Battlefield 2042 has had 128 player lobbies on present-gen consoles, but now they're testing out 64 player lobbies, and most fans are hyped.
When people say they've got a “bot lobby” in most shooters, they're saying that they're in a lobby with terrible human players. They play like bots. But in Battlefield 2042, it's a different story. The lobbies are literally filled with bots. This has given a lifeless sense to the game, especially now that the lobbies need to be filled with 128 players on current-gen platforms. This isn't the only problem with 128 player games, though; the maps themselves are flat and without cover, and don't lend themselves to player counts that large. Long story short, most players dislike the 128 player lobbies in Battlefield 2042, and EA have listened to those complaints. For the first time, they're introducing 64 player games for present-gen consoles.
What Game Modes Are Getting 64 Player Lobbies?
Conquest and Breakthrough are the first modes in Battlefield 2042 to get 64 player lobbies for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. This doesn't apply to Portal because, of course, in that mode the players make the game rules. Hazard Zone… who knows what they're planning to do with that dumpster fire. But here's the news from the devs themselves:
64 Player Conquest and Breakthrough are now available for a limited time in #Battlefield2042 on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PCStart playing the new experiences right now via the All-Out Warfare menu pic.twitter.com/kkoBH6103L
— Battlefield Direct Communication (@BattlefieldComm) December 14, 2021
Most fans seemed very happy with the news. Well, they thought it was good news, but they didn't all convey it in the most positive way:
Limited Time...? really...? what little shame you have, this game is a disaster and you don't want to solve it, I hope the 64 player one stays forever.
— zaramano (@morteb) December 14, 2021
And others raised the concern that this might put old-gen users at a disadvantage, because they're forced to share those 64 player lobbies, and their game's performance is far less impressive. In general, though, this has been very well received.
How Long Will 64 Player Lobbies Be An Option?
At the moment, it's for a “limited time” so probably no more than two weeks, but this could be testing for a more permanent change. We'll keep you updated as soon as we know more. Let's hope it arrives in time for the Battlefield 1 Portal release.