In a blog post by developer DICE, we got our first indication of how well Battlefield 2042 actually sold at launch. It is said to be more successful than its predecessor Battlefield V.
The developers say at launch: In the official blog post, which mainly discussed the upcoming update and the roadmap for Battlefield 2042, DICE directly thanked the players for the successful release.
According to them, “millions” of players are playing Battlefield 2042. Nearly twice as many players are said to be active compared to the predecessor Battlefield V.
The blog post states: “Just a few days after the global launch of Battlefield 2042, there are already millions of players among you. We are excited to see so many of you back on the battlefield – almost double the number from our last release.”
This may come as a surprise to some observers, as the fan feedback and reviews regarding the launch of Battlefield 2042 have been at least mixed.
Battlefield 2042 more successful than the predecessor despite criticism
How many copies has Battlefield 2042 sold? So far, there are no exact numbers, but based on DICE’s statements, one can at least make an estimate.
- As reported by MeinMMO at the time, Battlefield V sold around 1.9 million copies at launch in November 2018 according to estimates from Superdata.
- Combining this figure with the statement that Battlefield 2042 has “almost double the number” of players, one can assume numbers between 3 and 4 million.
- However, one must consider that players with EA Play and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate can also play the shooter. This likely gave the numbers a significant boost.
Interestingly, Battlefield V lagged far behind the numbers of its predecessor, Battlefield 1.
How did it go back then with Battlefield V? The predecessor of Battlefield 2042 also recorded numerous sales at launch but was relatively weak compared to earlier titles in the series and had issues even in pre-sales.
- There was also much criticism at the time regarding both the content and the technical condition.
- Battlefield V managed to sell around 8 million copies in the first two months after release but fell short of expectations.
- EA attributed this back then to the lack of a Battle Royale.
- An analyst also cited other factors such as the negative feedback from the community, the “limited campaign,” and missing co-op elements as responsible.
According to DICE’s statements, Battlefield 2042 could become more successful than Battlefield V. Whether the critical voices will throw a wrench into that remains to be seen.
How was Battlefield 2042 received? The shooter launched with numerous technical and gameplay issues. On Steam, the shooter was literally torn apart and landed in the first days among the worst-rated games. However, in line with the statement, it is also one of the most played titles.
Even on Metacritic, the reviews are rather mixed, with gaming magazines rating Battlefield 2042 at a metascore of 73. This makes Battlefield 2042 one of the lowest-rated installments on Metacritic. The user score of 2.3 is also devastating.
The upcoming updates are supposed to fix it
What’s next for Battlefield 2042? In the blog post, the developers discuss the upcoming updates. Update #2 is set to be released tomorrow, November 24, and will address some of the major issues that are currently annoying players.
This includes the spread on some weapons, which predominantly affects assault rifles. Additionally, the OP hovercrafts and some annoying bugs will be tackled.
Update #3 is expected to follow in early December and will include over 200 improvements, of which we have summarized the most important for you:
