Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone revealed: Gameplay, Tactical Upgrades & player count

❘ Published: 2021-10-14T15:00:08

DICE have officially revealed Hazard Zone, the final Battlefield 2042 multiplayer experience. This tactical mode will see teams fight to extract, so here’s everything you need to know about 2042’s Escape from Tarkov-inspired mode.

Almost everything about Battlefield 2042 has been revealed ahead of its November 5 launch, with All-Out Warfare and Portal being officially announced. And we’ve even had the chance to play in the Beta and try out the weapons and Specialists.

However, there was one mode left under wraps – Hazard Zone. This was finally revealed on October 14, showing off the all-new tactical, squad-based mode for Battlefield 2042.

Here’s everything you need to know about Hazard Zone in Battlefield 2042.

What is Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone?
Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zones gameplay
Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone map
Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone player count
Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone Tactical Upgrades
Is Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone free-to-play?
Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone trailer

What is Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone?

Battlefield 2042’s Hazard Zone drops four-man squads into the map with one goal in mind, finding Data Drives and extracting.

Read more: Do you need Xbox Live or PS Plus to play Battlefield 2042?

DICE confirmed that Battlefield 2042 won’t feature a battle royale at launch, and while the two modes share similarities, Hazard Zone is something different. Fans of Escape from Tarkov will be familiar with the concept, but DICE have given the mode its own Battlefield twist.

The main difference is that in Hazard Zone, “Your objective is not to kill, but to extract out of the Hazard Zone alive with as many Data Drives as possible.” The team that escapes with the most drives wins.

Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zones gameplay

Hazard Zone is a more hardcore version of Battlefield 2042’s multiplayer experience, so there will be some unique rules in place.

Two time-limited extraction zones will spawn on the map at different times and locations, and you’ll need to make it there with your collected Data Drives. If you’re killed or fail to extract, you’ll lose all of your Data Drives. Expect these zones to be contested when time is running out, so be prepared to fight.

Read more: Battlefield 2042 players call for the return of classic revive system

If you manage to extract with Data Drives, these will be turned into Dark Matter Credits, Hazard Zones currency, where you can purchase weapons, Gadgets, and Tactical Upgrades.

Death is also a lot more final than All-Out Warfare. If you’re downed, you can be revived by your teammates, but you can also fully die, where you’ll be forced to the spectator screen. Death isn’t completely final though, as teammates can use a “Reinforcement Uplink” to respawn you. These are either found during the match or can be bought with Dark Matter Credits ahead of the round.

Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone map

Rather than receiving its own separate battle royale-style map, Hazard Zone will be played on the All-Out Warfare maps, such as Orbital and Hourglass.

There’s no confirmation on how the maps will be adapted for Hazard Zone, but there will be two extraction zones spawning during the round that you must head towards if you have any hope of winning. If you fail to extract on time, a storm will turn the map into a ‘no fly zone,’ and you won’t be able to escape with their scavenged data drives.

Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone player count

Hazard Zone on the Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC will support 32 players, and the Xbox One and PS4 versions will have 24 players.

With DICE’s confirmation that Hazard Zone will support fewer players on old-gen consoles, Xbox One and PS4 players will likely be playing Hazard Zone on the condensed versions of the All-Out Warfare maps.

Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone Tactical Upgrades

Extracting with Data Drives rewards you with Dark Matter Credits, which you can use to purchase weapons, Gadgets, and Tactical Upgrades ahead of the match.

Read more: How to destroy the rocket in Battlefield 2042 Orbital

There are 15 Tactical Upgrades at launch, so here’s every Tactical Upgrade in Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone:

Starting Armor: Start with +20 armor (free)
Negotiated Bounty 1: 50% additional credits for kills on occupying forces (free)
Squad Reinforcement: Reinforcement Uplink that can bring back killed squadmates Can only be used once!
Data Storage: Data Drive carry capacity increased by +2.
Biometric Scanning: Spot enemies for 50% longer.
Ammo Increase I: Additional +1 magazine for primary weapon.
Ammo Increase II: Additional +2 magazine for primary weapon.
Throwable Increase I: Increase carried Throwables by +1.
Throwable Increase II: Increase carried Throwables by +2.
Quickdraw Holster: Switch weapons +15% faster.
Loadout Insurance: Should you fall in battle, reimburses 50% of Loadout and Tactical Upgrade costs.
Faster Healing I: Heal 20% faster.
Faster Healing II: Heal 50% faster.
Insider Information: Reveal Data Capsule drop locations 30 seconds before they land.
Table Deal: 100% additional credits reward for extracted Data Drives.

Is Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone free-to-play?

There were early rumors that Hazard Zone might be a free-to-play mode for Battlefield 2042, but this doesn’t appear to be the case.

I was told from the beginning that this game will have a F2P element and Hazard Zone is the most likely one to be it.
— Tom Henderson (@_Tom_Henderson_) August 18, 2021

Leaker Tom Henderson said that he “was told from the beginning that [Battlefield 2042] will have a F2P element and Hazard Zone is the most likely one to be it.” However, DICE haven’t said anything that teases or confirms Hazard Zone being free-to-play.