Battlefield 2042 Will Offer Crossplay for Console and PC Owners
Battlefield 2042 will enable console and PC owners to play together. Progression in online modes and cosmetic item purchases will also be shared.
- Battlefield 2042 will offer cross-play between console and PC owners, though it will be limited by hardware generations;
- Progression and purchases of cosmetic items will be shared between all platforms.
Electronic Arts has put together a comprehensive post on the official website of Battlefield, where the devs answers some of the most frequently asked questions about the upcoming installment, Battlefield 2042, including whether console and PC owners can play together, the possibility of disabling bots in online play (spoiler: there is none) or how specialists work.
Battlefield 2042 - cross-play, split progression and purchases
Battlefield 2042 will offer cross-play between consoles and PCs - with an option to opt-out if you're worried about cheaters on PC. It is worth noting that DICE decided, due to technical limitations, to divide the solution by console generations. Owners of PS5 or Xbox Series X|S will be able play with PCs without any obstacles. PS4 owners will have to rely on Xbox One users, if they want to try out cross-play.
In the case of progression and purchases the restriction will not apply.. So you can start the adventure with Battlefield 2042 on a last-gen console and then switch to PS5, Xbox Series X/S, or PC without losing your progress or purchases.
Bots will stay in online gameplay
One of the more pressing issues for Battlefield community was the announcement of the inclusion of bots in online modes. They will appear when the game is unable to find enough living players. According to the developers, this solution will help to maintain traffic on servers, especially on less popular maps (although at the start there will be only seven of them).
As a reminder, here is what DICE is preparing:
- Multiplayer mode - AI soldiers are used to leveling ground for opposing teams, which aids with matchmaking. The players always take priority over the AI when playing online;
- Co-op - it enables you to play together with friends against AI-controlled soldiers;
- Solo - if you want to hone your skills, you can even play solo against the AI.
The developers promise that they've really nailed the AI of the bots and, other than not using a wingsuit, we shouldn't notice too much difference compared to the statistical "live" player.
If you don't like this option, though, we have bad news. Battlefield 2042 will not enable you to opt-out of the feature as it is an integral part of balancing the game. If you were hoping that the presence of bots would enable you to play solo without a network connection, we also have bad news - it won't.
The rest of the information from the post was already provided during the game's announcement, but if you missed it then you can read it here.
Battlefield 2042 will be released on October 22, 2021 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
