Battlefield 2042 won’t have battle royale or campaign at launch

Matt Porter
Players jumping out of a helicopter in Battlefield 2042

EA and DICE have confirmed that Battlefield 2042 won’t feature a single-player campaign or a battle royale mode when the game launches on October 22. 

Fans of the legendary FPS series have waited three years for the next installment from DICE, with the developers finally announcing Battlefield 2042 officially on June 9. 

While Warzone has been dominating the first-person shooter market since its release in March 2020, streamers like Dr Disrespect have been begging for a Battlefield BR to challenge Call of Duty’s offering. 

Unfortunately, it appears that Warzone won’t face any competition yet, with EA and DICE confirming that Battlefield 2042 will not feature a battle royale at launch. Additionally, the game also won’t launch with a campaign.

No Battlefield 2042 battle royale game mode

Battlefield 2042 player using a wingsuit

During an exclusive Q&A session ahead of the game’s announcement, EA and DICE discussed two of the three major multiplayer experiences coming with Battlefield 2042 but made sure to confirm they were not a battle royale mode. 

When asked if there were any plans for a BR once the game has launched, the devs replied: “That’s something we’ll have to see down the line. Within the launch scope, we do not have that intention there.”

Of course, it’s interesting to note that the devs specifically said “within the launch scope,” which could mean that it’s something they intend to drop later in Battlefield 2042.

No Battlefield 2042 campaign

Helciopter flying towards shipping containers in Battlefield 2042.

On top of no battle royale, Battlefield 2042 also won’t have a “traditional” single-player campaign for players to enjoy, although DICE say the game as a “world [that] is still very rich with lore. All specialists, all locations, lore has a lot of depth.”

Instead, the game will focus on three multiplayer experiences at launch: All Out Warfare, Hazard Zone, and a mode yet to be announced, which will be revealed at EA Play on July 22, along with details about an Open Beta.

It hopefully won’t prove to be too much of a missed opportunity for EA and DICE as 2021’s two other massive FPS titles have taken different approaches. Bungie has confirmed that Halo Infinite will have a campaign at launch, but no co-op campaign just yet.

Whereas Call of Duty: Vanguard showed off its stunning-looking campaign at Gamescom 2021, with Sledgehammer looking to deliver a stellar FPS campaign.

Also, check out the latest news on Battlefield 2042’s anti-cheat system.

Image Credits: EA / DICE

About The Author

Matt is CharlieINTEL's UK Editor, specializing in all things Call of Duty, including Warzone and Modern Warfare 2. Matt previously worked as a freelance esports writer for Gfinity, before joining Dexerto in 2018 as a Junior & Senior Writer. You can contact Matt via email at: [email protected]