Weapons and attachments are the heart and soul of Battlefield 4, so as its successor, Battlefield 2042 has to get both right, and that means including a solid progression system. However, instead of a class-based progression system similar to Battlefield 4‘s, 2042 is going with a much more generic approach to player progression. Weapons and gadgets, instead of being unlocked by playing as a particular class, will be given to players simply by leveling up, much like a Call of Duty title.
In a blog post announcing Battlefield 2042‘s open beta, which is set to run next weekend, Ripple Effect also revealed Battlefield 2042‘s more generic approach to progression. Players will simply earn experience, level up, and unlock new “weapons gadgets, cosmetics, and more.” Players will also have access to a “varied set of Specialists, weapons, vehicles, and gadgets” from the get-go.
This progression system is a massive shift from previous Battlefield titles, including more recent entries in the franchise like Battlefield 5. That game had players earn class ranks to unlock new weapons. Similarly, Battlefield 4 locked a majority of its arsenal behind class levels, although others were hidden behind missions that players had to accomplish during multiplayer matches. This approach, where weapons and other tools, are unlocked simply by leveling up is much more generic but should give more players access to the game’s arsenal.
That being said, it’s not clear how Battlefield 2042 will treat other unlockables, including attachments for weapons and other equipment for vehicles. In Battlefield 4, both were unlocked by either using the weapon or using the vehicle. We’ll likely have to wait for Battlefield 2042 to launch this November to find out exactly how progression works across the game.
