The event, free trial, paid-game mode, REDSEC mode, and store bundles use different dates and access rules.
The Battlefield 6 Top Gun event runs from August 18 at 4:00 a.m. PDT to September 15, 2026 at 4:00 a.m. PDT. The related free trial ran only August 18–25, so it should not be advertised as active after that window.
- Open the event page and pin challenges that share a mode, vehicle, or objective.
- Earn Ace Medals through gameplay and exchange them for the preferred first 10 rewards.
- Finish those 10 to open the final reward before the September 15 cutoff.
How Ace Medals work
Ace Medals are earned through event challenges and exchanged on the Top Gun event page. Players can choose the order of the first 10 rewards, including weapon packages, aircraft skins, and profile items. Completing those 10 opens one final reward.
EA separates two challenge sources:
- Ace Pilot Challenges are available as the regular gameplay route.
- BF Pro Challenges are additional alternatives for BF Pro members.
EA states that enough medals to complete the event can be earned through gameplay alone. Store bundles may include medals, but buying them is not required for the full event reward path.
A practical event route
Open the event page before choosing a playlist and pin challenges that share the same mode, vehicle, or objective. A Carrier Strike challenge and an aircraft challenge can progress during the same session; unrelated tasks force extra mode changes. Claim or exchange medals between sessions so the reward order reflects what you actually want rather than the order shown on the screen.
Players who do not enjoy aircraft can use the full four-week schedule instead of forcing every challenge into the first days. The event guide explicitly says not every task is based on aerial combat. BF Pro challenges are alternatives, not proof that the regular path is incomplete.
Access boundaries
Carrier Strike, multiplayer maps, and some content require the paid Battlefield 6 game. Gauntlet: Fighter Sweep is part of REDSEC. The limited free trial used REDSEC as the download entry and included four maps and four playlists, but that trial ended August 25.
Do not buy a store bundle expecting it to unlock Battlefield 6 itself. EA prices the two themed bundles separately at 2,400 BFC and describes them as cosmetic and event-item packages. Ownership of the base game remains a separate requirement for Carrier Strike and paid multiplayer content.
Sources
QUICK ANSWERS
Questions players ask next
When does the Battlefield 6 Top Gun event end?
EA schedules the event to end September 15, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. UTC, or 4:00 a.m. PDT.
Can every event item be earned through play?
Yes. EA says the Ace Medals required for every event item can be earned through gameplay challenges.
Is the Battlefield 6 free trial still active?
The announced Top Gun trial ran August 18–25, 2026; that window has ended unless EA publishes another trial.
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