In an unexpected twist of fate, Battlefield 2042 — a game once plagued by controversy — has surged back onto the FPS scene in a major way. As anticipation for Battlefield 6 reaches fever pitch, players are piling back into Battlefield 2042, pushing its active Steam player count above that of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and even Warzone.
From disaster to a farewell tour
When Battlefield 2042 launched back in 2021, it arrived with all the fanfare you’d expect from EA and DICE — but also its fair share of bugs, balance issues, and content gaps. The initial reception was … let’s just say less than favourable. What followed was a long, winding, and at times brutal redemption arc filled with patches, feature overhauls, new seasons, and an attempt to rebuild a fractured community.
Fast forward to 2024, and Battlefield 2042 is finally winding down, bowing out with a surprising bang. And oddly enough, it owes that resurgence not just to in-game content, but to a surge of interest in a completely different title: Battlefield 6.
Battlefield 6 beta smashes records
Over two open beta weekends, Battlefield 6 didn’t just grab attention: it shattered expectations. With well over 500,000 concurrent players at peak on Steam, it surpassed EA’s all-time records and even overtook Call of Duty’s highest concurrent count on the platform. That’s right: an open beta of a Battlefield game beat Call of Duty at its own game.
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Even after the beta servers were taken offline, the momentum didn’t just fizzle out. Instead, fans eager for more Battlefield action found themselves heading back to 2042. And the numbers prove it.
Battlefield 2042 player spike: What’s going on?
According to SteamCharts, Battlefield 2042 currently has more active players than Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, with a 24-hour peak hitting 74,000 players. For comparison, Call of Duty clocked in at around 70,000.
While that might seem like a surprising stat, there are a few reasons behind this sudden player flood:
- Farewell Event: A final in-game event is dangling Pax Armata-themed skins as rewards: cosmetics that carry over into Battlefield 6. That’s a good enough hook for many players to grind one last time.
- $3 Sale on Steam: Yeah, you read that right. Battlefield 2042 is only $3 during its farewell promotion. For less than the cost of a cup of coffee, you’re getting a full AAA shooter (warts and all), and access to cosmetics for the next big game.
- XP Farming Incentives: Players are taking full advantage of AFK servers to grind out rewards. Yep, it’s not all boots-on-the-ground fighting: there’s a lot of quiet XP hoarding happening in the background.
This surge won’t last forever
Let’s be real: this farewell tour of Battlefield 2042 is likely to be short-lived. The $3 promo ends on September 2, and the current battle pass wraps up on October 7, just three days before Battlefield 6 officially launches on October 10 for Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.
While the numbers might be inflated somewhat by players farming cosmetics AFK, there’s no denying the power of a successful beta. Battlefield 6 may have reignited interest in the franchise overall, breathing new life into a game that many had already written off.
All eyes now on Battlefield 6
So what does this all mean? Simply put, Battlefield is back in the spotlight. 2042’s spike is a ripple effect of Battlefield 6’s triumphant beta showing. And while it might not sustain its newfound traction for long, it definitely signals that the FPS crowd is hungry for something fresh, and EA is in a strong position to deliver when Battlefield 6 drops on October 10.
If you snagged Battlefield 2042 for 3 bucks, this “last hurrah” is probably worth the price alone for the carryover cosmetics and a bit of nostalgia. Just don’t be surprised when the servers go a little quieter after launch day hits.