It’s no news that Battlefield 2042 failed in the eyes of many players and arguably for the publisher EA itself. Since the release, the number of players in the multiplayer shooter, which is plagued by technical and content-related problems, has fallen constantly, at least on the platforms that disclose this data.
A new low has now been reached. On Steam, with only 951 players, there were fewer than ever before on the virtual battlefields. In this context, the comparison with the internal predecessors is also interesting, because it illustrates the effects of the player drought.
Low player numbers start a vicious circle
Battlefield 2042’s dilemma is relentlessly exposed by SteamDB. After the numbers had already come dangerously close to the 1,000 mark in the past few weeks, this value has now actually been undercut.
How is Battlefield 2042 doing? SteamDB only answers this question with a history curve.
How meaningful is Steam as a data source? As always, Steam is just one of many platforms you can play Battlefield 2042 on. Since there are no publicly available figures for EA’s Origin or the console versions, it is not possible to say with 100% certainty how the shooter is doing. However, due to the popularity of Steam on PC, this value can still be considered a relevant basis.
The numbers are already having an impact on Steam. The player shortage sets a kind of vicious circle in motion, from which a multiplayer title can only be broken out with difficulty: the fewer people there are on the server, the more difficult it is to get enough players together to start and experience a game as intended. The sight of the empty servers in turn deters potential newcomers, which does not change the situation and the downward spiral continues.
The disappointment about the state of Battlefield 2042 has already blossomed into quite humorous ones. The shooter Clownfield 2042 is clearly based on the original as a satire:
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Clownfield 2042: Trailer introduces the Battlefield satire
Comparison with Battlefield 4 makes you sit up and take notice
The current situation in Battlefield 2042 doesn’t look any better when you compare the server list with Battlefield 4, which is nine years older.
While BF2042 already has problems finding enough players in game modes like Portal or Hazard Zone, the situation in BF4 looks much rosier. Here you can choose from busy servers and jump right into the fray. In both cases, we disabled all filters based on specific game modes.
In BF2042, you may struggle to find a high player count match.
What’s next for Battlefield 2042?
Which: Almost six months after the release, Season 1 is still running in Battlefield 2042. The remaining players are eagerly awaiting new content, more bug fixes and improvements that should breathe new life into the shooter.
After all, a huge update is to be released in April that will contain several hundred changes. Officially, Battlefield 2042 has still not been written off, which would not be so easy. After all, before the release, buyers of the expensive Ultimate Edition were sold free access to a further four seasons.
Nevertheless, there are increasing signs that internally the next part of the series is already being worked on, which should not repeat the mistakes of Battlefield 2042:
more on the subject
Insider says Battlefield 7 in the works, learns “valuable lessons from 2042”
Regular replenishment of new content is not only a problem for Battlefield 2042, but also for other major games such as Halo: Infinite, Forza Horizon 5 or Age of Empires 4. We have already dealt with this topic in our GameStar Podcast and explain why Major projects often disappoint in post-launch service.
Are you still playing Battlefield 2042, or have you turned your back on the shooter for good? If so, are there any features or improvements that would make you want to return? Let us know your experiences and opinions in the comments!
