Battlefield 2042 – 1 year on

Battlefield 2042 is now officially a year old! I had the job of reviewing it at launch, which was…..not critically acclaimed.

Then, six months later I dived back in to see how much things had changed. Seeing that EA/DICE were committing to the game post-launch. And commit, they did.

Battlefield 2042 didn’t launch in a great state, but after six months was definitely in a better place and on track to be a Battlefield game to remember.

Now, most people won’t give the game a second chance to create a first impression. So, I want to try and help people give it a go again. Because 1 year and 3 seasons in, Battlefield 2042 really feels like a proper Battlefield game!

Details of the latest changes can be found here

Season 3

Season 3 was launched on 22nd November, with another new map, a new battle pass and a new operator.

I don’t really want to talk about the battle pass, it’s largely unimportant to the overall gameplay. Battlefield 2042, like the rest of the Battlefield series of all about the moment-to-moment action.

Massive teams, large maps and dog fights taking place just above you. That’s what we come here for, right?

The connection issues that plagued the launch of Battlefield 2042 are gone. Player counts are still high and I think with the latest map “Spearhead”, DICE have hit the nail squarely on the head to create what feels like a proper Battlefield map.

Lots of interior spaces with corridors, big open outdoor areas with lines of sight and rocks/hills to take cover behind.

The ebbs and flows of combat seem to just feel more natural here and it makes for a fantastic experience.

All change

DICE have been true to its word, hammering out updates, patches and tweaks to enhance gameplay and it feels like Battlefield 2042 has hit a sweet spot.

Performance during a game is solid. Even with all the action taking place in front of you. Frame dips are gone. There are no spikes in lag or weird hit detection issues due to server/client sync.

Don’t forget that these were significant issues at launch and enough to turn people away.

It finally feels like Battlefield 2042 has properly hit its stride and can just focus on being a fun game.

Maps feel huge, even when playing with 128 players. Certainly, there are times on the earlier maps when the action isn’t quite what it should be. Mostly due to the sheer size and the time it takes to get to the action. But it works.

Newer maps make better use of routes and space so you don’t feel it if the action for too long.

The 24/7 playlist of conquest on Spearhead is perfect to make sure you’re able to get stuck into the new stuff consistently, too.

Too late?

I’ve been a Battlefield fan for years now and have so many fond memories of massive over-the-top battles.

I suffered Battlefield V and played my fair share of Battlefield 2042 at launch. But I know what this series can be, and come back over and over hoping to get that experience again.

The good news is, I genuinely think Battlefield 2042 is there now. The bad news is that it might be too late.

A year after launch is a long time. Gamers are fickle and a bad launch can be the death of a game before it gets started.

Add to it the fact that EA isn’t exactly going to garner any goodwill any time soon. Battlefield 2042 has an uphill struggle.

With the new Call of Duty out now and the launch of Warzone 2.0. people talk about how it is doing some Battlefield things better than Battlefield.

I know that 2042 is where it needs to be and if people could get on board they would be pleasantly surprised. This, this is the Battlefield we wanted. Their modern take on the classic series.

Pardon my french, but it’s fucking excellent right now.

With it being added to EA Play soon, I’m hopeful that it will be available on Game Pass. The minute it hits there, you get a massive potential player base. Hopefully, that will be the second wind that Battlefield 2042 deserves.

Give it a chance! DICE have done the work, now you can enjoy it.

Check out more coverage like this in our Games Reviews section.