So far, Battlefield 2042's launch has been less than smooth. While it seems that it's still drawing in players, Battlefield 2042 has been widely criticized, garnering poor reviews on Steam and review aggregate sites like Metacritic. There are a lot of issues that players have pointed out, though consistent problems with bugs and glitches are some of the most frequently cited causes of concern. A new bug is at least somewhat enjoyable, however.
Over on Reddit, a post by u/AngryFlyingBears shows a large group of players 'swimming' in the sky on the Kaleidoscope map. Players are seen entering a large pool before being lifted up and out of it, joining helicopters and other air vehicles. It's a bit of a baffling sight, gazing up at the dozens of players that are floating around.
It's not clear what exactly causes the glitch as seen in the video. The footage is apparently shot in Battlefield Portal, which allows players to make custom matches with their own personal twists – in this case seemingly some sort of Infection game mode. It's possible that the issue is with Portal or the custom game mode itself, but it's difficult to say for sure. Either way, though, it's enough to raise an eyebrow at, and the glitch certainly doesn't help current perceptions of Battlefield 2042.
Luckily, EA and DICE are promising updates to Battlefield 2042 for years, starting with its second major update launching today. There's a laundry list of items that need to be addressed quickly, though the second update will cross some big issues off of the list. The primary improvements are weapon balance changes, specifically making assault rifles more versatile at longer ranges thanks to adjustments to bloom.
Of course, it's still going to be some time before Battlefield 2042 is on par with players' expectations. Fundamental elements of the experience, like the new Specialist system, have been steamrolled by criticism, with few positive mentions of the characters. The amount of content in Battlefield 2042 has also been the subject of critique, as it has fewer weapons and maps than prior entries did.
For now, the sky swimming glitch is just a funny example of Battlefield 2042's current state. For some, it's emblematic of a larger issue, and for others, it's just something to laugh at. Either way, one can hope that Battlefield 2042's next updates make it the best game it can be.
Battlefield 2042 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.