It’s official – Battlefield 2042 is the next game in the Battlefield series.
And after weeks of speculation, it looks as though we’ll be able to get our hands on the upcoming Battlefield game in October 2021.
Developers EA DICE call Battlefield 2042 the “most ambitious” in the franchise yet, and with maps boasting up to 128 players, and a whole range of new weapons, gadgets and vehicles, there’s a lot to get to grips with.
Set in the ‘near-future’, Battlefield 2042 will thrust players into combat across vast regions including the Antarctic tundra and a neon-lit city skyline. But while the new Battlefield game won’t have a single-player mode, there are still a lot of new features to get excited about.
Here’s everything we know about Battlefield 2042:
Battlefield 2042 release date, platforms and price
It’s not here just yet – Battlefield 2042 is being released on October 22, 2021.
Available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, the new Battlefield game is available to pre-order now, with three different versions available.
The standard PS4, Xbox One and PC versions cost £59.99 while the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions cost £69.99. There’s also a Battlefield 2042 Gold Edition available for £89.99 on PC and £99.99 on console. The Ultimate Edition costs £109.99 on PC and £119.99 on consoles.
If you pre-order any of these editions, you’ll get access to the open beta.
Battlefield 2042 reveal trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASzOzrB-a9E
During the highly-anticipated Battlefield 2042 reveal event, the first official trailer was revealed. And while it shows ‘in-engine’ footage, it’s sadly little more than an extended cinematic.
Thankfully, you won’t have to wait long for a look at its all-new gameplay.
Battlefield 2042 gameplay reveal
According to EA Dice, Battlefield 2042 will be more of a sandbox-style game than previous instalments in the Battlefield franchise.
Maps will feature dynamic weather – including the all-powerful tornadoes we spotted in the reveal trailer. And with a host of new weapons, gadgets and vehicles, there’s plenty of new goodies to get your hands on.
But for now, we haven’t seen any of them in action.
The trailer gave us a good look at what we can expect from this near-future take on the Battlefield franchise, but if it’s gameplay you’re after, you’ll have to wait until the official gameplay reveal on June 13.
Battlefield 2042 beta and how to play it
If you’re looking to get your hands on Battlefield 2042 before it launches, you’re in luck – the upcoming game will be hosting a series of beta tests before launch.
The first of these is coming in July – EA DICE is hosting a technical playtest for US and EU veterans of the Battlefield series. The playtest is via invite-only and those who join in will be subject to a strict NDA.
But if you’ve pre-ordered Battlefield 2042 you’ll also get access to the open beta.
At the moment, no details have been released about this, so you may have to wait until it’s closer to the official launch.
Battlefield 2042 matches for up to 128 players
That’s right – Battlefield 2042 will double the size of its matches, up from 64 players in Battlefield V. It’s the first time the franchise has tried multiplayer maps on such a scale and puts Battlefield 2042 up there as one of the biggest multiplayer experiences you can get.
This means a bit of a change to the maps, too.
128 player maps will be divided into sectors – each one containing clusters of control points. Players will have to capture all control points to control the sector.
Battlefield 2042 specialists will replace classes
Introducing Specialists – the new sort-of-class system in Battlefield 2042. Essentially, the different specialists allow the use of different abilities and gadgets. But it’s more than that – they have names, backstories and can use any weapon you’ve unlocked.
The classic ‘assault’ and ‘recon’ classes are still there – sort of – but these are now categories of Specialists.
But gone are the days of Medics only having access to SMGs – the new flexible Specialists can mix and match the weapons you’ve unlocked with their unique abilities. At launch, that includes 10 Specialists – that’s 10 unique combinations of gadgets and abilities you can use alongside your favourite guns.
You can also swap out attachments on the fly, so you can tweak your loadout for specific situations as you go.
Here’s what we know about the four Specialists revealed so far:
Wikus “Casper” Van Daele:
Class: Recon.
Birthplace: South Africa.
Specialty: OV-P Recon Drone.
Trait: Movement Sensor.
Webster Mackay:
Class: Assault.
Birthplace: Canada.
Specialty: Grappling Hook.
Trait: Nimble.
Maria Falck:
Class: Support.
Birthplace: Germany.
Specialty: S21 Syrette Pistol.
Trait: Combat Surgeon.
Pyotr ‘Boris’ Guskovsky:
Class: Engineer.
Birthplace: Russia.
Specialty: SG-36 Sentry Gun.
Trait: Sentry Operator.
Battlefield 2042 modes – no single-player campaign, no battle royale
That’s right – there are no plans for a Battlefield 2042 battle royale. At least, not yet.
There’s no single-player either, so players will have to make do with the sprawling 128 player multiplayer modes.
EA DICE is calling its traditional Battlefield modes ‘All Out Warfare’ – including Conquest (your usual point capture mode) and Breakthrough.
But aside from this, there are also two new mystery modes.
One of these is called ‘Hazard’ and will apparently be a high-risk, squad-focussed mode. But that’s all EA DICE would say about it for now.
A third mode, which is yet to be named, has been confirmed and will be revealed at EA Play on July 22. It’s said to be a ‘love letter’ to fans of the Battlefield series, but what that means is really anyone’s guess.
We’ll find out more next month.
Battlefield 2042 maps
The near-future setting of Battlefield 2042 is promising, and gives us a number of cool new maps to fight in. And while we haven’t seen any official gameplay just yet, the new trailer has already hinted at what’s to come.
There are some big set pieces such as the rocket we saw in the first trailer, and with a range of settings from snow to cityscapes, there’s something to scratch every itch.
Here are the ‘All Out Warfare’ maps we know about so far:
Kaleidoscope: Sogdo, South Korea. Here, teams will clash over a ‘quantum powered disinformation hub’ after an attack threatens global comms networks.
Manifest: Brani Island, Singapore. Vital for American supply lines after the global warming collapse, this strategic choke point will prove pivotal in the battle.
Orbital: Kourou, French Guiana. Here, you’re fighting over the rocket launch site as seen in the official trailer. A space race like no other.
Discarded: Alang, India. The goal here is to secure rogue nuclear assets amid tidal extremes – presumably a consequence of that global warming we’ve seen.
Renewal: Eastern Desert, Egypt. Team will battle to take control of a ground-breaking ‘agricultural technology centre’ in the middle of the desert.
Hourglass: Doha, Qatar. Sandstorms ravage a city centre as you fight over a lost shipping convoy.
Breakaway: Queen Maud Land, Antarctica. The snowy tundra seen in the trailer, teams fight for control of oil and gas pipelines.
Find out more about Battlefield 2042 in the first official gameplay reveal on June 13.
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