Battlefield 2042 is quickly approaching its November 19 launch date and one of its biggest features will be the Battlefield Portal. Exactly what Battlefield Portal is has definitely left some fans stumbling for words, however. EA DICE has described it as a "platform" for mixing and matching classic Battlefield content in Battlefield 2042's engine, but it's an odd pitch. To help clarify exactly what Battlefield Portal will be in Battlefield 2042, a new trailer has been released showcasing some of the platforms' content.
The pitch of Battlefield Portal has always been the ability to crossover classic Battlefield within the Battlefield 2042 experience. Previously announced games that will be supported include Battlefield 1942, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, and Battlefield 3. What better way to showcase that than to put gameplay footage of each of those three Battlefield games crossing over into Battlefield 2042 in a trailer? Which is exactly what EA has done.
Battlefield 2042's new trailer features six different maps, two each from Battlefield 1942, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, and Battlefield 3. The maps themselves are authentic recreations, updated with all of Battlefield 2042's visuals and technical features. The gameplay that is shown in each map, however, is a full crossover with the near-future-era Battlefield 2042. That means that each map features a mix of Battlefield 2042 and the classic game's weapons and vehicles, each a mesh of action unique to itself.
The maps featured are exciting on their own. For Battlefield 1942, both the Battle of the Bulge and El Alamein are showcased. Battlefield: Bad Company 2's two maps are Valparaiso and Arica Harbor. Lastly, Noshahr Canals and Caspian Border are featured from Battlefield 3. These six maps represent the full extent of what will be available in Battlefield Portal when Battlefield 2042 launches. They've previously been confirmed, but seeing them in-engine is something special.
What the new Battlefield 2042 trailer presents of Battlefield Portal is, going off of EA's description of the platform, the simplest possibility at hand. Players will be able to use "powerful builder tools" to create complicated custom game modes using assets from all four of the available games. EA will also have a rotating selection of featured Portal modes available.
Much remains to be discovered regarding Battlefield Portal. The breadth of customizability available via the platform remains to be seen. Yet there's always a massive amount of potential in offering a community the ability to create custom game modes. Mixing in classic Battlefield games makes it all the better.
Battlefield 2042 releases November 17 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.