Battlefield 2042 is coming and it seems to be more destructive than ever before. EA recently revealed Battlefield 2042, the latest entry in Dice’s long-running Battlefield line, for Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. Among other highlights to look forward to is the addition of wingsuits so players can fly around, better weapon loadouts, natural disasters like tornadoes that can unexpectedly influence the tide of battle.
Despite being a series primarily know for ridiculous set pieces, this Battlefield is pretty damn serious. In EA’s words:
Here Are Big Changes That We Can Expect In Battlefield 2042
Max player count for PC and next-gen consoles has been doubled to 128 (64 players per team).
Maps are divided into sectors, and each sector contains clusters of control points that must be all captured to gain full control of that sector
No single-player campaign
Some gadgets we’ve seen so far: movement sensor, health/revive gun, grappling hook, auto-turret, and a wingsuit.
Vehicles are near-future, but true-to-life versions of tanks, helis, jets, and other ground vehicles. It won’t be totally sci-fi-ish. Plus, you can call them in from the sky.
No Battle Royale mode
Classed being replaced by specialists, but more into them later.
Battlefield 2042 Release Date
Battlefield 2042 will hit the live servers on fall, October 22, 2021. You can check it out on Steam, Origin, and Epic Store now.
The game will also be for next-gen consoles, but crossplay is yet to be confirmed. A version of Battlefield 2042 is also coming for the older PS4 and Xbox One, so don’t worry about playing it on your old consoles, although 128-player matches won’t be supported.
Battlefield 2042 Setting & Gameplay
Of course, you might be asking, when and where is it set? Given the serious diversity of the previous entries, it can help you know what to expect. With Battlefield V and Battlefield 1, we were taken back to both World Wars to experience an earlier form of combat, but the likes of Battlefield 4 and 3 proved that the franchise can excel in modern warfare, as well.
Now we know that the game is set in 2042 during a major conflict between Russia and the U.S.A. The near-future setting means that the vehicles and weaponry will resemble the true-to-life ones existing around today.
However, there are still plenty of futuristic touches which make for a nice mixture of old and new, such as robotic dogs, drones, and more. We also know that 128-player matches would mean more carnage and destruction, although only on newer hardware.
The biggest mode, which supports that 128-player count, will also be playable with AI and teammates, which could help a lot of players to master the game’s tremendous learning curve. EA has confirmed that the matchmaker will add bots if deemed necessary, but humans will still be able to join to replace them anytime without waiting.
EA has also said that the game will have full-scale destruction, building on the “Levolution” events from Battlefield 4 such as the collapse of a huge skyscraper that changes the map scenario.
Introducing The Specialists
Also coming is the major overhaul of the class system, which will be replaced by Specialists, effectively unique operators with their signature abilities like resupplies and revives to augment a dynamic strategy. How this works in practice will be a key part of the game, as it does sound like a major departure.
At launch, there will be 10 specialists to choose from, but expect more to come later on. Like most competitive games nowadays, there will be a Battle Pass, which will run for three months each. And it seems EA would hope the player base to bite the gimmick for at least a couple of years.
How Do Specialists Work?
Battlefield specialists will be similar to those on Rainbow Six Siege in that they have names, backstories, and signature gadgets and abilities. But in this game, they’ll be more flexible, because of their ability to use any weaponry unlocked. Traditional class archetypes like ‘assault’ and ‘engineer’ are still there, but they’ll now be categories into which specialists will fit in.
Battlefield class used to be strict. For instance, support gets LMGs, recon gets snipers, etc. But now, the upcoming Battlefield will include at least 10 signature gadgets that can be paired with your gun. Attachments can also be changed on the fly, allowing you to switch tactics for the ever-changing combat situations. You can have many loadouts as ever, which is new for a Battlefield game. So far, here are the four Specialists we currently know:
Specialists can switch weapons, thanks to the new ‘Plus System’ feature, which allows you to change your scope, ammo type, undertype, barrel, and whatsoever. Players can also access the wingsuit to fly around the map.
Aside from new guns like K30, AV9, and M5A3, the game also features many vehicles ranging from tanks to helis, and more. Vehicles will play a big role in the game, so having more players inside the vehicle increases its combat efficiency.
Battlefield 2042 – Maps
At launch, the game will feature seven maps to fight into. Due to their immense size, they will be broken down into distinct sectors. Clusters of control points make up a single sector. They can be a stadium, village, or an oil platform. So, players should capture all the control points in order to control the whole sector. So far, here are the maps we currently know:
Manifest
Located somewhere in Singapore. The map features a massive container map and automated cranes. Some ships contain capture points. Combat in this map is an “intense” one.
Kaleidoscope
Located somewhere in SoKor. Players will fight for control over a disinformation hub. The map features huge skyscrapers where you can zipline across rooftops and some canals where amphibious vehicles can pass through.
Orbital
Located somewhere in French Guiana. Players will have to fight over a rocket launch site and the surrounding area. The rocket can either take off… or go boom.
Discarded
Located somewhere in India. Players will have to fight over rogue nuclear assets. Due to water levels, stranded ships dot around the map, including a submarine named ‘Colossus’.
Renewal
Located somewhere in Egypt. The map has two halves: one side is a desert wasteland, while the other one is lush green. Players will fight over a groundbreaking agriculture tech center here.
Hourglass
Located somewhere in Qatar. This is one of the larger maps. It features a neon city and a stadium half-buried by sand. There’s also this lost convoy – which is the objective you’ll need to fight for.
Breakaway
Breakaway is the largest map and is located somewhere in Antarctica. You’ll need to fight over oil and gas reserves. This map also has perilous features such as exploding silos.
Battlefield 2042 Single-Player Campaign?
I’ll be straight here: Battlefield 2042will include no single-player. But that doesn’t mean the game will just be purely explosions and killing. It will still have a story that will be unfolded throughout multiple seasons.
Battlefield V’s battle royal was criticized for many things, such as the delays and not being free to play. And while it was fun, it’s almost completely dead now.
To be honest, the genre is still strong as ever, especially with Call of Duty: Warzone taking the lead. Who knows, it might inspire EA and Dice for a possible template to follow, like adding a free-to-play battle royale to their premium multiplayer.
However, DICE was strict: there will be no battle royale mode, at least not on this one. There are rumors about a new mode coming sometime in 2022, but that intel is not yet confirmed.
Battlefield 2042 Trailer
Battlefield 2042 Official Gameplay Trailer
Battlefield 2042 – Personal Say
Battlefield 2042 may be for the next generation because of its fresh features, but in hindsight, it’s still a return to the classic franchise. EA and DICE have been very creative in crafting a sandbox multiplayer shooter where you can perform mass murder and some high-flying action. And somehow, they were able to compose a superb story starring soldiers with no allegiance to any country, while still turning it into a proxy war between the U.S.A and Russia. Now is their chance to introduce a more diverse cast than their usual menu, but for now, it looks like this game has a few white dudes and a woman in the support role. So classic. So typical. Bravo.
None of this is surprising, considering the backlash on Battlefield V back in 2018. It has a lot of issues that will definitely get your attention. And for the first time in Battlefield history, it featured a woman on the box – which is more of a pandering than being inclusive, if you ask me.
Battlefield V is fresh, yet familiar. That second part is key, and after what happened to Battlefield V, EA knows it.
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