With the release of Battlefield 2042, the popular shooter series has not done itself any favors. They wanted to break the familiar concept, and particularly two major innovations were at the center of attention. With the upcoming update 3.2, they are returning to their roots.
Battlefield 2042 was supposed to guide the shooter series into the future – not just with its futuristic setting. Two innovations symbolized the Battlefield evolution:
- Focus on 128 players in the match
- No more class system
It quickly became clear: Both innovations were not well received by many players. Many criticized that the familiar Battlefield feeling did not arise, and the innovations do not always work. Some had completely given up on the shooter.
So, Battlefield 2042 made a U-turn. A “Core Feedback” initiative was established. Here, the developers gathered community feedback and explained their thoughts and approaches on how they want to reshape the shooter in the future.
First, the maps and player counts were addressed. Many maps were fundamentally revised and also offered modes for 64 players. While they want to stick to the 128-player modes, this innovation has been more or less shelved.
Now it’s the specialists facing changes. The class system is returning. We will show you what this will look like in the future on MeinMMO.
Update 3.2 is part of the Season 3 of Battlefield 2042. You can watch the trailer for the season here:
Battlefield 2042: Class System Returns with Update 3.2
When is the update coming? In the blog from January 19, 2023, the developers mention “this month.” There is no date yet, but it seems that update 3.2 will arrive still in January (via ea.com).
How does the new class system work? Each specialist is assigned to their previously defined class. At launch, each class will contain 3 specialists, and some characters will change their class during the transition:
- Engineer: Boris, Crawford, Lis
- Recon: Casper, Paik, Rao
- Support: Angel, Irish, Falck
- Assault: Dozer, Mackay, Sundance
Furthermore, the gadgets and grenades will be reassigned to the classes.
- Engineer
- Gadgets: Anti-Tank Mine / Recoilless M5 / FXM-33 AA Missile / FGM-148 Javelin / EOD Bot
- Grenades: Frag Grenade / Smoke Grenade / EMP Grenade / Incendiary Grenade
- Recon
- Gadgets: T-UGS / Tracer Dart Gun / M18 Claymore / C5 Explosive / Prox Sensor / SOFLAM Designator
- Grenades: Frag Grenade / Smoke Grenade / EMP Grenade / Incendiary Grenade
- Support
- Gadgets: Ammo Crate / Medical Crate / Smoke Launcher / M18 Claymore
- Grenades: Frag Grenade / Smoke Grenade / EMP Grenade / Incendiary Grenade
- Assault
- Gadgets: Smoke Launcher / IBA Armor Plate / C5 Explosive / M18 Claymore
- Grenades: Frag Grenade / Smoke Grenade / Concussion Grenade / Incendiary Grenade
There are minor balance exceptions. For instance, the engineer Lis cannot equip a rocket launcher gadget because her specialist ability already provides a rocket launcher with guided projectiles.
What about the weapons? The weapon selection remains open. You can choose any weapon with any specialist. However, you will gain minor advantages with certain weapon classes when playing with the corresponding class:
- Engineer: LMG – Improved spread when crouching or prone
- Recon: Sniper – Immediate, constant and stable scope
- Support: SMG – Faster aim time
- Assault: Assault Rifle – 3 additional magazines
However, the advantages are meant to be just a bonus. The balancing is designed so that you do not have a significant disadvantage when mixing weapons and classes.
Battlefield 2042 has been on the market since October 2021 and received a lot of criticism. It was seen by many players as a flop. Step by step, however, they have worked on the game and reported increasing player numbers in recent months.
The pace of adjustments is slow, but many players see the progress and credit the shooter with the will to listen to player feedback and implement desired changes – just like the new/old class system.
What do you feel when you think about Battlefield 2042? Are you waiting for the next game in the series, or are you ready to give the shooter another chance? What other changes would you like to see? Leave a comment on the topic.
