Battlefield 2042launches in October of this year and has become one of 2021’s most anticipated releases. ForBattlefieldfans,Battlefield 2042offers up the opportunity to experience huge battles set in a near-future science fiction setting, an experience unavailable in other products. That’s whyBattlefield 2042will come with an up-front cost, despite a lack of a single-player and ranked modes. In EA’s eyes, however, despite the up-front cost,Battlefield 2042is entirely a live service game.
In Electronic Arts' quarterly earnings report,CEO Andrew Wilsontold investors exactly how they should think aboutBattlefield 2042. Wilson tells shareholders “you should think ofBattlefieldas a service,” indicating thatBattlefield 2042isn’t just a one and done purchase, but rather a platform that’s expected to continue bringing in revenue well after launch. That’s a message that shareholders will obviously want to know, which explains why Wilson is mentioning despiteBattlefield 2042’s post-launch plans not being fully explained yet to the public.
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Wilson would go on to elaborate on the topic, explaining thatBattlefield 2042’s platform will serve as the “foundation” for the future of theBattlefieldfranchise. He says that the release ofBattlefield 2042, as well as additionalBattlefieldgames going forward, will help to establish what he describes as “365-day engagement” within thisBattlefieldplatform. It’s a familiar pitch regarding live service games and is likely exactly what EA shareholders wanted to hear.
A core facet forBattlefield 2042’s live service plans is the game’s newly announced mode namedBattlefield Portal.Battlefield Portalwill allowBattlefield 2042players to create customerBattlefieldgame modes for other users to play. Further, it will offer assets for creators to use not just fromBattlefield 2042, but also from past games in theBattlefieldfranchise includingBattlefield 3,Battlefield Bad Company 2, and even the originalBattlefield 1942, all upgraded for use on modern platforms.
As for EA’s official plans forpost-launch content inBattlefield 2042, an official announcement has yet to be made. However, an early leak claims that players should expect post-launch content that goes beyond just robust. Expect seasonal updates, so every 3-4 months, offering new standard maps, new Portal maps, a story-based Hazard Zone update, 6-8 weapons, 2-3 vehicles, a new specialist, and also a 100-tier seasonal tier system.
Suffice to say, there will be plenty of post-launch support forBattlefield 2042between official seasonal updates and players' own Portal creations. Still, for a game that doesn’t have a single-player campaign, aranked mode, or a battle royale, there are some questions as to whether players will stay withBattlefield 2042for the long run. That’s up to the game itself to prove when it launches.
Battlefield 2042releases October 22 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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