Summary
It is no secret thatBattlefield 2042was hindered a lot by its controversial launch, with the 2021 title having to work hard ever since to move past this and rebuild its reputation. While it is undeniable that the game is in a much better state now than it was three years ago, a lot of the better launch features of2042were sadly neglected in the title’s bid to add more post-launch content.
Prior to its release, one of the most anticipated aspects ofBattlefield 2042was its ambitious Portal mode, which aimed to blur the lines between the franchise’s most popular releases in time-bending and highly customizable gameplay experiences. The concepts behind2042’s Portal mode had huge amounts of potential and were very ambitious, yet the lack of any real support for the mode throughout2042’s life cycle means that its future is nowhere near as hopeful as it could have been.
Battlefield 2042’s Portal Mode Could Have Been So Much More
Portal was designed to be a unique experience set away fromthe purely futuristic gameplay ofBattlefield 2042, allowing players to create their own multiplayer matches using a variety of assets from the followingBattlefieldreleases:
These assets included things like maps, weapons, and vehicles, potentially seeing games where a force of World War 2-era soldiers might face off against a smaller but more advanced troop of futuristic combatants. Not only did Portal allow fans to re-experience some ofthe most belovedBattlefieldreleases of all time, but it gave an immense amount of power to players to fine tune what kind of experience they wanted to create and share with others.
Portal Was the Biggest Victim of Battlefield 2042’s Launch
The pre-release hype surrounding2042’s Portal was quickly dashed upon the game’s launch, with many players accusing the release of lacking the amount of content that a mainlineBattlefieldtitle should have.2042famously chose to forego a single-player campaign, for example, putting even more pressure on its lackluster multiplayer.2042released without things like multiplayer scoreboards and without the IP’s iconic four-class system, with DICE having to work extremely hard to regain a player base that quickly dwindled just weeks after2042’s launch.
2042did a good job at redeeming itselfin this regard with its post-launch seasons, going back to the basics of theBattlefieldformula while releasing an intense amount of post-launch weapons, vehicles, maps, and more. Despite promises of continual post-launch support for Portal, the game mode never received any meaningful updates in the way of new maps, weapons, or vehicles, with it essentially being abandoned not long after the launch of2042. With post-launch support for2042ending after Season 7, it is hard to see Portal being continued by DICE into future titles, sadly cementing it as an underused and underdeveloped mode that could have been a defining experience for the franchise.
Battlefield 2042
WHERE TO PLAY
Battlefield 2042 is a first-person shooter that marks the return to the iconic all-out warfare of the franchise. With the help of a cutting-edge arsenal, engage in intense, immersive multiplayer battles.Lead your team to victory in both large all-out warfare and close-quarters combat on maps from the world of 2042 and classic Battlefield titles. Find your playstyle in class-based gameplay and take on several experiences comprising elevated versions of Conquest and Breakthrough. Explore Battlefield Portal, a platform where players can discover, create, and share unexpected battles from Battlefield’s past and present.This game includes optional in-game purchases of virtual currency that can be used to acquire virtual in-game items.
