Battlefield 2042 looks like it's going to be a massive return to form for the franchise. After underwhelming success with Battlefield 1 and Battlefield 5, the series is now diving back into more familiar waters by giving fans a game with a near-future setting. Battlefield 2042 will also be leaning further into the franchise's sensational roots, with environmental destruction on an unprecedented scale and multiplayer matches on next-gen consoles that will have the most simultaneous players in any Battlefield title yet. It's a big, risky step for the franchise, but it could be just what Battlefield needs.
In order to gauge how Battlefield 2042's systems will work at launch, EA is running an open beta that many fans are looking forward to. Betas have become relatively commonplace for multiplayer-focused first-person shooters, as developers and publishers will use them to judge how much work needs to be done before launch. This will be especially important for Battlefield 2042 with its 128 player next-gen multiplayer lobbies and the ambitious Battlefield Portal. As the game's launch creeps closer, more details have dropped on the beta, and it's worth taking a look at what's going on.
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Like most betas, Battlefield 2042's will be taking place roughly a month before the game's current launch date. Although there isn't an official starting date from EA, the beta is rumored to be starting sometime in September. Rumors have also said that the beta will begin on September 6 and run until September 11, which is the usual amount of time that these multiplayer betas last. EA has said that the beta will have early access for those that pre-order, and if the beta's rumors are to be believed, early access would begin on September 4.
While Battlefield 2042's beta will have early access of some kind, there's only one guaranteed way to get it so far. In order to get early access to the beta, the only definitive option for gamers would be to pre-order from digital marketplaces, such as Steam or the Epic Games Store. It's unclear if or when physical retailers will also be able to offer early beta access for Battlefield 2042, but more information will likely come out closer to the beta's start.
As of right now, there are no definitive details on what will be available in the Battlefield 2042 beta. That being said, it's likely this will be a sort of stress test for the game's massive multiplayer maps and lobbies. There's a lot that can go wrong when dealing with the complicated destruction systems that Battlefield 2042 has shown off so far, so it's likely the beta will focus on standard multiplayer modes to test these new features. As exciting as the Battlefield Portal mode looks, it's unlikely EA would give fans a toned-down version when it already entertains lofty ambitions.
Battlefield 2042 has a lot of pressure on its shoulders with everything that it's promised, and the upcoming beta will hopefully give fans an idea of what they can expect while also giving EA an idea of what needs to be tweaked before release. Although there isn't much definitive information as of right now, there's been enough rumors and leaks to get an idea of when the beta will take place. As the Battlefield franchise moves forward, hopefully it will be able to use 2042 as a fresh start after a few years of lulls.
Battlefield 2042 releases October 22 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.