Could entering EA Play and Xbox Game Pass be the first step towards salvation for Battlefield 2042?

While there is no doubt that EA and DICE are working to repair Battlefield 2042, many in the community have raised concerns over the speed of these repairs.

Nothing has gone as per plans for the game since it was released in 2021 across all platforms. Players quickly discovered the bare-bones nature of the game compared to the promises that were made.

As a result, the game quickly garnered many negative reviews on Steam, and the platform even offered refunds outside the eligible window.

Since the debacle, EA has admitted the game's failure, and work is being done to rectify the errors. However, the elephant in the room is the game's player count. Steam numbers may not be the only indicator, but they are concerning.

Given the nature of Battlefield 2042, entering EA Play and hence into Xbox Game Pass is the need of the hour.

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Entering EA Play may buy Battlefield 2042 necessary time

Releasing a game with bugs and glitches is never a bright idea, especially when the bug count is as heavy as Battlefield 2042. While developers can work to squash these bugs, they lose time and player goodwill.

The fact that season one of the game has been delayed is no surprise, given the overall state of the game.

Even if reality is considered where EA and DICE indeed fix up all the issues and make the game what it was supposed to be, where will the players be?

Battlefield 2042 has no single-player content, so it's essentially a game that succeeds or fails based on the number of players playing it. The game was launched with a 100,000 solid playerbase that has now declined to less than 4,000 in about three months since its launch.

The rate of decline is shocking for any video game, but it gets worse because Battlefield 2042 is a multiplayer-only experience.

By making the game available on EA Play and Xbox Game Pass, EA will forego significant sales proceeds. But another question again arises - who will buy Battlefield 2042 right now? The game has already cost EA a sum of around $100 million.

Battlefield's latest installment has been made into a live service game. Destiny 2, a highly-successful game of the genre, keeps the base game free and adds paid expansions along with seasons.

This exact path will be best for EA and DICE, but making it completely free-to-play will enrage existing players. A petition that is seeking refunds has been created and has over 200,000 signatures.

The potential pool has more than 25 million subscribers of Xbox Game Pass and perhaps some additional ones from EA Play. Not all these players will be taking up Battlefield 2042, but some will eventually play it.

Entering EA Play and Xbox Game Pass solves two problems for EA - getting a sufficient number of players for the time being and creating an audience who can witness the changes. But, of course, if the game improves, players will always be looking to invest more money, as is similar with other games.

But keeping it outside EA Play and Xbox Game Pass will result in almost zero new players. With active players dropping out every day in anger, who will continue to witness the new additions that are planned for season one?