Battlefield 2042: Release date, open beta, trailer, gameplay, battle pass, more

After months of rumours and speculations, EA has finally revealed the next instalment in the legendary tactical FPS series Battlefield.

Previously known as Battlefield 6 or Battlefield 2021, the real name of the next Battlefield game is Battlefield 2042.

As the name suggests, with Battlefield 2042 we are going into the near future with a slightly futuristic modern setting.

(Picture: EA)

At the centre of the game's story is a good old war between the US and Russia.

"U.S.A. and Russia stand at the brink of war. Proxy wars have waged for decades, generating experienced but displaced combat veterans. These Specialists use their skills to shape the future — a future worth fighting for," says the official description.

Here's everything we currently know about the game.

Battlefield 2042 release date

(Picture: EA)

Battlefield 2042 is slated for release on 22nd October 2021, and it is coming to Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.

Battlefield 2042 open beta

It has been confirmed that the game will have an open beta period for testing before the official release.

Players who pre-order the game will have Open Beta early access.

Battlefield 2042 gameplay and features

It has been confirmed that Conquest and Breakthrough are returning, as well as a brand new multiplayer mode, called Hazard Zone.

Battlefield 2042 will feature full customisations of weapons, gadgets and vehicles, which can be done both before the matches or during the battles.

(Picture: EA)

Some of the unique gadgets revealed are a robotic combat dog, grappling hook, and wingsuits.

The squad system is coming back, and squads will have 4 members. The game also introduces the new Specialist system, which is based on Battlefield's class system.

There will be 4 specialists at launch: Webster Mackay, Maria Falck, Pyotr "Boris" Guskovsky, and Wikus "Casper" Van Daele, and each will have its unique Specialty and Trait, with the rest of loadout being adaptable, and you can customize it as you will.

Battlefield 2042 maps

As previously leaked, Battlefield 2042 will introduce enormous maps for 128 players. In total, there will be 7 maps that can support up to 128 players.

• Orbital (Kourou, French Guiana)
• Hourglass (Doha, Qatar)
• Kaleidoscope (Songdo, South Korea)
• Manifest (Brani Island, Singapore)
• Discarded (Alang, India)
• Breakaway (Queen Maud Land, Antarctica)
• Renewal (Eastern Desert, Egypt)

Battlefield 2042 Year 1 pass and battle pass

(Picture: EA)

As with many modern multiplayer games, Battlefield 2042 will be the first game in the series to feature the battle pass system, along with the Year 1 pass.

There will be 4 battle passes, 1 per each of the four Seasons of the Year 1 Pass.

Battlefield 2042 editions

Battlefield 2042 will have three editions: Standard, Gold, and Ultimate. 

Below you can see what will you get if you purchase and pre-order each of these editions.

Battlefield 2042 Standard edition

• Open Beta early access
• Baku ACB-90 melee takedown knife
• Mr. Chompy” Epic Weapon Charm
• "Landfall" Player Card Background
• "Old Guard" Tag

Battlefield 2042 Gold edition

• Everything from the standard edition
• 4 New Specialists, 1 per Season of the Year 1 Pass
• 4 Battle Passes, 1 per Season of the Year 1 Pass 
• 3 Epic Skin Bundles (”Blistered Earth”, ”Tempest”, and ”Cold Blood”)

Battlefield 2042 Ultimate edition

• Everything from Standard and Gold editions
• "Shadow Stalker" Legendary Outfit
• "Obsidian" Legendary Weapon Skin
• "Onyx" Legendary Vehicle Skin
• Official Digital Artbook and Exclusive Digital Soundtrack

For more information on the editions including how you can get a discount, check out our Battlefield 2042 pre-order guide.