Battlefield 2042 release date: Launch time, patch notes & server status

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So when exactly does Battlefield 2042 come out, and what else should you know before you start playing? We've compiled all of the vital intel for you below, so get reading!

Battlefield 2042 release date

The full Battlefield 2042 release date will take place on Friday 19th November 2021, in the UK and everywhere else, placing the game slap-bang in the middle of this year's Q4 squeeze. The final quarter of the year is always a busy time for gamers, but we'll be sure to fit this one in! That release date is the same whether you're playing on Xbox, PlayStation or PC.

Battlefield 2042 release time UK

Here in the UK, Friday morning is the moment you've been waiting for - the Battlefield 2042 release time will take place at midnight for console players or 8am for PC players.

The midnight console launch should be the same in every region, but the PC launch times are staggered for different countries - if you're reading this from the USA, Austrlia, Japan or anywhere else, consult the official PC launch time graphic below.

Battlefield 2042 patch notes

If you've been playing the early access version of Battlefield 2042, you may have noticed that an update for the game was released prior to the full launch.

EA DICE has described this as "a small update targeted at addressing some critical issues that we identified shortly before the start of Early Access", before going on to list absolutely everything this update has addressed. To learn more, read the full Battlefield 2042 patch notes on the EA website.

Battlefield 2042 server status

Is Battlefield 2042 down? Are the Battlefield 2042 servers offline? Those are questions that you might have to ask yourself soon.

When a big new game launches, it's always wise to expect there to be some hefty strain on the servers and perhaps some day-one problems like laggging, crashes, long wait times in the lobby and frame-rate drops.

If you're hit by any of those issues and you're wondering what the Battlefield 2042 server status is, the best thing to do is check the Battlefield 2042 page on Down Detector. This user-generated information source will tell you whether anyone else is having the same problems as you.

Battlefield 2042 early access date

The Battlefield 2042 early access date was Friday 12th November 2021, with players who pre-ordered the special versions of the game being able to get involved from then onwards.

If you pre-ordered the Battlefield 2042 Gold Edition (£79.99 from Amazon) or the Battlefield 2042 Ultimate Edition (£99.99 from Amazon), you'll have got seven days of early access.

It was one heck of a Battlefield 2042 pre-order bonus and the extra week of practice might have given you a chance to 'get good' before other players, so maybe it was worth it?

Battlefield 2042 early access launch time

Here in the UK, the Battlefield 2042 early access launch time took place at 8am BST on 12th November - that's when the early access version of the game was released onto consoles and computers for the first time.

Battlefield 2042 Xbox Game Pass release date and EA Play

Is Battlefield 2042 on Game Pass? In a sense, yes - if you pay for an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership, you will get a 10-hour free trial of Battlefield 2042!

The Battlefield 2042 Xbox Game Pass Ultimate release date is 12th November 2021 - that's when you could start the 10-hour free trial. If you want to play for longer than that, though, you'll have to pay for the full game.

If you're a member of EA Play Pro for PC, you should have got access to the full game of Battlefield 2042 on that same date, 12th November.

Battlefield 2042 review scores roundup

The Battlefield 2042 review embargo has lifted, which means the first set of Battlefield 2042 review scores have arrived, and we've compiled some of them for you into one handy Battlefield 2042 review round-up.

The Battlefield 2042 Metacritic score is currently sitting at 76/100, but that could change as more reviews roll in over the coming days and weeks.

For IGN's Battlefield 2042 review, Stella Chung gave the game a 7/10, saying, "Battlefield 2042's highpoint is its powerful Portal mode, which lets you relive the series' past glories and tweak them to your liking."

At GamesRadar, Josh West gave it 3.5/5, noting, "DICE's multiplayer-only FPS has scale and spectacle, but there are elements in need of careful refinement and optimization."

Tyler Wilder at PC Gamer is holding off on giving the game a score, but his Battlefield 2042 review in progress does say this: "I like this edition of Battlefield more than the last one. I've never cared for Battlefield's single-player campaigns, so I'm happy that DICE has focused on making a heartier, more fibrous multiplayer package for BF2042. It's something I'll chew on for a while."

Is Battlefield 2042 cross-platform?

As for the question of if Battlefield 2042 is cross-platform, well... yes, it is, but there are some caveats there, as well. PS5, Xbox Series X and PC players will be able to fight alongside each other, but anyone on last-gen consoles will only be able to play with others who have not yet upgraded to a next-gen machine.

So if you're looking for Battlefield 2042 cross-play at launch, just be aware that PS4 and Xbox One players will have to stick together, because the PC crowd will be playing with PS5 and Xbox Series X/S owners.

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Can I watch Battlefield 2042 gameplay footage?

Yes, you can! During an Xbox/Bethesda showcase at the E3 2021 conference, fans were treated to their first proper look at Battlefield 2042 gameplay. You can take a look at the video below.

As for maps that will be in the game, we have a good mix that ranges from the Egyptian desert to Antarctica to an Indian industrial zone - it's a real globetrotting adventure for Battlefield 2042! And in the Battlefield Portal mode, you'll be able to tweak the settings in some extreme ways.

Is there a campaign in Battlefield 2042?

No, there is not a single-player campaign for Battlefield 2042. There will, instead, be story content woven into the game's multiplayer modes through dialogue and character backstories.

The first Battlefield 2042 story trailer was shown during a special Battlefield 6 reveal event, and it was packed with blockbuster-movie-worthy action and excitement. Of course, this is more of a tone-teasing taster than a proper look at the game, but it's still enough to give us an idea of what the developers are aiming for. Take a look below.

Since that trailer dropped, EA has shared the Exodus short film, which confirmed that Michael K Williams has reprised his role as Irish for Battlefield 2042. Sadly, this will be one of the actor's final performances after the talented actor passed away in September 2021.

Which consoles and platforms can play Battlefield 2042?

An FAQ page on the EA website confirms that Battlefield 6 will launch on Xbox One, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 4 consoles, along with PC on Steam, Origin, and the Epic Games store. So it'll be available pretty much everywhere, basically, except for Nintendo Switch and Google Stadia.

There is extra incentive to play the game on PC as it has been confirmed that the platform will be the only one to feature ray tracing - at least for now. So while the PS5 and Xbox Series X could well feature it at some point, for now, it is only PC that will have that extra visual flair.

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