In the blog post, EA announced the fourth season of Battlefield 2042 at the end of the game’s first year. To celebrate, EA revealed that the fourth season, which will launch in early 2023, will feature an all-new battle pass, new hardware, and a new Specialist, the last one in the title. It will also contain a smaller, shorter, and more-linear map. Similarly, it announced that the fifth season is coming and will feature a new map, a new Battle Pass, and new hardware, among other features. However, the fifth season is not going to add a new Specialist. According to the blog post, DICE has continued to re-design Battlefield 2042’s launch maps during the third season, with Manifest and Breakaway. Manifest is scheduled to release as part of Update 3.1, which will launch in December. The launch map has been reworked to bring HQ flags closer to fight scenes and improve visibility, cover, and sight lines. It also features a reduced play area and an improved pathing between flags to facilitate attack and defense, among other improvements. Breakaway, on the other hand, will release as part of Update 3.2, arriving early next year. The update will bring the oil rig closer to the action, with a focus on the play area. It will also introduce new ways to play on the ice and rearrange the flags within the game. EA further revealed that the remaining launch maps, Discarded and Hourglass, will be re-designed for future seasons. Discarded is scheduled for a re-design for season 4, while Hourglass’s fresh release will be determined in the next EA Development Update, scheduled early next year. EA also announced that Update 3.2 will reintroduce Classes into the game. In its words, “All our existing Specialists will be placed within defined roles with a set of gadgets and equipment that best suit their purpose on the battlefield.” Battlefield 2042 underwhelmed audiences when it came out last year. Instead of the expected positive reception from fans and critics, the game was heavily criticized and many fans asked for a refund. Fortunately, DICE and EA have since made significant changes, remedying many of the title’s original failures, and new releases have garnered improved receptions, with one popular Twitch streamer recently claiming the game is better than Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II.
