Updated

Updated · Polygon · Jul 17

Battlefield 6 Launches Top Gun Crossover on July 21 as Season 4 Adds F-14 and F-18 Jets

Updated

Updated · Polygon · Jul 17

Battlefield 6 Launches Top Gun Crossover on July 21 as Season 4 Adds F-14 and F-18 Jets

Q: With Phase Three's details still secret, what final surprise is Battlefield holding for its massive Season 4 update?

The likeliest “final surprise” in Season 4 is the **Phantom Program for Battlefield REDSEC**, which Battlefield Studios has described as a **“discoverable secret.”** That makes it the clearest candidate for the still-hidden hook of Phase Three, **“Tidal Strike,”** which begins on **September 15**. What is already known about Phase Three is limited but meaningful. It is expected to include **The Deep Six collection event**, the **Diver Knife** melee weapon for Battlefield 6 and REDSEC, **Proximity Chat** in REDSEC as a Battlefield Labs in Live feature, and additional **optic attachment choices**. EA and Battlefield Studios have also said more details will be revealed as Season 4 continues, indicating that the full scope of Tidal Strike has not yet been disclosed. That means the studio is likely saving at least one headline feature for a later reveal. Based on the available reporting, the Phantom Program stands out because it is being framed not as routine seasonal content, but as something players will need to uncover. In practical terms, that suggests an event, challenge chain, or hidden REDSEC experience tied to the season’s closing phase. So while Battlefield has confirmed the broad shape of Tidal Strike, the strongest evidence points to **Phantom Program** as the season’s real endgame surprise, with more specifics still under wraps.

3 articles · Updated · Polygon · Jul 17

July 21 will bring Battlefield 6 and REDSEC a Top Gun: Maverick event tied to Season 4: Pacific Front, with EA now positioning the crossover alongside the update’s launch.
EA and Paramount Games Studio are adding F-14 Tomcat and F-18 Super Hornet aircraft, plus fully voiced characters Rooster, Bob and Warlock, Top Gun-themed cosmetics and the new Carrier Strike mode.
Season 4 also adds the Tsuru Reef map, naval vehicles including the RCB-90 Patrol Boat and 7.7m NSW RHIB, three new weapons and a ranked mode for REDSEC, alongside broader balance changes.
Battlefield 6 sold more than 7 million copies in 3 days after its Oct. 10, 2025 launch, but Steam approval slid from 76% to 67% amid battle pass, balance and map-size complaints.
That makes the update a key test of whether Battlefield can win back lapsed players while extending the series’ biggest launch with a high-profile film tie-in.