It’s more bad news for Battlefield 2042 fans, as Electronic Arts has announced that the 3.3 update, which includes the long-awaited new scoreboard, has been delayed a few weeks and won’t be out until sometime in March.
EA said in January that the 3.3 update featuring the “refreshed scoreboard” would roll out in mid to late February, following a smaller 3.2 update that would bring in changes to Battlefield Portal’s XP system and a number of performance optimizations. But the 3.2 update also introduced stability problems, which developer DICE attempted to stamp out with a hotfix released today.
“Our next update after today’s hotfix will now roll out in early March,” EA said via the Battlefield Direct Communication Twitter account, after the hotfix went live. “This is a change from our last message to you all on its intended release. The extra time will help to ensure we improve the quality of our updates, and include additional changes.”
Our next Update after todays Hotfix will now roll out in early March. This is a change from our last messaging to you all on it’s intended release.The extra time will help to ensure we improve the quality of our Updates, and include additional changes.https://t.co/WoeHvOludKFebruary 3, 2022
Predictably, the reaction to the delay has not been positive. While some players encourage DICE to take the time it needs to get things right, many others are highly critical: A number of players are comparing it to the disastrous launch of Cyberpunk 2077 and/or demanding refunds, while others are sharing their own (sometimes reasonable, sometimes wild) ideas for “fixing the game,” such as eliminating specialists completely or removing restrictions and XP caps in solo play and the Portal. There are even calls for Battlefield 2042 to be abandoned so resources can be focused on the next game in the series.
There are bits of gallows humour scattered throughout the commentary as well, some of it surprisingly sympathetic to the plight of the developer. “If DICE were a friend on social media you’d be setting up a GoFundme page because it’s clear they’re reaching out for help but they’re too brave to tell everyone they have cancer or they’re unemployed or something,” redditor loseisnothardtospell wrote.
It’s understandable that some players are frustrated to the point of giving up. Battlefield 2042 was in a rough state at launch, and many players were unhappy with the design direction DICE took for the new game, which they felt strayed too far from the core Battlefield formula. Of more than 93,000 user reviews on Steam, only 30% are positive; the situation is bad enough that earlier this week, DICE delayed the kickoff of Battlefield 2042’s first season so it could work on addressing player criticism.
Electronic Arts acknowledged in its most recent quarterly investment call that Battlefield 2042 “did not meet expectations,” but CEO Andrew Wilson promised the company is “fully committed to realizing the full potential” of the game.