After Battlefield 2042‘s latest update accidentally revealed a ‘Father Winter’ skin – which wasn’t received well by some fans – DICE has said that Holiday-themed cosmetics could be for ‘single-time use’ and that some may not appear in the game this year at all.
A Twitter thread (below) shared by the Battlefield developer looked to address fans’ concerns surrounding the leaked skin. “Today some of you accidentally got a glimpse of some Holiday themed cosmetics and we wanted to help clarify their intended usage,” reads a statement.
“Development for Live Service requires us to work months in advance, and enables us to have options when we reach key moments in our first year. Today, we have other priorities, and so whilst we have the skins, we presently have no plans to utilize all of them this Holiday.”
Today some of you accidentally got a glimpse of some Holiday themed cosmetics and we wanted to help clarify their intended usage #Battlefield
Here’s a thread where we can help to share some insight 🧵👀 pic.twitter.com/ssiXVhlLkl
— Battlefield Direct Communication (@BattlefieldComm) December 2, 2021
While the developer never mentioned the controversial ‘Father Winter’ skin by name, it’s likely that it’s at least part of the reason for this messaging. It seems as though more outlandish skins may also be restricted to certain limited-time modes, rather than being available throughout the game:
“We also create unique cosmetics for single-time use in special Battlefield Portal modes to further enhance the fantasy in special events,” continued the thread. “Throughout our live service, you may occasionally encounter these mode-locked cosmetics, which don’t impact the rest of the game. It provides all of us working on Battlefield with exciting new opportunities that let us explore with more creative freedom than before.”
The developer concluded its statement by explaining to fans that support from the game’s community isn’t something that it takes for granted before adding that it’s grateful for any feedback players have over the modes.
While the statement didn’t specifically note what its other priorities are for the game, this could refer to a number of teething problems that the title has faced since its launch. With post-launch problems ranging from fan reports of bullet bloom to vehicle glitches and more, the team has been hard at work implementing major fixes to the game.
While fans have voiced their frustrations toward the game across social media and through platform reviews, DICE will almost certainly be hoping that its continued work on the title allows them to convince seasoned Battlefield players of the newest changes that 2042 has made to the series.
Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.