Hey there! If you‘re wondering whether you can play Battlefield 2042 at no extra cost through your Xbox Game Pass or PC Game Pass subscription, I‘ve got you covered.
The short answer is: Yes, Battlefield 2042 is included with Game Pass! Xbox and PC Game Pass members can download and play the full Battlefield 2042 game as part of their subscription.
In this detailed guide, I‘ll explain everything you need to know about getting Battlefield 2042 free with Game Pass, so you can squad up and start playing the latest entry in the epic Battlefield series without spending any extra cash. Let‘s get into it!
An Overview of Battlefield 2042
For those unaware, Battlefield 2042 is the massive new first-person shooter game from EA‘s DICE studio, the makers of the Battlefield franchise. Battlefield 2042 features epic 128-player battles, all-out vehicular warfare, and dynamic weather events that reshape the battlefield.
Set in a dystopian near-future, Battlefield 2042 has you fight as Specialists, unique soldiers with their own traits and abilities. It‘s the most ambitious and staggering Battlefield game yet, with maps of unprecedented scale and cutting-edge technical capabilities thanks to the new consoles.
Early reviews indicate Battlefield 2042 has some growing pains to work out, but it provides an incredible high-player-count combat sandbox full of emergent moments and tactical gameplay innovations for the series. There‘s a reason it‘s one of the most anticipated titles of 2021.
How to Get Battlefield 2042 with Game Pass
Here are step-by-step instructions to download Battlefield 2042 for free with Game Pass right now:
For Xbox Consoles:
- Turn on your Xbox Series X|S and open the Game Pass section
- Find Battlefield 2042 in the Game Pass library and select to install it
- The full 100+ GB game will download to your console
- Once finished, simply launch Battlefield 2042 and start playing!
For PC:
- Open the Xbox app on your Windows PC
- Go to the Game Pass tab and locate Battlefield 2042
- Click install – this will download Origin/EA Desktop and the game
- Launch Battlefield 2042 through EA Desktop once complete
- Sign in with your Xbox account and start playing on PC!
It‘s really that simple. As a Game Pass member, you get access to the entire Battlefield 2042 game at no additional cost. Keep reading to learn more about what exactly is included and how long you can play the Game Pass version for.
What‘s Included with the Game Pass Version?
As a Game Pass subscriber, you get the full standard edition of Battlefield 2042. This means:
All 7 Multiplayer Maps:
- Kaleidoscope
- Orbital
- Discarded
- Manifest
- Hourglass
- Breakaway
- Renewal
4 Multiplayer Modes:
- Conquest – Classic all out war
- Breakthrough – Attack/defend objectives
- Hazard Zone – High stakes squad extraction
- Battlefield Portal – Community creations
10 Specialists – Unique soldiers with special traits
Over 100 Weapons and Vehicles – Cutting edge arsenal
Full live service roadmap of free seasonal content
So you get the complete Battlefield 2042 core experience with Game Pass. The only thing not included is the Year 1 Pass, which provides bonus cosmetic skins and early access to new Specialists. But the Year 1 Pass is optional – you can buy it separately if you wish while keeping the base game through Game Pass.
How Does the EA Play 10 Hour Trial Work?
Now, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members also get EA Play as part of their subscription. EA Play grants access to a 10 hour trial of Battlefield 2042.
Here‘s how the EA Play trial works if you have Game Pass Ultimate:
- You can download Battlefield 2042 and play for 10 hours total
- A timer keeps track of how much trial time you have left
- Once your time expires, you can no longer play
- If you purchase the full game, your progress carries over
So with Game Pass Ultimate, you get 10 hours to try out Battlefield 2042 via EA Play. But to play beyond that trial time, you need the standard Game Pass that offers the complete game.
Can You Pre-Load with Game Pass?
Unfortunately, Game Pass does not offer pre-loading for Battlefield 2042.
You‘ll only be able to start downloading Battlefield 2042 once it has been added to the Game Pass library on November 22, 2022. There is no way to pre-install the game before that date.
This differs from brand new titles like Microsoft‘s own Halo Infinite, which can be pre-loaded prior to release by Game Pass members. But for third party games like Battlefield 2042, pre-loading isn‘t supported.
Once November 22 rolls around, you‘ll want to boot up your Xbox and get the Battlefield 2042 download started right away so you can start playing as fast as possible. With the game over 100GB in size, it may take several hours to fully install depending on your connection speed!
How Long Will Battlefield 2042 Be on Game Pass?
Battlefield 2042 will be available on Game Pass for the "foreseeable future" according to EA and Microsoft. What does this mean exactly?
Based on precedent, major third party titles usually remain on Game Pass for a minimum of 6-12 months before leaving the service. Take for example Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, another big EA game. It has been on Game Pass for over a year now and is still available.
So while Battlefield 2042 could technically depart Game Pass anytime, it‘s highly unlikely it will be removed until at least late 2022 or sometime in 2024. EA and Microsoft want it on Game Pass for a while to attract subscriptions.
Rest assured you‘ll get many months of enjoying Battlefield 2042 through Game Pass before it goes away. Just don‘t expect it to be permanently available forever.
Will Battlefield 2042 Support Crossplay on Game Pass?
Great news here – the Game Pass version fully supports Battlefield 2042‘s crossplay capabilities.
This means you can squad up with friends on other platforms no problem. Here are the crossplay pairings:
- Xbox and PC players can play together
- Xbox and PlayStation players can play together
- PC and PlayStation can play together
No more being separated based on what system someone owns! Thanks to crossplay, Game Pass members can enjoy the large-scale multiplayer Battlefield is known for with gamers on any platform.
Cross-progression is also supported, meaning your unlocks and progress carry over no matter where you play.
What About the Xbox One Version?
The Game Pass version is specifically the Xbox Series X|S optimized edition of Battlefield 2042.
Unfortunately, Battlefield 2042 is not playable on Xbox One through Game Pass. You‘ll need to own the Xbox One version separately to play it on last-gen consoles.
EA Play does grant 10 hour trial access to the Xbox One version. But Game Pass itself only includes the current-gen optimization. Make sure you‘re on a Series X|S to play Battlefield 2042 through Game Pass.
Can You Upgrade to the Gold/Ultimate Edition?
Battlefield 2042 is available in Standard, Gold, and Ultimate editions. Game Pass only includes the base Standard Edition.
You can NOT upgrade from the Game Pass Standard Edition to the higher Gold and Ultimate editions. Those expanded versions include bonuses like the Year 1 Pass and digital art books.
If you want the Gold or Ultimate extras, you would have to purchase the full game separately and forfeit the Game Pass version.
For most players, the Standard Edition on Game Pass should be sufficient. But hardcore fans may want those special Gold and Ultimate perks later on.
What About Game Sharing?
Standard Game Pass subscriptions do not support game sharing for most EA titles, including Battlefield 2042.
However, Game Pass Ultimate members can utilize cloud gaming to share access on one additional console. Cloud gaming streams the game over the internet instead of downloading directly.
Here are the game sharing rules:
- Game Pass: No sharing
- Game Pass Ultimate: Cloud gaming enables 1 extra console
- EA Play: No sharing
So if you want to share access with a friend or family member, Game Pass Ultimate with cloud gaming is your only option.
Will Battlefield 2042 Stay on Game Pass Forever?
Unfortunately, no game remains on Game Pass indefinitely. Microsoft maintains limited-time agreements with outside publishers like EA to offer their games.
Eventfully, EA and Microsoft‘s deal for Battlefield 2042 on Game Pass will expire. When exactly is impossible to say, but 12-16 months is a decent estimate based on other third party games.
Enjoy Battlefield 2042 while you can, but don‘t expect it to stay permanently. One day it will likely leave Game Pass if EA wishes to negotiate a new contract.
Game Pass Perks and Discounts
As a Game Pass member, you get some nice bonuses:
- 20% discount to purchase games outright
- Exclusive member deals and discounts
- Free in-game content and partner offers
After trying Battlefield 2042 on Game Pass, you can buy it with a 20% discount to keep playing even if it leaves the library.
And the Xbox membership discounts can save you money on expansions like the Year 1 Pass. Definitely take advantage of these sweet Game Pass perks!
Summary of Battlefield 2042 on Game Pass
Here are the key facts wrapped up in a tidy list:
- Included: Full Standard Edition of Battlefield 2042
- Not Included: Year 1 Pass with bonus skins
- EA Play: 10 hour trial via Game Pass Ultimate
- Available: Starting on November 22, 2022
- Foreseeable Future: Likely 6-16 months it will stay
- Crossplay: Fully supported with all platforms
- Upgrades: Can‘t upgrade to Gold/Ultimate Edition
- Game Sharing: Cloud gaming only with Ultimate
- Discounts: 20% off and member deals
Hopefully this guide helped explain everything you need to know about getting Battlefield 2042 through Game Pass and EA Play! Let me know if you have any other questions.
Now get out there, start downloading, and enjoy next-gen Battlefield multiplayer mayhem for zero additional money. See you on the battlefield, soldier!
