EA Play and Xbox Game Pass subscribers will be able to play Battlefield 2042 for free during a 10-hour trial on November 12. Included in the game will be Battlefield 2042's Hazard Zone, a fast-paced mode seemingly inspired by the hardcore shooter Escape From Tarkov, and Battlefield Portal, which features classic maps and factions from Battlefield 3, 1942, and Bad Company 2.
November is already set to be a major month for Xbox Game Pass. The Microsoft subscription service has already seen plenty of big games become available to members over the past year or so, including a number of Bethesda games like Skyrim and new releases like Back 4 Blood. Those are in addition to the highly anticipated Halo Infinite, which will become available via Xbox Game Pass on the same day it launches in December. Meanwhile, Microsoft recently revealed several more games will release on Xbox Game Pass in November, such as Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Forza Horizon 5, and It Takes Two.
Publisher EA has announced that a Battlefield 2042 gameplay trial will be included with EA Play, Xbox Game Pass, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, giving subscribers of these services the chance the play up to 10 hours of the multiplayer game for free. That means that users can get a solid opportunity to try out the new shooter before deciding whether or not to purchase it, following mixed receptions to the Battlefield open beta held in October.
Also in October, EA lifted the lid on three new maps in Battlefield 2042 in a gameplay trailer. The footage showcased locations set in Antarctica (Breakaway), Egypt (Renewal), and India (Discarded), all of which join the two previously unveiled launch maps Orbital and Hourglass. In total, there have been seven large maps shown for Battlefield 2042, with EA and developer DICE also confirming that several maps from past games (such as Caspian Border and Battle of the Bulge) will also return in the Battlefield Portal mode and more added post-launch as free DLC.
The fact that Battlefield 2042 will be included as a trial for EA Play (and therefore Xbox Game Pass, since EA Play is included with the Microsoft subscription) is good news, as it means a lot more players will be able to try out the shooter without buying it outright. 10 hours should be plenty of time to decide whether someone actually likes the title and wants to purchase it when it launches in the middle of the month.
Battlefield 2042 releases for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC on November 19, 2021.
Source: EA