As Battlefield 2042 gears up for the release of Season 3, EA is trying to get wary fans back on board to see how the troubled shooter has changed over the past year, including adding it to Xbox Game Pass.
EA confirmed that Battlefield 2042 will be available via EA Access starting with Season 3, meaning that it will be available to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. EA is also planning free access periods across all platforms through December.
While EA has yet to confirm Season 3’s launch date, it did reveal that Update 3.2 will include the reintroduction of Classes to Battlefield 2042. This update is part of Battlefield 2042’s Specialist revamp, which will see them get more defined roles on the field in addition to a specialized set of gadgets and equipment.
EA says that it has been testing the updates extensively, and that it will soon be revealing another new Assault Specialist. EA is also promising updates to Battlefield 2042’s Manifest and Breakaway maps, with the latter getting a “massive overhaul.”
While Battlefield 2042 hasn’t received much attention over the past year, EA has been working quietly in the background. Season 2 was comparatively well-received by fans, featuring numerous improvements to the launch version as well as the introduction of mid-season events.
Battlefield 2042 notably had a very rocky launch. An uncertain roadmap; poorly-received additions like the Specialists, and overly-large maps all drew criticism from longtime fans of the series. It led to EA saying that the shooter “did not meet expectations” earlier this year.
In addition to the new Specialist and the map improvements, Season 3 will include a new Battle Pass, new events, and numerous quality-of-life improvements. EA says that it should be live “in a few weeks,” with Classes rolling out in early 2023.
While you wait, check out some other high-quality Xbox Game Pass games, as well as our full review of Battlefield 2042.
Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.