Battlefield May Go Free to Play Due to 2042's Performance, Rumors Say

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Rumors suggest that Battlefield 2042, and future Battlefield titles, could become free to play due to the recent title's poor performance. The first-person shooter was highly anticipated ahead of its November 2021 launch, but upon release it was highly criticized for its abundance of bugs, lack of content and controversial gameplay changes. Even months after launch Steam issued Battlefield 2042 refunds, due to the game's continued glitchy and unstable state.

Before the release of Battlefield 2042, developer DICE revealed a number of exciting and innovative new features coming to the franchise's latest installment. The title's near-future setting would feature massive environmental destruction, including natural disasters like tornados, which would interrupt the flow of battle. Battlefield 2042's unique playable Specialists were also intended to add gameplay variety, complete with special abilities including a wing suit glider and a grappling hook. Unfortunately these new features were not enough to make up for the title's performance, and the first-person shooter's playerbase quickly dwindled shortly after launch. Recently Battlefield 2042 had less players than Battlefield 5 or Battlefield 1, demonstrating the title's fast decline in popularity.

Related: GameStop Glitch Causes Battlefield To Be Appropriately Priced

Due to Battlefield 2042's poor performance, notable leaker Tom Henderson reports that the game may transition into a free to play format. Publisher Electronic Arts is apparently very disappointed with the game's performance, and it is looking into various options to improve the game's state. While the news is unconfirmed, EA may pursue a free to play option as a way to increase the title's dwindling