Hey everyone,

In the coming week we’re releasing the first major game update of 2023. We’ve got many great changes and improvements lined up for you, so let’s take a look at what’s new.

What’s new in Update 3.2?

Here is an overview of the changes and improvements in this update:

Play as the familiar Assault, Engineer, Recon and Support as we Return to the Class system
Customize your class with Class Equipment, Class Gadgets and Weapon Proficiencies
Map Rework: Breakaway
New Vault Weapons: M39 EMR, MTAR-21, PP-2000
New Suppressor, Long-range Scope and Thermal Scopes
The Active Protection System becomes available for the M1A5 and T28
Below Radar arrives for Air Vehicles
Exclusive Rewards for Year 1 Pass, Gold and Ultimate owners

As it's the start of the new year we also feel it’s the right time to change how we deliver our update notes to you. Currently, you are used to receiving them the day before an update goes live, but we want to get that information into your hands sooner. That means you can now expect a full overview of the content and changes for major game updates to become available in the week leading up to their release.

Whenever we plan a game update there is sometimes a chance for a last minute release date shift. That means we’ll continue confirming the deployment time for each update early in the week of its release, as we have done previously.

Update 3.2.0 is a major moment for the team as we have worked on the Return to the Class System for Battlefield™ 2042, alongside many other changes and improvements. You’ve told us how you’d like to see gameplay evolve and we’re extremely excited to get those changes into your hands. Thank you for all your feedback leading up to its release. Once you’ve played - let us know what you think!

//The Battlefield Team

Listen Along

If you prefer to listen along as we discuss our updates then we invite you to join us for our new Podcast! Inside Battlefield brings you conversations with the Battlefield development team, covering what is happening in-game right now to deep dives on future updates, additions and more.

Stay Informed

Follow us on the @BattlefieldComm Twitter account to stay informed on the roll out of our updates. You can also follow along with our tracking of Known Issues and further game changes we’re making via our Battlefield forums.

What’s New?

Return to the Class System

Representing the most substantial change to Battlefield 2042 so far, the Return to the Class System introduces familiar gameplay by bringing back the structure and class identity that you’re used to from previous Battlefield titles.

If you’d like to learn more about the journey and feedback that we’ve received from you around the development of this feature then we invite you to check our latest Dev Notes blog. And as the subject of our first episode of our new Inside Battlefield Podcast, you can also listen to it if that’s your preference!

Classes

Each Specialist has now been assigned to a familiar Battlefield Class that signifies the expected gameplay behavior of that particular Specialist.

We have also taken our previously open pool of Equipment and Gadgets and assigned them to particular Classes to further encourage the role of Class gameplay, while simultaneously adding structure to assist with the readability of encounters while you’re on the Battlefield.

As we approach Update 3.2 we will be updating the Battlefield website with all information you need to understand these changes. Here’s a quick overview of which Specialists, Class Equipment and Class Gadget apply to each Class:

Assault: Dozer, Mackay, Sundance, Zain

Class Equipment: Med Pen

Class Gadgets: C5 Explosive, IBA Armor Plate, M18 Claymore, Smoke Launcher

Engineer: Boris, Crawford, Lis

Class Equipment: Repair Tool

Class Gadgets: AT Mine, C5 Explosive, EOD Bot, FM-148 Javelin, FXM-33 AA, Recoilless M5

Recon: Casper, Paik, Rao

Class Equipment: Insertion Beacon

Class Gadget: C5 Explosive, M18 Claymore, Prox Sensor, SOFLAM, Tracer Dart, T-UGS

Support: Angel, Falck, Irish

Class Equipment: Defibrillator

Class Gadget: Ammo Crate, Health Crate, M18 Claymore, Smoke Launcher

Weapon Proficiencies

The Return to the Class System also introduces Weapon Proficiencies. A set of optional and passive benefits that encourages using the Weapon Archetype for your Class during gameplay.

Assault + Assault Rifles: 3 Extra Magazines

Engineer + LMG: Improved Dispersion while Crouched or Prone

Recon + Sniper Rifles: Immediate, constant and steady scope

Support + SMG: Faster Draw Time

Weapon Proficiencies will help you understand what setup may work best for each particular Class, while also adding back Class Identity to the Battlefield.

Breakaway

Featuring some of the most visible and extensive changes to take place on our map reworks, Breakaway has been streamlined and reduced in size to encourage more intensive encounters than you have previously experienced.

Areas of Improvement

Glacier Top: Previously a wide open expanse with little cover to protect yourself, the penguins have created an outpost settlement with buildings to battle through as you establish control of the immediate area.

Ice Shelf: Extensive improvements have been made to the overall Ice Shelf area of Breakaway, featuring a new flag on top of the Glacier, and new routes to encourage flanking between the glacier and the relocated Oil Rig.

Oil Rig: One of our favorite playspaces has been relocated to the foot of the Glacier, allowing for more frantic combat encounters as it’s much closer to the action than before. New ways to assault the Oil Rig have been established, and new paths and cover have been included throughout the deck.

Snow Cave: Nestled within the glacier you will find a Snow Cave that features a downed MV-38 Condor, precious resources are scattered throughout this location as your team works to secure this new Capture Point

Workers Village: Military presence and fortification has increased throughout this area. Cleaner navigation and shorter distances between Capture Points should ensure the action remains ever flowing across the Workers Village. Rumor has it that the workers in this village also throw the best parties. But so far we haven’t been invited yet.

Thermal Scopes

There was one clear winner when reviewing which type of attachment we could release next throughout Season 3: Thermal Scopes.

While they are no stranger to Battlefield - we’ve had them in previous games - technical and engine improvements have allowed us to show these scopes in a way that we haven’t done before. Previous titles had these scopes changing the entire screen. But with Battlefield 2042 we can now isolate this effect to only show within the scope itself, alongside showing multiple hotspots for a single item… use a Thermal Scope on Twin-Engine aircraft and you’ll see what we mean!

With this Update, Zain shall also be able to utilize thermals with his XM370A Airburst Launcher.

On the balance front we have also made several steps to ensure that these attachments bring appropriate gameplay for today's Battlefield. That means that some expectations of how these attachments work in real-life do not equate to a fun gameplay experience. Fun is always our priority when introducing new things to the Battlefield. So as an example, tactical smoke from gadgets, grenades or vehicles will be opaque to Thermal Scopes. While smoke and steam that originates from the environment will be transparent.

We’ll continue to monitor, tweak and adjust Thermal Scope gameplay over time.

TR-1 Thermal 1.25x: This scope is ideal for close-range combat, its compact screen will provide valuable info while operating in dark staircases or tight corridors.

Equippable with: 12m Auto, AC-42, AK-24, AM40, Avancys, Ghostmaker R10, K30, LCMG, M5A3, MCS-880, MP9, NVK-S22, PBX-45, PKP-BP, PP-29, Rorsch Mk-4 and SFAR-M GL

T4 Thermal 2.5x: The mid-range option out of the three new scopes, whose black and white screen finds optimal use when engaging players in warehouses or container parks.

Equippable with: AC-42, AM40, Avancys, BSV-M, DM7, GVT 45-70, M5A3, PKP-BP, Rorsch Mk-4, SFAR-M GL, SVK, VCAR

2038 Thermal 6x: Perfect for long range engagement, and for finding opposition snipers who are hiding away in a bush.

Equippable with: BSV-M, DM7, DXR-1, NTW-50, Rorsch Mk-4, SVK, SWS-10

New Suppressor: NVK-Box Suppressor

What's better than a suppressor? Two welded together, of course. Specifically designed for the NVK-S22, the ‘box’ will allow you to add a little bit of sneak to your ventures into close-quarters combat.

Active Protection System for M1A5 and T28

As previously announced in our Dev Notes blog for Vehicles, the Active Protection System is now available on the M1A5 and T28.

When we brought this feature to the EBLC-RAM in Season 2, we knew we would want to release it across other vehicles. We also know this is something you’ve been asking for, and we cannot wait to see your reactions once you’ve been able to try it out.

Below Radar arrives for Air Vehicles

Flying below 30 meters from the ground will now ensure that you’re immune to lock-ons from Vehicle-based weaponry.

We are also reducing the height limits for Helicopters. Previously we have seen some instances of pilots flying high and unleashing havoc with very little response as lock-on launchers were unable to reach that high. This tweak helps bring those helicopters down to the ground (literally).

This change does not currently affect Jets, or missiles that are already fired. We will continue to review your feedback in the meantime.

New Vault Weapons: M39 EMR, MTAR-21, PP-2000

The M39 EMR, MTAR-21 and PP-2000 have been added to the All-Out Warfare arsenal.

M39 EMR

Significantly lighter than the “OG” M14, this rifle comes with match-grade 7.52mm long range ammo and a standard 8X Rifle Scope to position it as an adaptable, medium range Sniper Rifle.

MTAR-21

A compact Bullpup Assault Rifle chambering 5.56x45mm NATO rounds. Being popular for its ambidextrous setup, its heavy modularity and reliability, this medium-range AR is the proof that size deceives. The MTAR-21 also arrives within Battlefield Portal as part of this Update.

PP-2000

This modern SMG features a 40-round magazine, lightweight frame and a high rate of fire. Coupled with its high muzzle velocity, even the smallest of ammo rounds pack a punch.

Exclusive Rewards for Year 1 Pass, Gold and Ultimate owners

Good news for our Year 1 Pass, Gold and Ultimate owners that missed out on unlocking the Tier 0 Premium Battle Pass rewards for Season 1 or Season 2. You’ll find that these are now unlocked for you upon logging into the game for the first time once the update is live!

This includes the following items:

Season 1:

"All-Seeing Eyes" Legendary Specialist Set for Angel
"Light Bringer" Legendary Weapon Skin for AC-42
"Ghost Assassin" Player Card Background
"Omniscient" Player Card Tag

Season 2:

"Undeniable" Legendary Specialist Set for Boris
"Red Eye" Legendary Weapon Skin for DXR-1
"The Mountain King" Player Card Background
"Wolverine" Player Card Tag

Owners of the versions listed above will also receive Specialists Lis and Crawford immediately upon login.

Head on over to the Collections Screen and take advantage of your shiny new unlocks. This bonus is available for any Year 1 Pass, Gold and Ultimate owners for a limited time.

Changelog

AI Soldiers

Fixed an AI issue in TDM where AI remains standing still while the player is in a downed state or in the deploy screen.
Fixed an AI issue that should improve vehicle navigation around palm trees.
Fixed an issue where AI doesn't avoid the fire from tank wreckage.

Battlefield Portal

Due to the scale of changes taking place with the Return to the Class system, some of your creations may need to be updated as part of this update.

Fixed an issue where Caspian Border and Battle of the Bulge are displayed incorrectly on the world mini-map in the loading screen.
Fixed an issue with 1942 era Conquest where the opposing team had less aircraft than the other.
Fixed an issue where "Frag" text in bottom right HUD (Inventory) was flickering when using the Defibrillator with the Assault Class
Bad Company 2 - Tracer Dart Gun - fixed an issue with Tracer Dart Gun, where the lock on icon would sometimes expand when aiming at vehicles
Bad Company 2 - Gadgets - fixed an issue where Mortar Strike lock in area gets stuck on top of the buildings
Bad Company 2 - fixed an issue with Tracer Lock on UI remaining present on screen after the player returns to the Deploy screen
Bad Company 2 - improved player collision with the M1114.
Battlefield 1942 - updated the Preview video of Binoculars in the collection screen menu to properly showcase its functionality
Battlefield 3 - Gadgets - SOFLAM - fixed an issue where the the target does not get highlighted anymore, after the target is acquired once
Bad Company 2 - fixed an issue where Mortar Strike Gadget was spotting enemies automatically when it should not
Bad Company 2 - fixed an issue with the Tracer Dart Gun where the lock-on is no longer active after canceling it

Modifiers

Added 2 new modifiers for disabling 2042 era Gadget and Throwable restrictions. This makes it possible for 2042 era Classes to equip any non-Class Gadget if you enjoyed this playstyle. This change does allow access to Class Gadgets, which are moved to a separate slot.
Added WeaponProficiencies to the Gadget Restrictions part of the Battlefield Portal website.
Added the Proximity Sensor to the OpenGadget selection list and deprecated it in the Throwables selection list.

Rules Editor

Fixed an issue where Crawford was appearing with the wrong name in the Rules Editor
Added a new InventoryClassGadgets selection list block that allows you to access Gadgets from the new Class Gadget slot. The Class Gadgets that were previously in the InventoryOpenGadget selection list have been removed.

Gadgets

Fixed an issue where two Grenade trails can be seen after throwing one Grenade
Added multiple gadgets from portal into the hands of our 2042 Specialists:

EOD Bot, Tracer Dart Gun, M18 Claymore, FGM-148 Javelin & T-UGS.

Moved the Repair Tool, Insertion Beacon, Defibs and Medpen Gadgets to the new Class Gadget slot.
Manually equipped defibrillator revive range (and damage) increased to match the range for interaction revives.
Fixed an issue where SFX and VFX would appear incorrectly when a grenade is thrown through trees and bushes.
Fixed issues with Throwing knife dealing no damage if the thrower is killed, significantly reducing the likelihood of it happening.
Fixed a visual issue where the sparks when repairing the Nightbird with the repair tool, would appear at a distance from the vehicle .
Fixed an issue with Throwing Knife disappears when throwing them at trees.

Ammo Crate

Insertion beacons now get resupplied by Ammo Crates.
The Ammo Crate can now resupply the Tracer Dart & M18 Claymore.

Fixed an issue where C5 was not always displayed to other players.

EOD Bot

Adjusted the EOD Bot's collision to fix an issue where the gadget's arm would poke through walls.
Updated the game hints on the EOD Bot for both when holding the gadget and controlling it.
Updated the acceleration and turning angles of the EOD Bot to be more responsive.
Lowered EOD Bot's health from 400 to 300.
Added an impulse modification to the EOD Bot so that when it gets shot with bullets it doesn't push the EOD Bot around.
Fixed an issue that caused the EOD Bot to blow up when gently ramming a tank.

FGM-148 Javelin

Updated the first person screen and crosshair of the FGM-148 Javelin, it also showcases more info about the gadget and its current mode.
Reduced the reload duration of the FGM-148 Javelin by 10%.
Reduced the damage of the FGM-148 Javelin to most tanks and aircraft when in Direct Attack mode (top-down attack remains unchanged).
The FGM-148 Javelin now has longer lock forgiveness and has had its max range extended from 250m to 450m.
Added a contextual game hint for when in hipfire and when zooming with the FGM-148 Javelin.
Fixed an issue that allowed the FGM-148 Javelin to be fired in hipfire.
Fixed an issue that prevent the FGM-148 Javelin from using its top-down attack.
Fixed an issue that caused the FGM-148 Javelin Direct Attack to miss its target if it locked too close.
Adjusted the trajectory of the top-down FGM-148 Javelin attack to be more akin to the real behavior.
Added tooltip in the HUD to help you learn how to use the FGM-148 Javelin.
The FGM-148 Javelin can now lock-on-to empty vehicles.

FXM-33 AA Missile

Increased acceleration and top speed of the projectile slightly.
Added a contextual game hint for when in hipfire and when zooming.
The FXM-33 AA Missile can now lock on-to empty vehicles

Dev Comment: As with the Recoilless M5, these alterations are to aid Engineers in their role to combat vehicles.

Insertion Beacon

The Insertion Beacon can now only be spawned upon 4 times before self-destructing
The Insertion Beacon no longer self-destructs if the owner spawns on it.
Fixed issues with not being able to spawn on Insertion Beacon that are put in tight places.

Dev Comment: Every Recon Specialist will now be carrying an Insertion Beacon. These changes are to ensure that usage of the Insertion Beacon does not disrupt the flow of a match as a result of that.

M18 Claymore

Updated the M18 Claymore in-world icon to use the same one as in menus.
The M18 Claymore is now using the same deploy flow as the Insertion Beacon & Irish's construction kit. This allows us greater control over where you can place the gadget.
M18 Claymore has been scaled up 33% to help players to spot them more easily within the environment.
M18 Claymore Blast Radius lowered from 6m -> 5m.
M18 Claymore Laser Length lowered from 3m -> 1.75m.
Minimum activation speed to trigger the M18 Claymore reduced from 3.8 m/s -> 3ms.
M18 Claymores can no longer be deployed too close to ladders, ziplines or hanging ropes.
Adjusted the VFX of the lasers on the M18 Claymore to stand out more when close.
M18 Claymore will now continue to stay in the world after the player who placed it has died, so long as they don't place new ones.
Any placed M18 Claymores will be removed from the world if the player switches their loadout
Lowered the health of the M18 Claymore so that it’ll explode in one shot.

Dev Comment: We have scaled up the size of the M18 Claymore and adjusted the Laser VFX to ensure that they stand out more in the hope that it’ll alleviate concern that these gadgets are hard to spot. Watch where you’re walking though!

Med Pen

Reduced the amount of charges to 1 to balance it for the new Class Gadget slot.
Reduced the time it takes to initiate healing with the Med Pen from 2s -> 1s.
Reduced the health per second of the Med Pen from 50 -> 35.
Fixed an issue that allowed the player to zoom in with the Med Pen.
Fixed an issue that caused shockwaves from explosions to interrupt the Med Pen.
Pressing the button to switch to the Med Pen when already at full health should now play a sound effect to tell you that you can't switch to it right now.

Dev Comment: These alterations are to improve the responsiveness of the Med Pen whilst also taking balancing into consideration as Assault now receives this as their Class Gadget.

Recoilless M5

Increased the acceleration and top speed of the projectile.

Dev Comment: We anticipate there to be less launchers on the field at any one time after this update. We’ve increased the acceleration and top speed of the projectiles to aid Engineers as part of this system change.

Prox Sensor

Moved the Prox Sensor to the Open Gadget slot.

Dev Comment: The Gadget was too powerful in the Grenade slot and had a very large pickrate in the Grenade slot, this move is to reduce Prox Sensor spam to drive toward a healthier meta.

SOFLAM

The "Designated" UI is now only visible if you have a gadget that can lock on or currently hold the SOFLAM in your hands.

T-UGS

Updated the animation to now fold out the legs of the T-UGS when you equip it,
Substantially lowered the vertical scanning of the T-UGS to be more in line with All Out Warfare verticality.
Adjusted the crosshair of the T-UGS.
Changed the icon for the T-UGS in the world and menus to more accurately show off the gadget.

Dev Comment: While the T-UGS has received some general polish as indicated above, lowering the verticality check significantly from 500m > 30m results in a healthier gameplay experience. Some of our Battlefield Portal maps do not contain a lot of verticality, whereas Battlefield 2042 locations do and we believe it's not healthy for gameplay to spot someone 500m above you and be rewarded score for that but should also help in a reduced amount of spotting taking place.

Tracer Dart Gun

Launchers can now lock onto the Tracer Dart when shot into environmental objects.
The "Designated" UI is now only visible if you have a gadget that can lock on or currently hold the Tracer Dart Gun in your hands.
Fixed an issue that prevented the Tracer Dart from smashing glass windows.
Adjusted the Tracer Dart Gun’s crosshair.
Fixed an issue where it would not be possible to switch to the Tracer Dart when out of ammo.

Gameplay Flow & Social Elements

As part of the Return to the Class System, we have revamped the Loadout UI on the Deploy Screen, resulting in a more compact approach while also including buttons to quickly switch between your last selected Soldier in each Class.
The Soldier Selection UI on the Deploy Screen now includes relevant information about your specialist Trait, Class Gadget, Weapon Proficiency and more.
Added Class Iconography to the Squad List, Scoreboard and Player Name Tags to help with identifying what Classes other players are playing.
Players that are not alive are now slightly faded out on the Scoreboard and their Class Icon becomes an "x" to reflect that change too.
Implemented a new “Classes” screen in the main menu, this is your go-to place to learn about the Classes, Specialists, their Traits and Gadgetry and also your new home for editing your Loadouts as they are now tied to each Class. The previous Loadout screen has been removed to reflect this overall change.
Added a new slot to the Inventory HUD (bottom right whilst in a match) for your Class Gadget.
Added a Weapon Proficiency Icon that is displayed in the Kill Card, Inventory HUD and Weapon Selection UI when the Class + Weapon archetype synergy is fulfilled.
Changed the Squad Leader Icon to now resemble a star, because delivering instructions to your Squad Mates alongside successful coordination should give you a star, you MVP you.
Changed the order of the tabs within the "Collection" menu so "Specialists" is no longer first. This is because the new Classes Screen is the new goto place for customizing Specialists and their Loadouts, so we wanted to make it quicker to customize Vehicles instead.
Added a new biography submenu to the "Specialists" collection screen aimed at helping you get to know the Specialists, their backstories and what they stand for.
Added a new charge-up crosshair for the manually equipped defibrillators to show when they are on cooldown after use and also convey that you revive with more health the longer you hold.
The inventory HUD now greys out a gadget if it's not currently usable. For example the Med Pen when you are already at full health.
Renamed the "Utility" weapon category to "Tactical".
The button prompt to switch to your primary or secondary in the inventory HUD on controllers is now hidden for the one you currently have equipped, to better show you which one you will switch to when pressing the contextual button.

General Improvements and Progression

Controller default mappings have been updated to accommodate the addition of the new Class Gadget slot. This means that a few actions have also been moved around. We encourage taking a moment to update your controls and familiarize yourself with these changes before jumping into a game. The below changes are representative of one particular controller scheme, and may differ depending on your choice of peripheral.

Class Gadget: Added to Dpad UP
Grenade Throw: Moved to LB (Was previously Dpad UP By default)
Plus Menu: Moved to Y and now requires you to hold the button for a short duration before opening (was previously LB by default).
Default Navigation has changed to Dpad Up/Down/Left/Right (was previously Y/X/A/B by default).

Fixed an issue where "Show HUD Prompts" setting in options did not work
Optimized mouse input processing to ensure that the input is processed at a steadier rate and avoiding mouse input events processing spikes.
Fixed an issue where the Origin in-game overlay caused a negative impact on processing of the mouse input even if the overlay was not actually active.
Improved the quality of death animations from explosions
Improved the soldier ragdoll experience after a melee takedown
Fixed an issue where the correct animation wasn't playing in first person when traversal sprinting with a one handed gadget
Improved transitions between sliding and prone states.
Show distance (in meters) on long range kills in the kill feed
Improved responsiveness of melee attack animations
Improve melee takedown registration on fast moving targets.
Fix for takedowns not working on fast moving elevators
Resolved scenarios of Specialists being stuck in a downed state after being revived from a melee takedown.
Made improvements to correctly portray the Blood Splatter when shooting enemy combatants.
Moving whilst aiming down scopes should no longer interrupt the action of holding your breath.
Fix for soldiers in vehicles preventing the vehicle from receiving damage from explosions
Added an option called "Damage Numbers Visibility" under DISPLAY > CROSSHAIR > HIT INDICATOR.

Dev Comment: This feature is experimental and turned OFF by default. When enabled, the damage dealt to enemies will be visible in the "Skull Train feed” (bottom center of the Screen) to let the player know how much damage was dealt.

Fixed an issue where Aiming Down-Sights immediately after bashing through a door could cause problems with the weapon animations.
Added brand new physical landing animations when jumping or falling, different animations should now play when hitting the ground from different fall heights - don’t go too high, you may splat.
Fixed an issue where the soldier could sometimes slightly move through the ground when hitting the ground at high speed.
Improved fall damage calculation consistency.
Improved the jumping experience on Gen4 Consoles (XB1, PS4).
Fixed an issue where you could freely rotate the camera during insertion and see inside of your own body.
Fix for downed characters in Hazard Zone changing their positions and directions suddenly multiple times in a row.
Fixed issue where soldiers sometimes got stuck when jumping onto the edge of objects.
Updated the visual look of UI directional damage indicators.

Dev Comment: The new visual look will make it easier to judge the amount of damage taken and when taking multiple hits from the same player, let us know your thoughts!

Fixed an issue where it wouldn't be possible to perform a melee attack when jumping.
Supporting teammates by resupplying, healing or repairing now gives you score. This is shown in a new column in the scoreboard.
Fixed issue where repairing the Ranger would reward Healing XP instead of Repairing. XP. The Ranger might be a No-Pat's best friend, but it's not an actual puppy.
Changed the default unlocked weapon and gadgets to ensure all classes have access to a gadget and weapon with their proficiency from the start.

Hazard Zone

Note: Class Gadgets and Weapons Proficiencies have been added to Hazard Zone. Players will retain the option to purchase any Weapon or Gadget as part of the pre-round, independent of which Class you are playing.

Fixed an issue where a player could spawn under the map.
Fixed an issue where several up-links were placed in positions they can't be interacted with.

________________________________________________

This announcement may change as we listen to community feedback and continue developing and evolving our Live Service & Content. We will always strive to keep our community as informed as possible.

Blog Post

Battlefield 2042 - Update #3.2.0