How Battlefield 2042 will change the franchise

Battlefield 2042 is an upcoming FPS game developed by DICE and Electronic Arts. It is the seventeenth game in the Battlefield franchise and the successor to 2018’s Battlefield V. With three years in the making fans are expecting this latest instalment to be the greatest and most distinctive game yet. With new game modes and cross-platform play, 2042 will be a transformation for the franchise, so here’s what we can expect from its November release.

Cross-play: popular video games like Rocket League and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, have implemented cross-platform lobbies into their multiplayer. Battlefield 2042 is next in line for cross-platform gaming, but it’s going to operate differently than you expect.

Since Battlefield 2042 will have 128 player lobbies with maps larger than ever before. Only newer gen console players (Xbox Series X & PS5) will have access to these new features whilst people with Xbox Ones and PS4s will only have up to 64 player lobbies with average size maps. Older-gen and newer-gen consoles already having separate features seems like a bump in the road for adding cross-play, but the developers have found a way around this obstacle, by only having certain platforms able to play with each other. Example: People on Xbox Series X will be able to cross-play with people on PS5 and PC, while people on Xbox One and PS4 will only be able to cross-play with each other separately since they are both older-gen consoles.

New game mode: Battlefield 2042 is going to introduce an entirely new game mode called ‘Portal’ which will be released at launch and here’s what we know about it. Portal will be a custom game mode where you can make your own rules and experiences from numerous Battlefield sandboxes. The platform will include classic Battlefield games like Battlefield: 1942, Battlefield 3 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2. Portal will allow you to alter gameplay to your choosing, by giving you access to a complete in-game coding system that will allow you to build your own Battlefield. You’ll be able to access a variety of servers created by the community and feature your own maps publicly. Imagine riding a quadbike into battle while being shot at by Tiger Tanks and battling Soviets armed with knives in South Korea, Portal will allow you to create carnage in thrilling new ways.

Battlefield 2042 will include many features from previous games like Battlefield 4 and Battlefield V, fans were able to view the official gameplay trailer for Battlefield 2042 on June 14th, so here’s what we know so far. Battlefield 2042 will ditch the classic four-class system to include specialists who each belong to one of four classes – Assault, Engineer Support, and Recon. While you can use any weapon with a Specialist, they will each have different gadgets and abilities focused for different situations.

There will be ten specialists available at launch. Conquest mode will be the default for multiplayer with large 128 player lobbies, it’ll be all-out war like we’ve never experienced. Weapons will have many new accessories to utilize like custom sights, barrels, and grips. Unlike prior games where you can only change your guns features on the deployment screen, 2042 will allow you to change the customisations on your weapon from the ground. This’ll make Battlefield 2042 a more strategic experience. For example: if you’re on open ground with enemies far from you, you could equip a large scope on your gun to make it easier to see your targets. If you’re going for a flank, you can quickly equip a suppressor to hide from enemy mini-maps or equip an extended barrel. In conclusion, this new feature seems fairly beneficial.

The Battlefield 2042 reveal trailer has also shown new ‘futuristic’ looking vehicles like hovercrafts, hover-choppers, and a three-wheeled Rickshaw. New vehicle features will also be implemented into the game, instead of waiting for a tank to spawn in players will be able to call in a vehicle to be air-dropped from the sky at certain times. This feature will help teams push and attack more effectively and ultimately cause more anarchy on the battlefield, but thankfully DICE has confirmed there will only be a limited number of vehicles allowed on the map at once. Like previous Battlefield games, players will be able to customise the loadout of their vehicles and unlock more features as they progress. From the official gameplay trailer, fans have speculated that spotting and gunplay will be a combination of Battlefield 4 and Battlefield V’s gameplay along with a variety of new weapons and ammo including explosive rounds and incendiary rounds.

One of the biggest reveals in the official reveal trailer was the occurrence of weather changes and storms. Just like in previous games where a building could fall, or a flood could sink half the map. Battlefield 2042 will have frequent events like tornadoes or EMP storms that could change the course of the match. It’s good to see that DICE is evolving the destructive maps from Battlefields 4 and 3.

Battlefield 2042 has high expectations from the fan base and looks like an epic next-generation FPS game. Fans can’t wait to experience all-out war on new battlefronts of over one hundred players. We can only wait until the November 19^th release, and in the meantime view updates and reveals announced by EA and DICE on the Official Battlefield website.