Battlefield 2042 free-to-play access officially announced

To label Battlefield 2042 a troubled shooter would be something of an understatement. EA and DICE's futuristic FPS arguably had one of the worst launches it's possible for a major AAA release to have, and lost its audience so quickly anyone would think it had started trying to talk about politics with its players.

Since Battlefield 2042 launched, the game's playercount has dropped so low that players in some territories have been unable to get into games. In recent months, previous Battlefield games like Battlefield 1 and Battlefield V have brought in far more players, leading many to fear that 2042 would be left to die quietly.

Apparently not, though. EA continues to forge ahead with its plans for Battlefield 2042 - plans that include kicking of a new season of content and announcing a series of special free-to-play access periods. Presumably as a way of providing wary players a risk-free way of seeing that the game isn't so broken anymore.

According to a press release, these free access periods will take place throughout December, giving players the chance to enjoy everything the game has to offer for a limited time.

Xbox gamers will be able to play from December 1 to December 4. Battlefield 2042 will also be added to Xbox Game Pass with the start of Season 3, although a release date has yet to be confirmed.

Steam users can get stuck in from December 1 to December 5, while PlayStation gamers can see what the game has to offer from December 16 to December 23.

Regardless of which platform you play on, accessing the free trial will net you a special Welcome Pack that includes a bunch of cosmetics and access to new Specialists.

It's clear EA is making a big push to bring Battlefield 2042 from the dead. Will it have a Cyberpunk 2077-style comeback, or end up a forgotten relic? Time will tell.