Is Battlefield 2042 really a massive flop?

[nominedomine]

I keep saying people referring to Battlefield 2042 this game as a massive flop but I'm not seeing it and I'm finding it very hard to figure out what is going on.

Lets compare it to Halo Infinite for example another game with a multiplayer component that released at around the same time. Halo was released on December 2021, reviewed really well, had the most successful launch in franchise history according to MS, had the single player campaign available day one on Gamepass and the multiplayer part is F2P.

Battlefield 2042 was release on November 2021 as a $60 game.

Yet now, a little more than half a year later the daily peak on Steam for Battlefield 2042 is higher than that of Halo and all other metrics are pretty comparable. We don't have Xbox and PlayStation data but it's fair assume that even if Halo is bigger on Xbox it's not going to make up for Battlefield being available on PS4/PS5, consoles that have a much bigger install base.

Comparison - Steam Charts

An ongoing analysis of Steam's player numbers, seeing what's been played the most.

steamcharts.com

Those two things just don't seem to be aligning very well, what am I missing here?

 

[DynamiteCop]

Battlefield is a flop because it's broken, has no campaign and it's just not very good. Halo is a flop because it lacks multiplayer content.

One of these can be fixed, the other cannot.

 

[nominedomine]

Battlefield is a flop because it's broken, has no campaign and it's just not very good. Halo is a flop because it lacks multiplayer content.

One of these can be fixed, the other cannot.

If a multiplayer game is good shouldn't that be enough for people to want to play it? Specially considering it's free.

 

[DynamiteCop]

If a multiplayer game is good shouldn't that be enough for people to play it?

These days? No, people are content crazy, and I despise it.

 

[Lord Mittens]

I had a hard time getting into 2042.
We could also say the same for Overwatch 2 when that releases as F2P - expect huge numbers initially but will the player base start slipping soon after?

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Everything is relative.

 

[IFireflyl]

Battlefield is a flop because it's broken, has no campaign and it's just not very good. Halo is a flop because it lacks multiplayer content.

One of these can be fixed, the other cannot.

This. Virtually all of my time spent on Halo Infinite was with the campaign. If Battlefield 2042 had a decent campaign I'd probably buy it as well. But it doesn't, so there is no reason for me to buy it and/or play it since the multiplayer content is "hot garbage".

 

[EDMIX]

Very likely.

If EA is saying they wanted more or it didn't sell what they wanted or something, its already a flop in that regard, public perception would also support a flop

has no campaign

yea...I'm 100% ok with that lol Of all the things wrong with 2042, I never cared about that being removed and would personally want the focus to continue to be MP.

 

[Explosive Zombie]

It's enough of a failure that they need to re-think the next entry, for sure.

 

[Vertigo]

Both Infinite and 2042 are pretty huge flops. Halo arguably the bigger flop since there’s no entry fee.

they’re both at the bottom tho …

And correct… Xbox games store is the smallest marketplace and does not make up for PlayStation either.

 

[Yossarian]

Halo Infinite has a semi-decent campaign attached to it. I liked the open world but the forerunner structure missions were terrible tbqh. The multiplayer has terrible player retention and the developers don't fuckin add maps to it. There is no firefight or warzone. I played the 10 hour trial of Battlefield2042 and didn't think it was complete garbage but I didn't stick with it. I don't think the lack of campaign hurts battlefield2042. I haven't been following the game that closely since last year tbqh

 

[Vertigo]

Lack of campaign definitely DOES NOT hurt battlefield.

Not going f2p with a pvp game hurt it.

Keep in mind CoD Vanguard is doing pretty shit with its playerbase too. Warzone cannibalized the playerbase of traditional CoDz.

Landscape changed big time. I’m not even confident Modern Warfare will retain players when everyone will be playing Warzone 2 instead.

I’d rather they’d try to fix 2042 but it’s clear that they’re dumping it and moving onto the next project.

Which is quite telling when it’s performing similar to Halo.

EA gives up too easily.

 

[Explosive Zombie]

Halo Infinite has a semi-decent campaign attached to it. I liked the open world but the forerunner structure missions were terrible tbqh. The multiplayer has terrible player retention and the developers don't fuckin add maps to it. There is no firefight or warzone. I played the 10 hour trial of Battlefield2042 and didn't think it was complete garbage but I didn't stick with it. I don't think the lack of campaign hurts battlefield2042. I haven't been following the game that closely since last year tbqh

Attached to it? No, the MP released separate.

 

[Yossarian]

Attached to it? No, the MP released separate.

Whatever man. Taken as a whole, Infinite is the campaign and the multiplayer, like every Halo game before it

 

[Explosive Zombie]

Whatever man. Taken as a whole, Infinite is the campaign and the multiplayer, like every Halo game before it

It's 60 dollars or a gamepass sub to play a campaign with no co-op or forge, the multiplayer is a separate free to play entity that released months earlier.

 

[Vertigo]

Attached to it? No, the MP released separate.

It’s separate listings on Windows store for PVP for Infinite campaign vs pvp. Not so on Xbox or Steam.

Most popular games - Microsoft Store

Infinite pvp at #68. Campaign at #232

Just in-case you didn’t realize that fanboys screaming “bu, bu Windows store and gamepass” to justify Infinite’s poor Steam performance… that was all FUD. And mostly because Windows store is a joke of a marketplace that’s still relatively insignificant to the gaming marketplace

MCC is so in the position to take the crown too. Also paid entry fee for that game and it’s going toe to toe with both Infinite and 2042.

I’ll say it again. Make MCC multi platform with pvp f2p and only sell campaigns a la carte and it will have a successful run and embarrass Infinite for the time being.

Aside from all that, the most successful arena shooters currently on console are Rainbow Six, Destiny 2 and Apex’s death match modes.

Who would’ve thought this would be the case. That’s what happens when f2p Warzone cannibalizes its own demographic. Now retail COD is just a 70$ battle pass.

Solution? Arena CoD f2p. No more wasted resources on campaigns no one plays. Ditch retail. That shit is over

 

[Swift_Star]

Warzone cannibalized the playerbase of traditional CoDz.

everyone will be playing Warzone 2 instead.

That doesn't bode well for some recent moves in the industry... I wonder...

 

[nominedomine]

Aside from all that, the most successful arena shooters currently on console are Rainbow Six, Destiny 2 and Apex’s death match modes.

Who would’ve thought this would be the case. That’s what happens when f2p Warzone cannibalizes its own demographic. Now retail COD is just a 70$ battle pass.

Solution? Arena CoD f2p. No more wasted resources on campaigns no one plays. Ditch retail. That shit is over

Bro, someone is about to pull a Musk and ask for their $70B dollars check back.