Ahead of Battlefield 2042’s release later this month, EA DICE has shed some light on its post-launch plans for the game.
In a recent blog post on the official Battlefield site, EA says that Battlefield 2042’s launch is “only the beginning”, adding that it’s “taking a new approach to live service” with “a commitment to new content” as well as “a goal of enhancing the Battlefield experience through seasons that will continue to evolve the world” of the game.
The post confirms that Battlefield 2042’s first season won’t begin until 2022. An exact date isn’t given but when it does start, players can apparently expect “a new Specialist, Battle Pass and Portal content, and maybe even some new sights to see as the story of Battlefield 2042 continues to unfold”.
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The post isn’t forthcoming on anything more specific than that in relation to season one but it does say that there will be more details released “early next year”. In the meantime, when the game launches this month, players will be able to take part in a pre-season. This will involve weekly missions and rewards, as well as limited time modes and “experiences in Battlefield Portal.”
While Battlefield 2042’s first season doesn’t begin until 2022, EA has the game’s first year of live service content planned. Across that year, there will be four seasons in all, “with four Battle Passes, four new Specialists, and new locations along with more fresh content.” EA also promises continued updates for Battlefield Portal which it says will “give players more ways to build and share new Battlefield experiences with the world.”
Analysis: When can you start playing Battlefield 2042?
So, now that you know when you’ll start playing Battlefield 2042’s first season it might be a good idea to find out when you can actually start playing the game full stop. Well, it's now possible to pre-load Battlefield 2042 on all platforms but there are a couple of different dates for when you'll actually be able to start playing it.
The official launch date for the standard edition of the game on all platforms—that’s PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One and PC—is November 19 2021. However, EA Play Pro subscribers and those that have pre-ordered the Gold or Ultimate Editions of the game will be able to get early access from November 12. These editions also come with a Year 1 Pass which gives access to those four seasons of live service content we’ve mentioned above.
For those who aren’t sure whether they want to commit to a pre-order but aren’t against trying Battlefield 2042 ahead of its release date, there will also be a 10 hour free trial available to Xbox Game Pass and standard EA Play subscribers starting on November 12. Once your ten hours of playtime are up you’ll need to buy the game to keep playing and if it’s not yet November 19, you’ll need to pay for the Gold or Ultimate Editions if you want to keep enjoying that early access.
