Battlefield 2042 releases next month, and fans of the military shooter series have plenty of reasons to be excited. Not only does Battlefield 2042 feature a new near-future setting, it also brings a number of big changes to the series. These include an upgrade to server size, operators replacing the series' iconic class system, a weather disaster feature, and two new ways to experience Battlefield. Some fans were disappointed to hear that Battlefield 2042 would not be receiving a single-player campaign mode, but the mode's omission has allowed the developer to focus on building a massive multiplayer experience.
However, the game only featuring online play requires the developer take action to making sure the game's community is as friendly as possible. Many multiplayer games have struggled with this in recent years, and some of the biggest titles in the genre are difficult for new players to try because of more experienced players making the community toxic. This will be especially important since Battlefield 2042 is a live-service game that the developer hopes to support for years, meaning it will need new players to help keep it alive. To help ensure this, the developer announced various aspects of Battlefield 2042 that are committed to what it calls "Positive Play."
The Battlefield Community Charter
The first part of DICE and EA's efforts is Battlefield 2042's community charter. The charter outlines expectations these companies have for players, and includes general bullet points on not being a bad person while playing online. These include being respectful, keeping things fair by reporting those who are hacking or cheating, only sharing content appropriate for the Battlefield community, and not encouraging or participating in dangerous or illegal activities. The developer says its charter aims to discourage the online harassment or bullying found across the industry.
To help maintain the chartern DICE has implemented an in-game system that allows players to report anyone who breaks any of the game's rules. DICE said it is dedicated to investigating each and every one of the reports so it can take the necessary action to keep the community welcoming and safe. The developer said it will utilize short-term bans for first-time offenders before escalating to lifetime, IP, or hardware bans for repeat offenders. The most serious offenders can even have their entire EA account deleted, which will terminate all of their purchased titles and subscriptions associated with the account, similar to how EA has banned players in titles like FIFA.
Positive Play in Battlefield 2042
There are a number of features that DICE implemented to try and encourage positive play. The first of these is an in-game system that will let players block others from contacting them at any time. It also includes a text profanity filter for in-game chat that will always be active. This filter has been a complaint for some Battlefield fans who wish to be able to toggle it on and off, but DICE has yet to comment on whether it will make the profanity filter optional or required. Battlefield 2042 will also allow players to mute the in-game chat, as well as individual players to help them avoid spam, toxicity, or anything they don't want to deal with.
Battlefield 2042's new Portal mode will also feature a number of administrative tools that allow players to avoid content they don't want to see. These will allow players to ban others across all of their community content to help keep their distance. Console players will be able to report troublemakers through Xbox and PlayStation's methods, and players on all platforms will receiving a receipt for the report as well as a message if any action is taken.
Anti-Cheat in Battlefield 2042
Many Battlefield fans are reasonably concerned about cheating in the game, since cheats are being sold online for Battlefield 2042 ahead of its release. To combat this, DICE detailed the anti-cheat measures being implemented in Battlefield 2042. Firstly, the team is using the Easy-Anti Cheat system that appears in other EA titles like Star Wars: Squadrons and Apex Legends, as well as having an entire team dedicated to catching cheaters.
DICE also said that since Battlefield 2042 supports cross-play, any identified cheaters will be kicked from the game even if they are in the middle of a match. Any bans will be applied to their overall EA account, blocking them from playing the game on any of its platforms. DICE also announced that the Easy Anti-Cheat system will be active in Battlefield 2042's upcoming open beta, emphasizing that the game's anti-cheat efforts will be an ongoing process the developer will constantly be monitoring and improving.
It's great to see the developer taking the health of its game's community so seriously ahead of launching in November. Hopefully, the developer is able to maintain a welcoming community, as this could even help Battlefield 2042 get the edge over Call of Duty: Vanguard, which releases around the same time. If the developer is successful in its efforts, it could help make Battlefield 2042's online community a special place within the industry.
Battlefield 2042 releases on November 19 for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.