Battlefield 5 Firestorm: Walls, Knives & Decals Explained

Battlefield 5’s Firestorm mode lets you write on walls with a knife? No—there is no mechanic to carve or spray custom text or decals onto walls in Firestorm or any other Battlefield 5 mode. What you may have seen in videos are pre-placed map graffiti, player-created clan tags on vehicles, or UI elements from the downed-state camera, not something you can do yourself. This article clears up the confusion, explains what customization actually exists, and answers the related questions players search for.

What Firestorm Actually Lets You Do

Firestorm is Battlefield 5’s battle royale mode, released in March 2019. It drops 64 players onto a large map called Halvøy, where you scavenge weapons, vehicles, and armor plates while a ring of fire closes in. The mode focuses on survival, looting, and combat—not on environmental customization. There is no system for writing, drawing, or placing decals on walls, floors, or any surface. The game engine simply does not support player-generated textures or persistent markings in the world.

Where the “Write on Walls” Myth Comes From

Several things can look like player-written wall text in screenshots or clips:

• Pre-placed graffiti: Halvøy’s buildings and bunkers are covered with static, developer-made graffiti and painted signs. These are part of the map texture and cannot be altered.
• Vehicle decals and emblems: In the main multiplayer mode, you can create a custom emblem (using the Battlefield Companion app or the in-game menu) and apply it to vehicles and weapons. In Firestorm, your equipped vehicle skin may show your emblem, which can appear like a decal on a wall when the vehicle is near one.
• Chat and UI overlays: The kill feed, squad chat, and the “downed” camera can overlay text on your screen that looks like it’s on the wall behind it, especially in screenshots.
• Mods or hacks: Some PC players use third-party tools to inject custom textures, but this is against the game’s terms of service and not an official feature.

Knife Melee in Firestorm: What Works

You can use a knife (or any melee weapon) in Firestorm as a quick, quiet takedown. The default melee attack is a standard swing; holding the melee button performs a heavy attack that can kill in one hit if you strike from behind. However, there is no interaction with walls—no carving, no scratching, no writing. The knife is purely a combat tool. Some players mistakenly think you can “carve” messages because of the visual blood spray or the way the camera shakes, but nothing persists in the world.

Customization That Actually Exists in Firestorm

Firestorm does have some customization, but it’s limited to your soldier and gear:

• Soldier outfits: You can equip different uniforms, helmets, and face paints earned through assignments or purchased with Company Coin.
• Weapon skins: Weapon skins (camouflage patterns, colors) apply to the guns you pick up, but only if you have that specific skin equipped for that weapon in your company.
• Vehicle skins: You can apply skins to the vehicles that spawn in Firestorm (like the Tiger tank or Kubelwagen), but only if you own that skin and have it equipped in your company.
• Emblems: Your custom emblem can appear on vehicles and weapons, but not on walls or terrain.

How to Apply Decals in Battlefield 5 (Multiplayer)

If you’re looking to put a decal on your weapons or vehicles (which is the closest thing to “writing” you can do), here’s how:

1. Go to the main menu and select Company.
2. Choose a soldier, weapon, or vehicle.
3. Select Customize (the paintbrush icon).
4. For weapons, look for the Emblem slot (often under “Appearance” or “Charm”). For vehicles, look for the Decal or Emblem slot.
5. Select the slot and choose Edit Emblem to create or import your custom emblem.

Note: This only works in multiplayer modes, not in Firestorm. Firestorm does not let you edit or apply emblems during a match; you can only use what you’ve already equipped in your company.

Common Misconceptions and Player Questions

“Can I write messages on walls in Firestorm?” No. There is no text input or drawing tool for the environment. The only way to communicate is via voice chat, text chat (PC), or emotes.

“Why do I see graffiti that looks like player names?” The map has many pre-made graffiti tags that resemble gamer tags or clan names. These are static textures created by the art team, not player-generated.

“Can I use a knife to carve a symbol?” No. Melee attacks do not alter the environment in any way, regardless of weapon or angle.

“Is there a way to mod Firestorm to add wall writing?” Modding Battlefield 5 is not officially supported, and using third-party tools to inject textures or scripts can result in a ban. It’s not a feature you can safely add.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you write on walls in Battlefield 5 Firestorm?

No. There is no mechanic to write, draw, or place decals on walls in Firestorm or any other Battlefield 5 mode. The game does not support player-generated textures on surfaces.

How do you get decals in Battlefield 5?

Decals (emblems) are earned by creating a custom emblem in the Company menu or the Battlefield Companion app. You can then apply them to weapons and vehicles in multiplayer, but not to walls or terrain.

What does the knife do in Firestorm?

The knife is a melee weapon. A light attack does moderate damage, and a heavy attack (holding the button) can kill in one hit if you strike from behind. It’s useful for silent takedowns but does not interact with the environment.

Is there a way to put a custom logo on a wall in Battlefield 5?

No. The game’s engine does not allow player-created textures to be placed on static geometry. The only way to show a custom emblem is on your soldier, weapons, or vehicles.

Why do I see “player names” on walls in Firestorm?

Those are pre-made map graffiti textures that look like gamer tags. They are part of the environment and cannot be changed or removed.

Final Thoughts

If you came looking for a way to write on walls with a knife in Firestorm, you’ll be disappointed—it simply isn’t part of the game. The confusion likely stems from map graffiti, vehicle emblems, or UI overlays. Focus on the actual customization (soldier outfits, weapon skins, vehicle skins) and use the knife for what it’s good at: silent kills. If you want to leave your mark, do it with your emblem on a vehicle or weapon, and let your gameplay do the talking.

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