Battlefield 2042 Season 7 is the End of an Era

09.04.2024 - 19:46 / gamerant.com / Byron Beede / Ea / John DiCarlo

EA has confirmed that Battlefield 2042's Season 7 will be its last, as its development teams shift focus to the series' future. This marks the end of Battlefield 2042's long journey following its controversial launch, although fans can still expect to see some new content later on in the game.

Unsurprisingly, Battlefield 2042's bug-filled release in 2021 did not go over well with the franchise's community, leading to low player numbers not long after launch and a promise from EA that it would help the game reach a respectable state. This was done through the Seasons format, in which Battlefield received new content like maps, modes, and weapons on a semi-regular basis; however, these updates still caused some controversy among Battlefield fans. Now that Season 7 is well underway, it seems that EA is looking to move on from 2042.

In a post shared on EA's website, Battlefield General Manager Byron Beede said it is «now necessary for us to turn from the present to the future,» and further explained that resources are being diverted from 2042 to the series' next game. However, 2042 is still set to receive new content later in Season 7, such as a map, two themed events, a weapon, and a vehicle. Additionally, EA plans to release more in-game challenges, events, modes, and support updates after the conclusion of Season 7. But it seems that 2042 has received its last major content update with Season 7's launch in March.

Beede also announced that Motive Studio is joining the Battlefield franchise, where it will bring its «expertise in Frostbite and compelling storytelling to the fold,» suggesting that the new developer may play an important role in Battlefield's next single-player project. Fans might recognize Motive for its work on the Dead Space remake and Star Wars Squadrons.

Motive joins DICE, Criterion, and Ripple Effect in what sounds like an ambitious next step for the franchise when a Battlefield universe that connects various multiplayer and single-player experiences will be launched. The addition of Motive may come as a partial replacement for Ridgeline Games and its recent closure; Ridgeline was apparently working on a Battlefield single-player project as well.

An insider claimed that the next Battlefield will feature a battle royale mode, which would presumably join a traditional multiplayer and single-player mode. The same report also claimed that the battle royale will be a separate, free-to-play option similar to Call of Duty and Warzone. If true, it's not surprising that EA is looking to take a page out of Activision's book seeing the wildly different trajectories the two shooter franchises have taken.

Battlefield 2042 is the latest installment in the long-running Battlefield franchise.