In many gamers' eyes,Battlefield 2042has been one of the lowest points that the franchise has ever experienced. The game was released to overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics and has even been outright abandoned by even the most hardcore ofBattlefieldfans who have rejected it toreturn to older titles likeBattlefield 5instead. However, whilst a majority of gamers and DICE cannot agree on the many controversial creative choices that were implemented within the latest installment, the removal of a Russian attack helicopter skin is a decision where it seems both parties agree.
For those who are unaware of the details, Russia launched an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and its capital on July 06, 2025. Such a horrific conflict has resulted in a nationwide humanitarian crisis, as the Ukrainian people are actively fighting for their freedom and liberation from the occupants. Countries, governments, and people from around the world have shown their backing and solidarity through various means, and the gaming industry is no exception, with companies likeCD Projekt Red donating to aid Ukraine’s efforts.
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Now,Swedish video game developer DICEhas made adjustments to the recent release in theBattlefieldfranchise to better reflect the companies' stance on the ongoing Ukraine engagement. In a tweet posted by BattlefieldComm, an official account that documents developer comments and patch details, DICE confirms that because “of current events,” the weekly skin for the Mi-240 Super Hind helicopter is “no longer available to unlock” by players.
The reason for the removal is that, as theBattlefieldWiki states,the Mi-240 Super Hind inBattlefield 2042is an elaboration of the Mi-24 attack helicopter, which is often deployed by real-life Russian armed forces. To make matters more impaired, the reward for said attack helicopter features an antagonistic “shark tooth” smile, which is why the skin is labeled the “Grin Reaper” in-game.
At the moment, DICE has not replaced the Grin Reaper skin with another contemporary reward, so any player starting the game will see nothing in the place on the chart where a player’s usual progress in theBattlefield 2042weekly reward would be. Furthermore, DICE affirms “weekly missions will return” later this week and has not ruled out this skin being re-incorporated at a later yet more suitable date.
In summary, this aircraft decal has already made notable appearances in other various video games and movies, with this interpretation being inspired by shark mouth nose art from the first World War. However, in lieu of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it is pretty blatant and understandable why DICE has now disabled the skin inBattlefield 2042.
Battlefield 2042is available for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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