Battlefield 2042 known bugs, launch issues, and how to fix them

Battlefield 2042 is now available in early access, and with players getting their hands on it, it could end up being one of the best Xbox games for multiplayer fans to try out in 2021. Unfortunately, as with the majority of big games these days, especially those that have online functionality, not everything is smooth, and there are bugs that Battlefield players need to look out for. We're keeping track as things are reported, so here are the Battlefield 2042 bugs and launch issues to be aware of.

Top Battlefield 2042 bugs and launch issues

As Battlefield 2042 rolls out, different problems may occur. We'll be keeping this list updated, so if you face a problem that you don't see here, hang tight, as it'll probably be added very shortly. Here's a list of the issues we've seen numerous players running into so far.

Battlefield 2042 Unable to load persistence data

Electronic Arts has acknowledged that there is a bug on the client server side that is keeping some players on all platforms from joining a server.

Quick Fix: Disabling cross-play may help reduce the frequency of the bug.

Battlefield 2042 fails to reward XP in some matches

Electronic Arts has acknowledged reports of missing XP in some multiplayer matches. The issue has been traced back to 128-player multiplayer servers, in some cases failing to display the score in real-time and unable to track XP gains as a result. It's limited to a subset of servers, and those with on-screen score confirmations remain unaffected. However, to avoid losing XP in specific matches, the smaller 64-player modes remain unaffected.

EA disables Dozer gadget in Battlefield 2042

Battlefield 2042's shield-bearing specialist Dozer has found themselves the focus of launch day, with a game-breaking exploit briefly surfacing on live multiplayer servers. The bug allowed players to gain permanent immunity to incoming enemy fire using the SOB-8 Ballistic Shield, blocking damage from all angles rather than the intended shield radius.

Electronic Arts was swift to tackle the issue, removing the gadget from the game ahead of a planned fix. Following the game's early access debut, the change applies to all Battlefield 2042 modes, including All-Out Warfare, Hazard Zone, and Battlefield Portal. We expect to receive further updates on this change over the days or weeks to come.

EA Play trial not working for some Xbox users

Battlefield 2042 has now launched in early access, granting a hands-on opportunity for those with Gold or Ultimate editions of the title. You can also play through a limited-time trial available via EA Play on console or PC, providing 10 hours with the game before buying. The same Battlefield 2042 trial is also available to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers on Xbox consoles or PC.

Electronic Arts acknowledged issues with the trial at launch, preventing those with active EA Play or Xbox Game Pass memberships from accessing the game. According to the publisher, the issue has since been resolved, opening the game to all players following its Nov. 12 early access kick-off.

Other Battlefield 2042 bugs and launch issues

While we're rounding up the top Battlefield 2042 bugs and issues in our above roundup, Electronic Arts has also published an extensive list of tracked problems following the game's Nov. 12 launch. While the majority of these known issues are unlikely to impact most players, the extensive list follows, as seen on the official EA Answers support page.

Maps

Breakaway

• We have identified some server instances of rubberbanding when the big silos on Breakaway are destroyed
  • On the mode Breakthrough, players will be unable to spawn on B1 while it is contested

Kaleidoscope

• Bridge destruction states have a tendency to desync if the player joins at a late stage in the round
• On the mode, Breakthrough, players will be unable to spawn on B1 while it is contested

Discarded

• There are some rare instances of visual flickering while playing on Discarded (Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PC only)

Manifest

• Within the Weather Station on Manifest, while the building is in a destroyed state there are rare instances that can cause severe flickering of our lighting systems, which has the potential to trigger those with Photosensitive Conditions (PS5 only)

Misc

• We are aware of some miscellaneous issues causing players to become stuck within world geometry. Several of these are being fixed for a patch after launch, please continue to report any scenario where you get stuck in the maps!

Bots

Soldiers

• In some situations, Bots are unable to revive downed players

Ranger

• We're aware of Ranger malfunctioning when ordered over some obstacles, and we are working to improve this.
  • Ranger can become non-responsive to "Go To" orders if the player is far away from Ranger, and we are similarly working to improve this.

Audio

Vehicles

• The Lock-on sound effect for helicopters can continue after the Helicopter has been destroyed

User Interface & Messaging

• There is currently no error message to indicate to the player that the game is still installing
• Subtitles are not present on video tutorials even if the subtitle setting is ON
• Loadouts have a slight tendency to not save when entering or leaving a match in Battlefield Portal
  • When starting a second round, unlocks from the previous round are triggered during the intro sequence in Battlefield Hazard Zone
• When returning back to the main menu after a match, Specialist's textures may be slow to load
  • The "Vertical Sync" option does not have any effect when activated while using a 144hz monitor
  • "View Profile" option is not present in "Search EA ID" between same-platform Xbox Series S|X and PlayStation 5 players
  • We're aware of a unique situation where accounts that have access to Battlefield 2042 across multiple platforms may cause Cross Play Friends to not appear
  • The attackers playercard doesn't load after getting killed by another player
  • Sprint/Boost hint text is currently misleading

Progression & Unlocks

• The rank displayed in the bottom right of the Main Menu does not always update with the player's actual rank achieved after an Online session. We're working to resolve this issue and will follow up with further updates at a later time.
• Weapon Skins are unlocked but will show an incomplete progress bar until the game has been restarted. Restarting the game will fix this for you, however a fix has been made for an upcoming update.
  • All Locked Character / Weapon / Vehicle skins are missing their Mastery Rank target
  • The "Fly Not Ye Cowards" Playercard Art unlock objective is currently incorrect, you will need to visit two locations on El Alamein, in the same life, to unlock this
  • EMP Mine is currently incorrectly labelled. We will be renaming this to EMP Grenades at a later date.
  • Some skins are applying over weapon charms. We're working to fix this as soon as possible.
• The Mastery bar won't show for hardware items until T5 is unlocked
  • The Med-Pen Mastery Badge is not currently tracking progress after Rank 25 (PS5 only)
  • Captain Caspian Playercard Background is not unlocked after completing its criteria (PS5 only)

Weapons & Gadgets

Recon Drone

• Players are currently unable to deploy the OV-P Recon Drone while prone
  • The OV-P Recon Drone is not currently locking onto enemy targets or vehicles (PC)

XDR Holo Sight

• We're aware of some instances of flickering when ADS with the XDR Holo Sight

Vehicles

Misc

• On rare occasions, vertical aiming in a vehicle can be inoperable upon vehicle entry
• Some vehicles may not have controller vibration when used
• We're aware of some vehicles not having RTAO (Ray-traced Ambient Occlusion)

MD540 Nightbird

• Rockets from the MD540 Nightbird that impact the ground can sometimes appear as being frozen

Gameplay

• Parachutes sometimes remain open, even after the player has landed. This will be improved upon in an upcoming update.

Hazard Zone

• We're aware of players experiencing an issue with mouse input when it comes to selecting a Specialist within Hazard Zone While we are working to resolve this in an upcoming patch, players can bypass this by selecting their chosen Specialist with the spacebar (PC only)
• Players are currently unable to revive downed teammates if they are inside the MV38-Condor (at Extraction Point)
• We're aware of some rare instances of the Extraction Streak not updating after multiple extractions have taken place

Battlefield Portal

• We're aware of messaging taking place upon the creation of an Experience that suggests you were "Unable to Create" the Experience. This is incorrect, the Experience is created, and refreshing your page will resolve this. - We are working to resolve this as soon as possible.

Battlefield 2042 is available in early access right now and is scheduled for a wider launch for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC, PS5, and PS4 on Nov. 19, 2021.