Battlefield 2042 will no longer support 128-player Breakthrough matches, as developer Dice scales down the mode amid the game’s sick player count.
As part of the latest Battlefield 2042 4.1 update, the 128-player Breakthrough playlist has been removed entirely. According to an official blog post, players will now only be able to access the game mode in 64-player matches and will need to play Conquest if they want to jump into a 128-player fight.
Dice said he reduced the mode’s player count in an effort to improve its core experience. The developer feels that the intensity and chaos of Breakthrough’s attack-defense gameplay was not supported by large crowded matches.
“When reviewing Breakthrough, we noted that the 64-player version represented a more tactical experience,” Dice said in the post.
“Reducing our player count here helps remove some of the chaos from the experience, and in combination with the reductions we’ve made to the number of combat vehicles available, this means players are better able to hold front lines more effectively.
“Players will also find more space to work together and fulfill their individual roles.”
Elsewhere in the blog post, Dice revealed that the much-delayed Season 1 of Battlefield 2042 is “currently slated for an early June release.” He says he’ll be “back with a full preview and patch notes closer to release.”
Season 1 was initially delayed to give the game’s developers time to fix its lingering bugs and roll out several quality of life improvements. It has already added in-game voice chat and revamped the game’s dashboard in response to fan feedback.
Not a good look
The game mode removal was likely introduced to accommodate Battlefield 2042’s languid playerbase. The game has struggled to attract and retain players since its launch late last year, falling even below the player count of its nine-year-old predecessor, Battlefield 4. As fewer players log into the game, it will be harder to fill large servers. , encouraging Dice to force players into smaller game modes to ensure matches reach full capacity.
But the announcement won’t strike any goodwill among disappointed fans. Huge 128-player matches were touted as one of Battlefield 2042’s biggest selling points ahead of the game’s release last year, and Dice was keen to prove that it had broadened the reach of the multiplayer FPS series. With players no longer able to take advantage of this premium feature, the game content feels weaker than ever.
This isn’t a new issue, however, as the game’s large maps have been a point of contention since launch. 128-player game modes have only rolled out to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, and will not be introduced to the PS4 or Xbox One version of the game. Similarly, Dice has previously admitted that many maps of the game were too big and made several changes to their size and geography.
Worse still, this isn’t the first time content has been removed from the game. In March, the number of featured experiences was reduced from five to three, giving players fewer special game modes to play. Any hope of rekindling interest in the game rests with Season 1.