Battlefield 2042

Did You Know?

• The game's first trailer featured a remix of Mötley Crüe's "Kickstart My Heart" by 2WEI and included a "rendezook" trick shot.
• Update 4.1 removed the 128-player Breakthrough mode, deemed too chaotic.
• A limited-time crossover based on Dead Space was made available during the game's update cycle.

Synopsis

Battlefield 2042 takes place 22 years after Battlefield 4 and has no single-player campaign; the story is told through multiplayer gameplay. Decades of collapsing economies, rising sea levels, and broken alliances—including the European Union's collapse after Germany's bankruptcy and resulting "No-Pat" refugees—culminate in a 2040 Kessler syndrome event that destroys 70% of orbiting satellites. The permanent global blackout escalates tensions between the United States and Russia, leading to war by 2042.

The story is also presented on Electronic Arts' official website and in a standalone short film titled Exodus, released on August 12, 2021, which depicts events leading to the War of 2042 and features returning Battlefield 4 character Irish. Ten specialists were announced at launch: Webster Mackay (Canadian, grappling hook), Maria Falck (German, healing pistol), Wikus "Casper" Van Daele (South African sniper), Pyotr "Boris" Guskovsky (Russian, sentry guns), Kimble "Irish" Graves (US Marine, deployable shield), Navin Rao (Indian hacker), Santiago "Dozer" Espinoza (Mexican, damage tank), Emma "Sundance" Rosier (French, wingsuit), Ji-Soo Paik (South Korean, enemy spotting), and Constantin "Angel" Anghel (Romanian, revive and loadout drops).

New specialists were added each season through Season 4, including Ewelina Lis (Polish, remote-controlled rocket launcher) in Season 1: Zero Hour.

Development

Battlefield 2042 was developed by series developer DICE in Sweden, with assistance from Ripple Effect Studios, EA Gothenburg, and Criterion Games—the largest development team for a Battlefield game. Criterion paused work on the next Need for Speed game to help. The game lacks a traditional single-player campaign, allowing DICE to focus resources on multiplayer, considered the studio's strength. The story is told through named, fully-voiced specialists with their own perspectives, described as "evolving" as new operators and locations were added post-release.

Although the setting depicts a climate apocalypse, DICE stated the game is not a commentary on climate change, chosen only for "gameplay reasons". Maps were significantly expanded for higher player counts, designed using a "clustering" concept to funnel players into engagement areas; design director Daniel Berlin described them as "several smaller maps stitched together". AI for All-Out Warfare was planned early to help beginners. Ripple Effect led development of Battlefield Portal.

The game runs on the latest Frostbite engine. A work-in-progress demo appeared at the 2020 EA Play Live event. The game was announced on June 9, 2021, with an open beta from October 6 to 9, 2021, ahead of its November 19, 2021 release. The launch was delayed from its original October 22 date due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reception

Battlefield 2042 received "mixed or average reviews" on all platforms according to Metacritic, making it the lowest-rated Battlefield installment. OpenCritic reported weak approval, recommended by 33% of critics. Electronic Gaming Monthly gave a perfect five-star score, praising the sandbox and Specialist system. Hardcore Gamer gave 3/5, noting the game delivers on some promises but falls short in others.

Destructoid's Jordan Devore wrote that the game feels like it could become cool but is out of reach at launch. GamesRadar+ praised All-Out War, visuals, and Portal mode, but criticized Hazard Zone and class removal. IGN concluded that while Portal shows the past's quality, the customization tools could define the game over time. GameSpot noted variety but said glitches hampered the experience, especially on PC. PCGamesN's Christian Vaz gave 7/10, criticizing a rushed feel and stating the game is many updates from its potential.