Yesterday it was officially announced that Battlefield 2042 would be delayed nearly a month, in part due to issues stemming from the global Covid-19 pandemic. We also learned that, with this updated plan for release, the beta’s would be shifting around as well. Although we have yet to get any official dates, we have learned some more today.
First, it was announced via Twitter that the new early access period has been moved to November 12th. Both the Gold and Ultimate editions of the game release a week earlier, giving their players more time to learn the ropes. The was initially planned for October 15th but obviously, with the game being moved back a month, this date had to shift accordingly.
Thanks to everyone who have sent their messages of support this past 12 hours or so – it's deeply appreciated by all of us on the team 💛 #BATTLEFIELD
I'll be helping to answer questions as we move towards November 19th. To help clarify on the below
Early Access = 12th November https://t.co/GDwneaclZs
— Freeman (@PartWelsh) September 16, 2021
Second, the dates for the Open Beta have shifted around too. Initially, while never confirmed, they were expected to drop near the end of September but that will no longer be the case. It was confirmed that they plan to announce the new dates by the end of the month through this announcement will most likely not come this week. Most likely they have shifted to some point in October.
New dates for the Open Beta will be shared later this month.
We likely won't share those dates today, or tomorrow – and I'll give you further heads up next week.
— Freeman (@PartWelsh) September 16, 2021
During their statements yesterday the team stated that the game is being developed with a large portion of employees still working remotely due to the pandemic. This was cited as a major reason for the delay, though not the only reason. This is on top of the extra year taken by DICE to develop the game.
The game will also feature a character portrayed by The Wire and Boardwalk Empire star Michael K. Williams, who passed away earlier this month. DICE is working with Williams’ team “respectfully plan his representation in-game going forward.” His death was not cited as a reason for the delay.
Battlefield 2042 will now be available on November 19, 2021, for the Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation4, PlayStation5, and PC via Origin, Steam, and the Epic Games Store.
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