Battlefield 2042 reveals first non-binary character Sundance

Electronic Arts (EA) have unveiled their first-ever non-binary Specialist in Battlefield 2042, Emma "Sundance" Rosier, signalling a progressive move toward better inclusion and representativeness in video games.

EA and Dice community manager Kevin Johnson initially introduced Sundance on Twitter using they/them pronouns, which subsequently prompted fans to speculate whether Sundance was non-binary. 

Johnson introduced Sundance, tweeting: "Another Assault Specialist on the way with Sundance, get used to seeing them zip through the sky on their Wingsuit for fast entry on objectives and tactical situations. They also feature a set of Smart Explosives that allow you to take out enemy aircraft."

Sundance is the first-ever non-binary character in the Battlefield franchise.

EA's lead community manager Adam Freeman later confirmed Sundance's gender identity and preferred pronouns, responding to a post on Twitter, saying: "Yep. Sundance is non-binary and uses the pronouns they/them."

Yep. Sundance is non-binary and uses the Pronouns They/Them.

— Freeman 🇸🇪 (@PartWelsh) October 21, 2021

Sundance is one of ten Specialists in Battlefield 2042. Their bio on the Battlefield website reads:

"Sundance definitely likes to live on the edge. They're a skilled and fearless adversary that's had two very different lives – one as a model soldier in the Armée de Terre, and an earlier and much darker existence as a trusted associate in a major Parisian crime syndicate. The latter, sadly, came back to haunt them and ended their military career pre-maturely." 

"This Assault Specialist is doing their best to keep a low profile among the Non-Patriated, while still using their unique talents to aid the cause whenever they can."

• Read more: Gamers roast Battlefield 2042 beta: "Feels like a Chinese clone of the Battlefield series."

A Twitter user also praised EA for their decision of designing Sundance with Type 4 hair, citing: "It makes me happy to have a specialist that 'looks like me'."

Thanks to the team who made Emma's hair 🥺
We don't get a lot of right representation of type 4 hair in video games ( It's been changing/improving for the past few years though ) . So yeah it makes me happy to have a specialist that "looks like me".#Battlefield2042https://t.co/5i0TLGObU2pic.twitter.com/ALEe0oTFcX

— J̸e̵s̸s̷i̴e̷ ̸M̷i̶c̴h̵a̴e̵l̵i̴s̷🏳️‍🌈 (@Michaelis972) October 21, 2021

Sundance isn't the first LGBTQ+ character introduced by EA, which marks a progressive trajectory regarding the better representation of marginalized individuals in contemporary video games.

Apex Legends' Bloodhound is another non-binary character under EA's library of games. This is evident from they/them pronouns used on Bloodhound's bio page, which reads:

"Bloodhound's unparalleled tracking skills are a boon to any team they join, helping them root out hidden opponents and track enemy movements." (thanks for pointing this out, PC Gamer)

If you haven't seen Sundance's teaser trailer, then you can check it out in the video embedded below.

Battlefield 2042 will launch on 19th November on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S consoles.

• Read more: How to check Battlefield 2042 server status.

Don't forget to check out our dedicated Battlefield section for all the news, updates, guides and more.

Featured image courtesy of DICE / Electronic Arts.