The excitement for Battlefield 2042 took a bit of a blow when the game was delayed into November, but fans are still looking forward to the coming open beta period, which Game Pass Ultimate and EA Play users will get to try out in early access. There are a couple of different ways to get into the beta early, but Game Pass Ultimate subscribers won't have to take any extra steps.
The freely available period to try out Battlefield 2042's beta only lasts two days. From October 6-7, only those who pre-order any version of Battlefield 2042 or are EA Play subscribers can participate in the beta as part of its early access period. This includes Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, since EA Play is part of Xbox's premium subscription tier. Those without a pre-order or access to EA Play will have to wait until the beta enters its truly open period on October 8.
Luckily, the open beta game client is scheduled to be available for pre-download on October 5. Those who are waiting with anticipation to give 2042 a test run will be able to download the beta early and begin playing as soon as the servers go live for whichever beta period they qualify for - midnight Pacific time on October 6 for early access, or October 8 for the open beta. The beta is expected to end on October 9, meaning those with Game Pass Ultimate or just EA Play will have only four days to participate.
Other Caveats To Battlefield 2042's Beta
Those with Game Pass Ultimate need not worry about any other factors, but those without who are hoping to play on an Xbox system should note that Xbox Live Gold is required to play Battlefield 2042's open beta. Oddly, PlayStation consoles do not have the same requirement, meaning PlayStation Plus is not mandatory for beta participation, according to EA's FAQ. Console players will find the beta client on their respective digital marketplaces, while PC players have a few options. The 2042 beta will be available on Origin, the EA App, Steam, and the Epic Games Store.
In addition to the short live period, the Battlefield 2042 beta has one map and one game mode available to try. Beta participants will only be able to play Conquest on the Orbital map, which features a rocket launch pad - the focal point of Orbital's Levolution mechanic. The beta will be available on every platform that 2042 is launching on - PC, Xbox One and Series X/S, and PlayStation 4 and 5 - but players on the old consoles should be reminded that the Xbox One and PS4 versions of Battlefield 2042 do not support the new 128-player lobbies, and neither will the open beta.
Battlefield 2042 will release on November 19, 2021, for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC.
Source: EA