Battlefield 2042 new Hazard Zone mode revealed in first trailer

Battlefield 2042’s third major gameplay mode, following the traditional All-Out Warfare and era-blending Battlefield Portal modes, will send players into tense, team-based missions against other teams, and hopefully they’ll make it out alive. Developer DICE announced that Hazard Zone is the new mode. The objective is to make it out alive. Not to kill your enemies; it’s to grab data drives from downed satellites and exit the battlefield before someone else — or something else, like a tornado — kills you.

DICE’s Hazard Zone has been repeatedly stressed by DICE since Battlefield 2042’s original announcement, is not a battle royale. This version has a lower player count. Battlefield 2042’s core multiplayer mode, with just 32 players spread across eight teams on PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X. Hazard Zone can only support 24 players on the last-gen consoles. And the goal is not to be the last player or team standing; in fact, you can “win” a game of Hazard Zone before a match even finishes for most players.

Here’s how the new mode works: Players are inserted into a game of Hazard Zone as a four-member squad. The goal of the players is to retrieve data drives from satellites downed and locate them. Of course, other teams are also fighting for those drives, so expect firefights as you and your teammates attempt to yank out each satellite’s precious cargo. Once all drives are collected, teams head for the extraction point where they fight to survive.

Image by DICE/Electronic Arts

And here’s Hazard Zone’s twist: There are only two extraction opportunities per game and only two teams can make it out alive. DICE states that there is one extraction opportunity at midmatch. This means players have two options: They can gamble to win the game or they can wait and hope for the second.

Each game of Hazard zone begins with an introduction and time to purchase and equip gadgets. An Intel Scanner is used to pinpoint satellite locations and the Reinforcement Uplink can be used to revive teammates who have been killed. These tactical upgrades can be purchased with money from Hazard Zone matches. Drives that are successfully extracted in games can then be cashed in for Dark Market Credits, a currency known as Dark Market Credits. You can also get faster healing and the ability to transport more drives simultaneously, better intel about satellite drop locations, Loadout Insurance that reduces your Dark Market Credits loss if you are killed during matches, as well as Loadout Insurance which minimizes Dark Market Credits losses.

Teams will enter the battlefield equipped with satellites scattered across the map. However, additional satellites that contain (even more valuable!) drives will fall throughout the game. As they try to retrieve as much data possible, players will need to constantly restrategize. The map has two locations for extraction points. If one player fails to make it, all the teams win.

Image: DICE/Electronic Arts

Battlefield 2042’s Specialist classes will carry over to the game’s Hazard Zone mode, so players will have to also consider team compositions when planning their insertion, retrieval, and extraction plan. Yes, Specialists are included. Battlefield 4’s Kimble “Irish” Graves, played by the late Michael K. Williams. DICE is putting Irish front and center in Hazard Zone’s marketing artwork.)

Electronic Arts and DICE will release a new version Battlefield 2042November 19, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Xbox One.