Battlefield 2042, the upcoming first-person multiplayer shooter published by EA, went up for pre-order a few months ago. However, many last-generation PlayStation 4 (PS4) and Xbox One owners were disappointed that the Digital Standard Edition didn"t include a free upgrade to the PlayStation 5 (PS5) and Xbox Series X|S versions. You were forced to buy the Gold or Ultimate editions if you still owned a last-generation console, but still wanted to play Battlefield 2042 before you upgraded.
It"s still incredibly difficult to find a current-generation console, and it seems like the shortages will last well into 2022. Today, EA announced that due to limited console availability, it"s adding the Cross-Gen Bundle to the Digital Standard Edition of Battlefield 2042 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. You"ll still have to pay a slight premium — $10 — but you won"t have to buy the Gold or Ultimate editions if you don"t want to. Freeman, the Lead Community Manager at EA Studios, said the following in a blog post.
Today we’re thrilled to confirm that we have upgraded the Digital Standard Edition of Battlefield 2042 on PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S to now include a new benefit - access to the Cross-Gen Bundle. We realize that for many, next gen hardware is still hard to come by. We want as many Battlefield fans as possible to start the journey with us on day one, and we want to give those players the peace of mind that their progress carries over if they get a new system this holiday season, or beyond. Battlefield 2042 supports full cross progression, and alongside our Digital editions of Gold, and Ultimate, the Digital Standard Edition on PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S is also now able to access the Cross-Gen Bundle. So if you’ve already pre-ordered the Digital Standard Edition on new hardware, you’re automatically being upgraded to also receive access to the previous generation of the game.
This is a great move that should give those who haven"t been able to find a PS5 or Xbox Series X|S, but are planning to upgrade, some peace of mind. The physical Standard Edition is missing out on this offer.
Battlefield 2042 should hit Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, and PC on November 19, 2021. You can pre-order it right now on the Microsoft Store or the platform of your choice. The game starts at $69.99 for the Cross-Gen Bundle-included version. Luckily, if you"re an EA Play or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriber, you can get a 10% discount on any EA title, including Battlefield 2042.