The last of the three major Battlefield 2042 game modes, Hazard Zone, has finally been revealed, and prior leaks' comparisons to Escape From Tarkov seem fairly apt. Official details from EA indicate Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone features plenty of similarities to Tarkov and the likes of Hunt: Showdown, though it will have its own unique elements. Hazard Zone is essentially a game of capture the flag against other teams, with enemy NPCs also getting in the way.
Battlefield 2042 features three main modes: All-Out Warfare, Battlefield Portal, and Hazard Zone. All-Out Warfare comprises the game types Conquest and Breakthrough, which provide classic Battlefield sandbox gameplay. Battlefield Portal is a hub for remastered content pulled from old Battlefield games - 1942, Bad Company 2, and BF3 - and will let players create their own custom games. Hazard Zone offers a more tactical, official alternative to Conquest and Breakthrough.
Hazard Zone's central premise is rooted in Battlefield 2042's near-future setting, where 70% of the world's satellites were destroyed in a mysterious phenomenon known as the Kessler Effect, a rolling collapse of objects in Earth's orbit. With the Kessler Effect leading to a major regression in espionage technology, temporary low-orbit satellites have become the dominant means of gathering intel. The game's two global superpowers, the United States and Russia, launch satellites programmed to fall after gathering data, which requires retrieval. In Hazard Zone, players set out to obtain these satellites' Data Drives from crash sites amidst competition and other obstacles. The data is the "flag" of Hazard Zone's capture the flag-like gameplay, and each match takes place over five phases.
Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone Phase 1 - Preparation
A key component of Hazard Zone is a dedicated economy with item permanence. Winning a game converts the retrieved Data Drives to a currency called Dark Market Credits. These are used to outfit one of Battlefield 2042's Specialists with weapons and gadgets prior to a match. Each squad of four will want to coordinate their chosen Specialists, guns, and equipment to be prepared for a variety of potential scenarios. Managing funds and inventory is important, though, since dying in Hazard Zone means losing all of the equipment that was brought in.
The prep phase includes a Mission Area Briefing, where squads are informed of their insertion point. This may help dictate what Specialists and loadouts players chose. In addition to Battlefield 2042's variety of weapons, Hazard Zone also lets players spend Dark Market Credits on Tactical Upgrades, which provide a variety of bonuses, like increased Data Drive carry capacity, faster healing, or increased rewards upon a successful retrieval.
Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone Phase 2 - Insertion
After a squad has finished its preparations, the players are inserted into the Hazard Zone match. At launch, Hazard Zone will be playable on all seven Battlefield 2042 maps introduced in the All-Out Warfare modes. The Mission Area Briefing lets players know where their current insertion point is, randomly selected from multiple possible locations on the map. The locations of the Data Drives are also randomized and will need to be located by a player carrying an Intel Scanner after the match begins. This gadget is unique to Hazard Zone, and every squad will want to ensure they have at least one before insertion.
Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone Phase 3 - Retrieval
The third phase of Hazard Zone is its primary gameplay component, tasking players with actually retrieving the Data Drives. Intel Scanners help point squads in the right direction, which naturally brings them into contact with other players, as well as the NPC Occupying Forces. Hazard Zone will support 24 players total on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, while current-gen consoles and PC will support 32 players - up to eight squads total.
Since Hazard Zone is a PvPvE game mode, NPC enemies will pose a similar threat. The AI-controlled Occupying Forces will frequently be found protecting downed satellites and need to be defeated in order to retrieve the Data Drives. Like Hunt and Tarkov, engaging with NPCs in Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone will be a high-risk/reward scenario. Squads will have to keep other players, whose locations are unknown, in mind, as entering into a firefight might attract the attention of enemy players. However, just the act of eliminating AI Occupying Forces can award Dark Market Credits, and a Tactical Upgrade can make that reward even more lucrative.
Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone Phase 4 - First Extraction
In order to keep any kind of reward, though, players will have to successfully extract from battle. The first extraction opportunity presents itself in the middle of each Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone match. An extraction zone is chosen at random and revealed to all squads. Only one team can be extracted, so there's a good chance for opposition at the drop zone. The first extraction does not signal the end of the game, and more satellites will fall as the match progresses. Squads will have to weigh their options, either cutting their losses and extracting with what they've gathered so far or remaining in the Hazard Zone and hoping they can catch the final extraction.
Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone Phase 5 - Final Extraction
Hazard Zone matches have a limited timeframe before an incoming storm necessitates the map becoming a no-fly zone. Approximately 10 to 12 minutes after each match begins, the final extraction zone is revealed. This plays out much the same way as the first extraction, with room for only one team. Only one member of each Battlefield 2042 squad needs to extract in order for the whole team to be rewarded, but teammate deaths throughout the match might inform whether a squad chooses the first extraction or the second - though players can be revived with the Hazard Zone-exclusive Reinforcement Uplink item, which can either be found or brought into the game as a Tactical Upgrade.
A capture the flag-style mode like Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone is entirely new to the series but seems poised to offer the signature "Only In Battlefield" moments the game's marketing has leaned on. For instance, the incoming storm that expedites the final extraction window brings the chance for one of Battlefield 2042's tornadoes to appear and wreak havoc. While capitalizing on the series' penchant for sandbox chaos, Hazard Zone appears to be an attempt at bringing a more tactical, high-stakes game type to Battlefield.
Battlefield 2042 will be released for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X on November 19, 2021.