Battlefield 2042: Everything We Know

It's a very big year for Battlefield. EA and DICE are bringing the series back in a big way this year with Battlefield 2042, which is due for release in October across console and PC. At EA Play Live in July, we saw more of the game--specifically, its wildly ambitious-sounding Portal mode. With that in mind, we're rounding up everything we know so far about the new military shooter.

What We Know So Far

Battlefield 2042 is the next big Battlefield game from DICE. The game is set in the year 2042, which isn't random--it's 100 years after DICE's Battlefield 1942 and 100 years before DICE's futuristic Battlefield 2142. The world is in a difficult place in Battlefield 2042, with the Americans and Russians on the brink of war and suffering through environmental calamities. While Battlefield 2042 does not have a campaign mode, the game will deliver storytelling through its various seasons of content.

The game promises new weapons and gadgets--and a robot dog--and the biggest Battlefield maps in franchise history that support up to 128 players in a single match (at least on current-gen consoles and PC). This is just the tip of the iceberg for what we know about the game. Be sure to read up on GameSpot's extended coverage in the links below to catch up with everything we know.

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Multiplayer

In a big shakeup for the series, Battlefield 2042 is a multiplayer-only game with no single-player to speak of. That's a big change from recent games, which featured narrative-driven campaigns in WWI and WWII most recently. There may be some light narrative incorporated into Battlefield 2042 through its DLC seasons, but fans looking for a traditional single-player campaign won't find one.

Battlefield's bread and butter has always been multiplayer, so some saw the news as DICE doubling down on what it does best. The game has three main multiplayer pillars. These include All-Out Warfare, which houses the traditional Battlefield multiplayer modes like Rush and Conquest, as well as the new mash-up mode Portal (more on that below!), and then Hazard Zone. The game supports cross-play on PC and new consoles as well as a separate cross-play pool for PS4 and Xbox One.

What We Saw At EA Play Live

Following its big breakout reveal and subsequent gameplay showcase in June, EA dug deeper and revealed a brand-new mode, Portal, at EA Play Live. The wild-sounding mash-up mode, Portal allows players to combine elements of Battlefield 1942, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Battlefield 3, and Battlefield 2042 into one experience. So, you could have World War II soldiers, fighting on Bad Company 2's Valparaiso map, using weapons, vehicles, and gadgets from each game in one setting. Presumably the Battlefield community is going to run with Portal and come up with some incredible creations. It's worth noting, though, that Portal's possibilities aren't quite endless, as you cannot create a battle royale experience, for example.

DICE is also working on a third new pillar--Hazard Zone--which has been described as something new for the series. EA is saying it's a "high stakes multiplayer experience." It wasn't shown at EA Play Live, however, as EA is saving that reveal until closer to launch.

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Release Date/Platforms

Battlefield 2042 is slated for release on November 18. It will be available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, while it's also headed to PS4 and Xbox One. EA Play Pro members can play the game a week early. In terms of differences between console generations, the PS4/Xbox One versions are capped at 64 players in a single match, while the PS5/Xbox Series X|S/PC version can support up to 128 players in a given match.

Open Beta

You won't have to wait until October to play Battlefield 2042, as DICE will hold an open beta for the game in the months leading up to launch across all platforms. At EA Play Live, we learned that the open beta will launch in September. A technical playtest for Battlefield 2042 will also be available, starting in July, but this will only be for a "limited number of Battlefield veteran players." This will take place in a "grey box environment" of Battlefield 2042, and anyone who is invited in must sign an NDA. Additional details are available through the technical playtest page.

DLC/Microtransactions

Battlefield 2042 is a live service game, and being a multiplayer-only offering, you can expect seasonal content and Battle Passes. DICE is expecting to support Battlefield 2042 for "years" to come, and this will play out through Seasons that last around three months.

"We're taking a new approach to live service for a Battlefield game where players will be given the services and evolution they have come to expect from modern multiplayer games, all aimed at keeping the community playing together for years to come."

"We'll be evolving our world and expanding on the fiction through Seasons, each one lasting for about three months. Every Season will come with a new free and paid-for Battle Pass, delivering new content to chase after," EA added.

Four seasons are coming to Battlefield 2042 in the first year, and they will include four Battle Passes, four new Specialist characters, and "more fresh content" over time.

Battlefield 2042 Pre-Orders

You can secure a pre-order of Battlefield 2042 right now across multiple different editions of the military shooter.

Battlefield 2042 will be available for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC. While previous generation and PC editions will start at $60, PS5 and Series X standard editions cost $70. EA Play subscribers will be able to get a discount on the Xbox Store, dropping the price of the Xbox Series X version to $63 and the Xbox One version to $54. You can also get a 12% discount on all three editions for PC by preordering at GMG (Origin code).

For more, check out GameSpot's in-depth Battlefield 2042 pre-order guide.