From data miners and leaks, we know that all maps of Battlefield 2042 will also be playable in Hazard Zone. The information suggests that players will be dropped on a map and must collect important data to then be extracted.
This is complemented by equipment and a system of “extraction streaks” and perks. Whether all this information will be confirmed remains to be seen. Here you can find an overview of the existing leaks and information about Hazard Zone.
Last week, the beta for Battlefield 2042 took place, and since then, there have been many discussions. One of them revolves around the gameplay and that it does not feel like a “real Battlefield.” Some players believe they have found the reason: It was originally intended to be a different game.
What is behind the criticism? Based on their experiences in the beta, some Battlefield veterans are disappointed with the gameplay. Aside from the technical problems, they feel that something just doesn’t feel right and that Battlefield 2042 doesn’t play like a “real Battlefield.”
What exactly is meant by this? There are several points that are particularly often mentioned:
- The map design of Orbital
- The new specialists replace the classes from previous installments
- The weapon handling feels more like CoD for many, rather than a Battlefield
- Close combat animations in third person
- Additionally, several features from previous installments have been removed
What our readers think of the beta can also be read in the evaluation of our survey on Battlefield 2042.
Now the player androbird has speculated on why Battlefield 2042 feels so different. He believes: Battlefield 2042 was originally developed with a battle royale concept.
All these titles had a classic multiplayer with multiple modes and large maps. There was a system with fixed classes, and the gameplay always had a more realistic feel than fast shooters like Call of Duty. There was no talk of battle royale, specialists, and other modern features at that time.
Was Battlefield 2042 originally supposed to be a battle royale?
This is what the player thinks: androbird believes that Battlefield 2042 was not initially planned as a classic installment of the Battlefield series and only later in development switched to the concept of earlier Battlefield titles. (via reddit.com)
He bases this speculation on several points:
- Classes have been replaced by specialists because they would fit better with the concept of a battle royale game. The specialists already faced criticism and mockery in the beta
- Reviving teammates takes longer than in previous installments. This would resemble the reviving in BR games more.
- The weapon configuration with the plus menu is also more of a feature one would expect in a BR game. This is due to the fact that in BR games, there is only one life and there is no respawning. Therefore, there needed to be a system with which you could configure your gear during a match. In earlier Battlefield installments, this was possible at every respawn, so such a system was not necessary.
- There are no faction-specific contents. androbird believes that these were originally not planned, and wouldn’t have been necessary for BR.
- The map design and vehicle balance would not be suitable for classic Battlefield modes like Conquest. He specifically mentions the long tunnel between two capture points.
androbird concludes: “Battlefield 2042 is a collection of BR mechanics and systems thrown into a Battlefield context, where much of it simply doesn’t work.”
What do other players think of it? While the post itself has gathered over 1,600 upvotes (as of October 11, 11:36 a.m.), the reactions to this theory are mixed.
Some confirm androbird’s feeling and agree with him, like gspotslayer69XX: “I was really worried about why BF2042 didn’t feel like a Battlefield game. Thanks androbird, now I get it.”
However, there are also counterarguments. Some disagree with the point about the Orbital map and the tunnel. They find the map design appealing and do not feel that it is designed for BR.
Furthermore, many players do not believe that it makes sense. For instance, turdmogrol speculates: “It’s EA, surely they would have just sold us the battle royale on time and THEN used that as a basis to throw together BF2042 while we complained about battle royale/bought cosmetics for a year or two.”
Overall, there are some doubts, and it remains to be seen if this theory will ever be confirmed. Another reason seems more likely for players: Hazard Zone, a new mode about which not much is officially known yet.
Is Hazard Zone the reason for the changes?
This suggests: After the bad experiences with BR in Battlefield V, some players see the Hazard Zone mode as the reason for these “BR elements” – like Strolltheroll states: “I doubt that, after the failure of Firestorm and the fact that a modern shooter would be in direct competition with Warzone, there was ever any thought given to a BR. It’s more likely that the maps and gameplay features were built around Hazard Zone.”
What is Hazard Zone? The mode has been announced but not yet introduced. According to previous leaks, it is a mode that mixes PvP and PvE elements and is reminiscent of games like Escape from Tarkov or
Hunt: Showdown. The official description so far reads:
A completely new, risky, team-based game mode that is a modern interpretation of the multiplayer experience. Hazard Zone is unmistakably Battlefield, but differs significantly from All-Out Warfare.
From data miners and leaks, we know that all maps of Battlefield 2042 will also be playable in Hazard Zone. The information suggests that players will be dropped on a map and must collect important data to then be extracted.
This is complemented by equipment and a system of “extraction streaks” and perks. Whether all this information will be confirmed remains to be seen. Here you can find an overview of the existing leaks and information about Hazard Zone.
