In many ways, Battlefield 2042 is beginning a new era for the long-running FPS franchise. Since the surge in prevalence of live-service games, Battlefield has yet to adapt, its only attempt being 2018's Battlefield V. In navigating the current landscape of multiplayer games, Battlefield 2042 is opting for an ambitious approach: With Battlefield 2042 support planned for multiple years, it could become a consolidated platform for all things BF.
Battlefield V's failure as a live service can largely be attributed to the lackluster seasonal content of the base game and its attempt to capitalize on the rising popularity of the battle royale genre. Its BR mode, Firestorm, never quite caught on. Not enough content was added to keep many players engaged, and multiple, unwarranted changes to core gameplay eventually made Battlefield V a resounding disappointment. BFV's historical aesthetic also did not lend itself to cosmetics - the bread and butter of modern live-service games.
Essentially, BFV attempted to contort itself into popular live models, but Battlefield 2042 appears to be doing the opposite, leaning on the franchise's roots to create something uniquely Battlefield. Much of 2042's pre-release promotion has been focused on constructing the fictional future in which the game takes place. The groundwork is being laid for a Battlefield game that can continuously deliver content for as long as a player base will support it. Plus, it's got a little something for everyone.
Battlefield 2042 Is Targeting A Large Audience
Battlefield 2042 is attempting to cover many bases at once. The traditional Battlefield experience is included in its All-Out Warfare mode, which has the usual Conquest and Breakthrough game types. Battlefield Portal, meanwhile, gives longtime fans remastered content from some of their favorite games in the series. On top of that, Battlefield Portal is allowing for custom game rules, vastly increasing the potential of remastered content brought to 2042. These don't even include Battlefield 2042's third, unrevealed game mode, Hazard Zone.
Battlefield 2042 is simultaneously experimenting with a new BF game, remastered classic content, and a game mode supposedly never before seen in the series. If it proves successful, BF 2042 could easily become a singular platform for the future of all things Battlefield. Developer DICE may simply be trying to create a compelling game world, but the use of the Exodus short film to set up 2042 as a sequel to Battlefield 4 indicates a more pointed consolidation of the franchise.
The game's new content and narrative will allow for seasonal releases and cosmetics to drive its profits, and the wide array of gameplay opportunities will likely help lure players into the Battlefield 2042 ecosystem. While the final verdict will be dependent on gameplay,2042's bigger lobbies and Portal mode appear poised to keep players engaged. If Hazard Zone ends up another failure, it likely won't be as disastrous as BFV because there is still an abundance of content in across its two other modes. The series already failed once at creating a successful live service, but Battlefield 2042 looks as though it's being built to weather any potential storms.
Battlefield 2042 comes to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on October 22, 2021.