It’s not unusual for live-service titles to go through cycles of low player counts. However, the average number of players very rarely falls below the 4-digit mark. For a AAA title like Battlefield 2042, the expectations are even higher. As a multiplayer-only game with zero single-player content, Battlefield 2042 needs to have more than just 1,000 players, but EA and DICE have had no luck attracting and retaining a sizable audience. It’s gotten to the point that cheat makers are abandoning the game because it’s not just worth the effort anymore. To make matters worse, the same data showed that Battlefield 5 had over 9,000 concurrent players in the same timeframe, which is just sad. The worst part about Battlefield 2042’s woes is that there’s no silver lining. Returning to the data collected on SteamCharts, Battlefield 2042 has had an average player count of less than 2,000 over the last 30 days, which is lower than what Battlefield V, Battlefield 1, and Battlefield 4, each put up. It’s never a good sign for the latest installment in a big-time franchise to have fewer players than its predecessor, not when the said older title suffered from similar issues at launch as well. At this point, you can’t help but wonder if EA and DICE should just move on from Battlefield 2042. The number of players asking for refunds will only grow and get worse. In addition, EA has acknowledged that Battlefield 2042 missed its mark and that the publisher is facing an uphill battle ahead trying to win players back if that’s even possible. Altogether, the current situation paints a bleak future for what was tabbed as a return to form for the series. On the other hand, Battlefield 2042’s contemporaries like Halo enjoyed high praise at the time of its release with a live-action TV show on Paramount+ that’s a certified hit with a second season already in development. Meanwhile, Activision Blizzard has several different Call of Duty games in the works like Warzone Mobile, Warzone 2, and this year’s Call of Duty. EA and DICE don’t just need to go back to the drawing board - they need to buy a new one. Only time will tell if Battlefield 2042 will find a way to join our list of games that enjoyed success after disastrous launches. Until then, feel free to grab a bowl of popcorn, sit back, and watch how EA and DICE struggle to right the course of its sinking ship.
