Battlefield 2042 : Everything we know

Reading Time: 5 minutes

What have we learned from the reveal trailer?

The reveal of Battlefield 2042 has caused a storm literally, more on storms later. After the reveal trailer dropped at 4 pm in a satisfying five minute rollercoaster of action, the internet exploded. Trending on all social media outlets and 5.5 million views on Youtube at the time of writing, we now know more. The trailer itself doesn’t reveal much about the game in terms of gameplay and mechanics. Since the trailer dropped we now have more information to divulge in leading up to the gameplay reveal on Sunday 13th June 2021.

It’s the biggest Battlefield game ever!

Battlefield 2042 has been in development for three years and utilises the very latest frostbite technology. There are also technical upgrades such as a new physics system that has been implemented. If you haven’t guessed yet the game is set in the year 2042. The world is on the brink of war. The global economy, climate change and rising sea levels are causing conflict. Stateless soldiers referred to as NO PATS fight for the US and Russian armies. They will be fighting for territories across the globe and key military locations.

It is multiplayer only!

It has been confirmed by EA and DICE that Battlefield 2042 will no feature a story-based campaign. There will be, however, some story elements mixed into the multiplayer portion of the game. The main aspect is pushed as all-out warfare with the flagship game modes Conquest and Breakthrough becoming the meat of Battlefield 2042. Get ready for the important stuff. 128 players have the green light on PC and next-generation consoles, this includes Xbox Series S/X and Playstation 5. Playstation 4 and Xbox One will support 64 players in their lobbies. There is no clarification on crossplay or progression or even concrete news on whether last-gen and next-gen can buddy up.

Battlefield 2042 has a feast of new modern weapons, vehicles, gadgets and hardware. Weapons such as M-13, MP7, Vector and more will feature, so weapons won’t be too futuristic. A new plus system for guns has been introduced. This allows you to swap attachments on the move, scopes, barrels ammo all whilst in the heat of battle. This will allow players to adapt in warfare, whether it’s in the vast open land or in a tight corridor. Solo/co-op play versus AI bots has been confirmed if you don’t always fancy being shot in the head by real online players. Progression is also enabled with AI and online servers are dedicated.

What about the vehicles?

The presence of vehicles has been ramped up in Battlefield 2042 significantly. Road vehicles, tanks, jets and helicopters and what we know of so far. Vehicles can be located throughout the maps with another new feature coming. Vehicle delivery can be requested with the use of an in-game tablet making it quicker and easier to gain transport. I’m sure this will be managed and a reward system rather than players all requesting a tank at once. Air traffic now has a huge playground to fly in and no longer has the restrictions and fishbowl effect that previous titles had.

I need to know more about the maps!

Seven maps have been made available on the launch of Battlefield 2042. Featuring some of the biggest Battlefield maps ever seen, it may not sound much but this is just the start. In Conquest and Breakthrough capture, points are now broken up into sectors rather than single flag points. This means there may be several capture points on a larger portion of the map in order to raise that flag. There is dynamic weather changing elements such as tornados occurring suddenly or a sandstorm tarnishing vision for everyone. This can cause masses of falling debris and even vehicles and objects being thrown around by these elements. So watch your head!

The maps have destruction features and also evolution which can change how maps appear. There are also interactive map elements such as the ability to lower and raise bridges and bollards. Ziplines can be used and even cranes can be messed around with. If playing on older generation machines you can expect a watered-down version of all this with smaller toned down maps. The biggest map is 5.9km squared and is as big as Vikendi.

What are specialists?

Gone are classes like older Battlefield titles previously had. In Battlefield 2042 specialists can be used and each has a specific role and gadget that can be used. Only four have been announced at the current time, assault, engineer, support and recon. The gadget for each of these is locked to that character, weapons are no longer locked to classes and any gun can be used with any character. Loadouts of course can be created to cater for your needs. Ten specialists will make the launch of Battlefield 2042, so we have six more to show their face. Expect to see grapple hooks, drones, wingsuits and more. I’d also imagine that these will be fully customisable with unique uniforms and cosmetic items.

Microtransactions or no?

Battlefield 2042 is going for the live service model. This means it will adopt the battle pass system method and implement this in seasons. Everything purchasable will be purely cosmetic and will not affect gameplay. There will be a free and paid battle pass, this will still give players who don’t want to invest further funds the chance to grind items. Battle pass will push the narrative and will bring more specialists, new locations and additional content.

More events and modes will be revealed at EA Play on 22nd July 2021.

Will it feature a Battle Royale mode?

There will be no battle royale mode at launch for Battlefield 2042 but this doesn’t mean it won’t be coming at all, watch this space. There will be an open BETA before the game arrives and this will be available to all those who pre-order the game.

Battlefield 2042 is now available for pre-order with several editions on the market.

Standard Edition – This version grants early access to the open BETA, Baku ACB-90 Epic Melee Takedown Knife, Mr Chompy Epic Weapon Charm, Landfall Player Card Background and Old Guard Tag.

Gold Edition – This version offers everything in the standard edition and additionally adds early access to game launch on 15th October 2021, Year 1 Battle Pass and Cross-Gen Bundle if you want to upgrade the machine in future or jump back.

Ultimate Edition – This version offers everything that the standard and gold editions offer plus a Midnight Ultimate Bundle, an official digital artbook and an exclusive digital soundtrack.

That is all the information for now, but we will see more information on Sunday 13th June 2021 at the Xbox event at E3. Will you be picking up Battlefield 2042? Let us know at Rapid Reviews UK!