After its initial launch, Battlefield 2042 is alive and kicking once again, as shown by its record-breaking surge of players on Steam. The reason? Electronic Arts, the game’s publisher, recently offered the game for free across all platforms with a hefty discount on Steam. This strategy, it seems, has paid dividends. The best part? The free weekend might have just kickstarted a renaissance of the game.
It wasn’t long ago that Battlefield 2042 set its previous record for peak concurrent players. November 2021 marked the game’s debut, and its launch saw a significant number of users. But, astonishingly, the recent free weekend for the game saw an even more staggering number of players, eclipsing its launch statistics. As players took advantage of the freebie, it became a natural choice for those previously undecided to immerse themselves in Battlefield 2042’s universe.
Now, it appears players have no plans of stopping. After posting a peak player count of 105,697 on Steam, a new record of 107,376 was set just a few days later. This intriguing development raises intrigue as to whether the game can scale even greater heights in terms of player count.
However, this triumphant revival didn’t come without its trials. The build-up to Battlefield 2042’s release in 2021 was full of anticipation and high expectations. The game, upon launch, however, faced several challenges. Gamers encountered various issues which dented the overall user experience. This sentiment was shared across platforms as Battlefield 2042 faced a barrage of negative reviews, culminating in a score of 2.1 on Metacritic.
But, just like any resilient force, EA has been on a mission. Since then, Battlefield 2042 has undergone multiple updates. The most recent, Season 6, offers players a plethora of new content. From innovative weapons and gadgets to a brand new map, the game seems to have reinvigorated itself. Additionally, some quality-of-life upgrades, including improved vehicle handling and better aim assist for controller users, have also been introduced. Because of this, Battlefield 2042’s average player count has tripled over the past month. This monumental shift is emphasized when one considers that, just in September, the peak concurrent player count stood at a modest 11,000. This recent ascent marks an almost tenfold increase.
Battlefield 2042 is now brushing shoulders with heavyweights on Steam. For a brief moment, it even surpassed its arch-nemesis, Call of Duty. While this didn’t last, the achievement remains commendable.
Historically, Battlefield 2042’s predecessors, Battlefield 1 and Battlefield V, have overshadowed it on Steam charts. But, the tides are turning. Battlefield 2042’s recent achievements are demonstrating its resilience and proving that it isn’t dead in the water just yet.
The growing sentiment is now that, while Battlefield 2042 remains subpar in quality compared to older entries, it’s on its way to living up to expectations – nearly two years after it first came out. It doesn’t hurt that it offers a refreshing if familiar departure from the overrated Battle Royale genre. Between its discounted price, the improvements that EA is still making after all this time, and the fact that people are looking for a proper FPS title that isn’t a battle royale game, Battlefield 2042 is in a good position to take advantage of a shift in marketing tastes.
Whether Battlefield 2042 sustains this momentum post-sale remains to be seen. However, one thing is for sure – EA and DICE have gleaned valuable lessons from this journey. Fingers crossed, its sequel, which is currently in development with help from Criterion Games, won’t suffer a similar fate.
