Battlefield 6 Takes Aim at Call of Duty in Bold Live-Action Trailer

EA has thrown down the gauntlet with a new live-action trailer for Battlefield 6, which premiered on Sunday, September 28. The two-minute spot doesn’t just promote the game’s mid-October launch — it openly mocks Call of Duty’s over-the-top cosmetic style and celebrity-driven marketing.

For years, Activision has leaned heavily on big-name stars such as Kit Harington, Ice Cube, Helena Bonham Carter, and Idris Elba to promote Call of Duty. EA’s latest trailer riffs on that trend with a tongue-in-cheek twist, making its competitive intentions crystal clear.

A Direct Shot at Call of Duty’s Style

The video opens with four recognizable faces — Zac Efron, NBA star Jimmy Butler, country singer Morgan Wallen, and MMA fighter Paddy Pimblett — outfitted in flashy tactical gear and carrying outrageously skinned weapons. It’s a deliberate parody of Call of Duty’s recent embrace of bright, unconventional cosmetics.

As Efron begins a dramatic line — “We’re here to do one thing, and one thing—” — the entire group is abruptly blown up by a missile. In their place, a standard-issue military squad representing Battlefield 6 strides onto the scene.

“Who was that?” one soldier asks.“It doesn’t matter,” another replies.

The moment lands as a clear statement of intent: Battlefield 6 is positioning itself as the grounded, no-nonsense alternative to Activision’s more colorful approach.

Celebrity Cameos and Fan Reaction

The trailer’s star-studded lineup includes:

• Zac Efron
• Jimmy Butler
• Morgan Wallen
• Paddy Pimblett

Within hours of its premiere, the video surpassed half a million views on YouTube and generated thousands of comments. Many viewers praised EA’s marketing team for the creative jab, with one top comment reading: “Give whoever’s in the marketing department a raise.” Another fan wrote that EA’s “marketing team understood the assignment.”

The Bigger Picture: EA vs. Activision

The stakes are high for EA’s flagship shooter. The previous installment, Battlefield 2042, is estimated to have sold over 10 million copies since its November 2021 release. Producer Jeremy Chubb has expressed confidence that Battlefield 6 will perform even better.

Despite the pointed mockery, sources close to Activision suggest the company remains unfazed, viewing Call of Duty as “too big to fail” regardless of what its competitors are doing.

Fans won’t have to wait long to see how this rivalry plays out:

• Battlefield 6 launches October 10, 2025
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 follows on November 14, 2025

With just over a month separating the two releases, the showdown between these FPS giants is shaping up to be one of the most exciting face-offs in recent gaming history.