for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a focus on news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.