Battlefield 2042 sales “disappointing” as EA doubles down on live service commitment

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Battlefield 2042 did not “meet expectations,” Electronic Arts admitted during its Q3 2022 earnings call. Though “disappointing” sales haven’t stopped plans for a long-term commitment to “rebuilding” the latest release.

Despite early warnings that BF 2042 was in a rough state, EA launched its latest entry in the popular FPS franchise on November 19 to an extreme wave of backlash.

Not only was the title riddled with game-breaking flaws, but a number of key gameplay changes left an avid player base disgruntled. Weeks later and the community has rapidly dropped off with Steam even issuing refunds.

Fully aware of 2042’s shortcomings, EA CEO Andrew Wilson labeled its launch as subpar in the company’s latest earnings call.

“We did have a challenge in Q3 as the launch of Battlefield 2042 did not meet expectations,” he said.

Battlefield 2042 failed to meet EA’s internal expectations.

EA comments on Battlefield 2042’s “disappointing” launch

While no exact figure was provided during the call, EA CFO Chris Suh confirmed that overall sales failed to reach their goals. “We sold less units than we thought we would,” he said. “Sales of Battlefield 2042 were disappointing.”

Even with the low return, EA remained firm on its stance that 2042 was “ready” for launch. “Through our process of testing and preparation, we believed the experience was ready to be put in our players’ hands,” Wilson explained.

“We launched with strong stability, however, as more players experienced the full game, it became clear there were unanticipated performance issues that we would need to address.”

EA’s Quarterly Results Press Release and Earning Slides both have zero mentions of Battlefield 2042…

Almost like it never happened… pic.twitter.com/veYHmYlsUt

— BravoIntel (@bravoINTEL) February 1, 2022

Two main areas of concern were highlighted as factors behind 2042’s lackluster sales. First, EA stressed the difficulties of developing an ambitious game with employees all “working from home.”

Next, Wilson touched on specific gameplay tweaks that failed to meet community expectations. Whether it was the new Specialists or Fortnite-style cosmetics, fans have been vocal about their displeasure with the change in direction.

“Some of the design choices we made,” EA’s CEO continued, “did not resonate with everyone in our community.”

EA still committed to Battlefield 2042’s long-term vision

Despite the rough launch, EA remains on the same path forward. Rather than abandoning the title or even jumping right into a rumored free-to-play model, the devs are committed to a “bold live-service vision.”

“We’re committed to turning Battlefield around and committed to building a long-term live service,” Wilson addressed. “Our focus now is really making sure that core experience lives up to fan expectations.”

EA is still confident it can revive 2042’s player base with a long-term live service model.

With Season 1 now delayed, EA is taking more time to correct early missteps before launching new content.

“Our focus is to go back in and get that stuff right,” he added. “Rebuild at the core and re-engage the community. Players can expect meaningful updates to continue in the weeks ahead.”

Exactly what the roadmap looks like, is unclear for now. Though 2042 certainly doesn’t appear to be going anywhere despite its launch. EA is “disappointed but still very excited for the future.”

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