Battlefield 2042 Shatters Launch Records, Leaving Its Competitors in Awe

Highlights

Battlefield 2042 broke its own launch record with over 101,000 concurrent players on Steam, indicating a potential redemption for the controversial game.

At launch, the game was plagued by numerous bugs and received complaints regarding its lack of features, resulting in negative reviews and frustrated users.

The growth in the player base can be attributed to the game being offered for free on Steam for a limited period, along with discounts for those who opt to buy it. The introduction of Season 6 has also contributed to this increase, and similar growth might have been observed on Xbox and PlayStation platforms.

Battlefield 2042 achieved a significant milestone by surpassing its previous record for peak concurrent players on Steam. The game, which was released in 2021, has been the subject of controversy and received mixed reviews. Many gamers encountered various issues while playing, and some were let down by missing features. In response, some users review bombed the game by giving it low scores to express their frustrations. However, there seems to be a positive turn for Battlefield 2042, as its peak concurrent player count on Steam has now reached a new high.

According to Battlefield Bulletin, Battlefield 2042 has reached a new record with a peak user count of 101,362 players on Steam. This surpasses the previous peak of 100,590 users that was achieved during the game's launch in November 2021. It's important to note that these numbers are based on Steam Charts data, while SteamDB indicates a peak concurrent player count of 105,397. Nevertheless, it is apparent that more players on Steam have been engaging with Battlefield 2042 recently compared to its initial release. Various factors have contributed to this increase.

For a limited time until October 16, Battlefield 2042 is available for free on Steam, allowing players to access the game at no cost. This promotion has resulted in a significant surge in the game's player count on the platform. Interested players also have the opportunity to purchase the game at a discounted price. Additionally, Battlefield 2042 is also free to play on Xbox and PlayStation during this period. This suggests that all platforms may have experienced a similar increase in active players. Furthermore, it appears that users are becoming more receptive to trying out Battlefield 2042, as the game also saw a substantial spike in player count when it was offered as a free monthly Playstation Plus game in March 2023.

Despite a rocky start, the development team has been diligently making changes and enhancements to Battlefield 2042 since its initial release. Season 6 brings a plethora of exciting additions, including new weaponry, gadgets, cosmetic items, a brand-new map, and notable improvements to the handling of vehicles. In the grand scheme of things, Battlefield 2042 has managed to surpass its launch record, thanks in part to the free weekend and the improvements implemented by DICE since its debut. It will be fascinating to observe whether it can maintain a strong player base once these promotions conclude.

Battlefield 2042 is currently available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.