TheBattlefieldfranchise has long been seen as one of the biggest competitors toCall of Duty,which takes the top-selling game spot pretty much every year. Last year saw the release ofBattlefield 2042,which EA touted as a true “next-gen” experience. However,Battlefield 2042reviewswere mostly negative, the community has taken issue with it, and EA now reportedly considers it a disappointment, apparently even considering making it free-to-play in some capacity.
That last bit of information comes from Tom Henderson, a reputable leaker that regularly releases information about upcoming games, particularly in the FPS space. While Henderson’s track record is best withCall of Duty,he’s also shared plenty of accurateBattlefieldinformation in the past, includingBattlefield2042’sreveal date. Now, the leaker is shedding more light on how EA viewsBattlefield 2042internally.
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On Twitter, Henderson stated that EA is “very disappointed” withhowBattlefield 2042has performedand is now “‘looking at all the options’ when it comes to the title.” Henderson went on to state that those options include makingBattlefield 2042free-to-play in some capacity, though it’s unclear if that would simply mean certain elements ofBattlefield 2042would be available for free, or the entire game with overhauled store mechanics. Henderson will apparently have more to say tomorrow.
It’s not difficult to see where EA’s reported disappointment inBattlefield 2042comes from. It launched with a heap of technical issues, a lackluster selection of weapons, and many other problems. Community feedback has been mostly negative thus far, as fans vent their frustrations about the slim offering of content,the Specialist system, and poor communication from the development team. The question, then, is what the path forward forBattlefield 2042is, and whether it’s worth trying to save in the first place.
For some, free-to-play is an appealing option. The current-gen versions ofBattlefield 2042run $69.99, while last-gen versions run the standard $59.99. That amount of money could be redirected to a different triple-a release, several indie games, or put into the store for extra skins ifBattlefield 2042were to adopt a free-to-play model. However, it may also cause issues with those that already boughtBattlefield 2042,and gamers that are opposed to premium stores.
EA is in between a bit of a rock and a hard place. The response toBattlefield 2042’sbeta was lukewarm at best and negative at worst, so the best course of action was to do whatHalo Infinitedid and delay it out further. Things are muddled now, though.Battlefield 2042might not end up going free-to-play, but it’s clear that it needs fundamental changes.
Battlefield 2042is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
