Battlefield 2042 release date set for October

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Battlefield 2042
(Image credit: EA)

The Battlefield 2042 release date has been revealed, and it's coming in time for the holidays this year.

EA and DICE gave the Battlefield 2042 release date of October 22, 2021 as part of the game's grand debut event today, and it's set to arrive on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. That date falls comfortably within the release window of Fall 2021 which EA had previously outlined, back when we were calling it Battlefield 6. 

As the name indicates, this next entry in the Battlefield series goes from semi-historical recreation of World War 2 battles to a near-future global conflict. On top of the usual "what if Cold War but not cold" premise of the US and Russia coming to blows, the next Battlefield will include factions of mercenary "non-patriated" soldiers, whose home countries failed in the face of massive resource shortages and refugee crises. 

If you're not the type to dwell on the stories behind the battles, what this near-future world means for you is a selection of 10 dedicated Specialists to choose from at launch, taking the place of the standard Battlefield classes. You'll play as these Specialists across all of Battlefield 2042, including in the massive 128-player matches of All-Out Warfare mode (or 64 player matches with appropriately condensed maps if you're on PS4 or Xbox One). 

Seven maps will be available for All-Out Warfare at launch. And if that "at launch" refrain is getting familiar, that's because EA and DICE once again plan to add a bunch of new content to the game via continuing seasons, with both free and paid Battle Pass tiers to work through. 

EA has also confirmed that this Battlefield won't have a single-player campaign, but you will be able to play the game's All-Out Warfare modes with AI teammates and opponents. 

If October seems way too far off right now, you may not have to wait that long to get your first shot at Battlefield 2042. EA plans to reach out to "players identified as Battlefield veterans" for a technical playtest in early July, and an open beta will be available ahead of launch with early access for players who pre-order the full game.

The E3 2021 is just getting started, and you'll catch all of it as soon as it happens with our handy E3 2021 schedule

Connor Sheridan
Connor Sheridan

I got a BA in journalism from Central Michigan University - though the best education I received there was from CM Life, its student-run newspaper. Long before that, I started pursuing my degree in video games by bugging my older brother to let me play Zelda on the Super Nintendo. I've previously been a news intern for GameSpot, a news writer for CVG, and was formerly a staff writer at GamesRadar.