Battlefield 2042 October 2024 Update Patch Notes Revealed

Key Takeaways

• Battlefield 2042’s update 8.2.0 introduces the game’s Hardcore mode.
• In Hardcore mode, weapon mechanics are reworked to define each class’s role with specific weapon types, and a new “magazine discard” feature emphasizes strategic ammo management.
• The update also streamlines the HUD, boosts vehicle strength, adds quality-of-life enhancements, and addresses various bugs.

Electronic Arts has revealed the patch notes for Battlefield 2042 Update 8.2.0, which introduces a hardcore gameplay mode. This Battlefield 2042 update, scheduled to go live on October 29, also brings several improvements to weapons, vehicles, and the user interface. Additionally, it addresses a range of issues players have been experiencing.

Since its launch, Battlefield 2042 has come a long way, with updates making the game smoother and adding new features that have managed to win back many players. The recent Season 7 Turning Point update introduced more content such as the PvE mode “Outbreak,” in which teams work together to survive waves of tough enemies, giving players more ways to enjoy the game. Although Battlefield 2042 faced numerous issues at launch, regular updates, seasonal events, and new content have boosted gameplay and kept players engaged.

One of the biggest changes introduced in Battlefield 2042‘s update 8.2.0 is the introduction of Hardcore mode, a high-stakes experience that pushes players to work together and to be extra tactical. In Hardcore mode, soldier health is capped at 60%, friendly fire is enabled, and a damage reflection feature penalizes players who repeatedly team-kill. The developer has aimed to bring back the classic hardcore feel by emphasizing the importance of careful positioning, cautious movement, and close teamwork to survive in this intense setting.

To make each class feel more distinct in Hardcore mode, weapon mechanics have been reworked to strengthen each class’s unique role. Now, each class is limited to specific weapon types. Assault players, for example, can use Battlefield 2042‘s assault rifles, while engineers stick to machine guns and lever-action rifles. There’s also a new “magazine discard” feature that drops any leftover ammo from a reloaded magazine, so managing ammo wisely becomes essential in battle.

In Hardcore mode, EA has simplified the game’s HUD, removing visual distractions so that players can rely more on environmental cues and sounds. It has also removed features like crosshairs, hit markers, and most player tags, and the minimap now only displays essential information. These changes make the game feel more realistic, helping players pay more attention to their surroundings. There are still a few audio cues, like a sound confirming when you hit a target, which provides basic feedback while maintaining a focus on realism. In the new mode, Battlefield 2042 vehicles are even stronger, but they require more skill to handle. While they have increased health, they no longer regenerate health automatically, so players will need engineers to make repairs.

The update also features a range of bug fixes and quality-of-life enhancements, along with improved animations and a more user-friendly interface. Update 8.2.0 will be rolled out alongside Battlefield 2042’s Circle of Hell event on October 29.

Battlefield 2042 Update 8.2.0 Patch Notes

Hardcore Modifiers

• Soldier Maximum Health set to 60%.
• Friendly Fire Enabled (also affects vehicles).
• Friendly Fire Damage Reflection enabled (triggers after repeat Friendly Fire Kills). Zero-tolerance policies in effect.
• Crawling State Enabled on man-down. Double-tap your targets to eliminate surprises.
• Traversal Sprint (Double-tap sprint button) disabled.
• Slide (Crouch during sprint button) disabled.
• Soldier Redeploy Delay Halved. Boots on the ground twice as fast.
• Soldier Health Regen Rate set to 0.1 / 10% for default (1.0 by default). Battlefield medics note an increased need for assistance.
• Mandatory Uniform Applied – in official Hardcore servers, Specialist uniforms will now respect the Specialist’s team via the following visual makeups: Team 1 set to “Green / Beige” palette, Team 2 set to “Red (Tier 1)” palette.
• AI in official Hardcore matches will respect all modifiers set for infantry.

Weapons

• Magazine Discarding is now enabled, if you reload a magazine the bullets remaining within that magazine will be discarded. To all Support Players: note the increased need for munition resupplying.
• Strict Class Identity is in play within Official Hardcore with the Assault Class primary weapon classes being ARs, Shotguns, DMRs, and the Ghostmaker Crossbow. Engineer Class primary weapon are LMGs, Lever Action Rifles. Support Class primary weapon classes are SMG-PWDs, Shotguns, and finally, Recon Classes are Sniper Rifles, Shotguns, DMRs, the Ghostmaker Crossbow and Lever Action Rifles.
• Assault Rifle Class damage multiplier added, set to default. High Lethality at all ranges.
• SMG-PDW Class damage multiplier added, set to 0.8 from default 1.0, to offset the effectiveness of High RoF weapons in Hardcore.
• LMG Class Damage multiplier added, set to default. Eyes open for friendlies in the line of fire, you will be punished!
• Bolt Action Rifle Class Damage multiplier added, set to 0.8 from default 1.0, to offset effectiveness at longer than intended ranges.
• Shotgun Class Damage multiplier added, set to default. Blow. them. away.
• Sidearm Class Damage multiplier added, set to default. Small form factor, big punch.

Interface

• Show only icons when seeing friendlies, name tags disabled.
• Added and enabled a setting to remove the minimap entirely (as opposed to showing a disabled minimap widget).
• Added and enabled a setting to allow players to access the Big Map (default input “M”) even if the minimap is disabled. Orient and coordinate.
• Added and enabled a setting to move the Squad List to the minimap’s original position.
• Added and enabled a setting to show a “minimal” version of the squad list with reduced information.
• Added and enabled a setting that causes the inventory widget to be invisible.
• Added and enabled a setting that causes the inventory widget to become visible when the player interacts with their loadout (and certain other actions), and subsequently become invisible again 2 seconds later.
• Disabled crosshairs and hit markers for all infantry (hit confirmation audio remains active). Confirm your targets.
• Added exceptions to crosshair disabling (Repair Tool retains its overheat element despite crosshairs being disabled).
• Enabled a “Realistic Audio” mix that modifies the base audio environment (Slightly reduced ambiance, world sounds, soldier movement sounds. Slightly increased weapon audio, bullet passbys, impact loudness, explosions)

Vehicles

• Vehicle Maximum Health set to 1.4 (from default 1.0). Vehicles gain increased survivability in all engagement scenarios.
• Vehicle Health Regeneration is disabled. Vehicles can now only be repaired using the Engineers’ Repair Tool, or with equipped Repair Systems.
• Added and enabled a setting that causes vehicle Weak Spots to take increased damage from all sources (Doubled from default, leading to potentially devastating damage). Watch your six!
• Increased velocity required to road-kill friendly teammates. Set to (15f) from default (0.5f). Enemies will still be roadkilled at the originally intended velocity.
• Disabled the ability to trigger Anti-Tank Mines with friendly vehicles.
• Added and disabled a contingency setting to completely remove the ability to road-kill friendlies.

Hardcore Mode rules

• Increased match time limit for all Hardcore Modes to 60 minutes.
• Doubled available tickets for both teams in all Hardcore Modes.
• Flag Capture Time doubled. Die with your boots on.
• Flag Neutralization Time doubled.

Battlefield Portal

Hardcore servers:

• Added a setting to award tickets on kill.
• Added a setting to award tickets on downing an enemy.
• Added a setting to award tickets for reviving friendly players.
• Added a setting to award tickets for destroying vehicles.
• Added a setting to penalize tickets when friendlies are sent to the downed or crawling state (as opposed to when they return to the deploy screen).
• Added a setting to enable Ascension Points. This is a system that awards players points for in-game actions beneficial to their team. AP must then be spent to meritocratically access vehicles, instead of deploying them directly from the call-in menu or deploy screen. Vehicles have predefined AP prices, based on their combat effectiveness and utility.
• Added a setting that subtracts Ascension Points on returning to the deploy screen after being downed.
• Added a setting that awards players an amount of Ascension Points upon initial entry to the server.
• Added a setting that sets a cap on how many Ascension Points players can hold at one moment in time.
• Added a setting that can multiply recharge timers for infantry and vehicle skills that are able to self-replenish. These values are currently set to default within the builder.
• Added a setting that can multiply the delay before weapons and abilities can automatically self-replenish. These values are currently set to default within the builder.

Additional Changes:

• Equipped badges are now shown first in the badge list.
• Return to Sender – Now gives a score when the player interacts with an enemy grenade and throws it back.
• Scoreboard – When a player causes Friendly Fire they will now lose points in the scoreboard and will receive a notification on the XP feed to indicate a loss of points.
• Fixed an issue causing Javelin Mastery to show in the stats tab.

Gameplay Flow & Social:

• Player card customization screen:
• Gameplay hints have a higher chance of showing on loading screen.
• There will now be an in-game notification when you enter the deploy screen when saving of loadouts or weapon customization is disabled.
• Customization / Deploy screen:
• Fixed a bug where input hints were misplaced on the event pass reward preview.
• Improved UI feedback when doing friendly fire. The kill skull has been replaced with a red X in that case and the kill log will also say when friendly fire damage reflection is enabled to show when you will start taking damage if you continue damaging friendlies.

Characters & Gadgets:

• Fixed a bug where the armor plate animation would loop if you tried to equip it while crouching in a CAV-Brawler open seat.

Vehicles

• UH 60 1P Camera FOV no longer changes with Soldier FOV.
• You can no longer use zoom on 3P cam on UH-60.
• Bradley IFV now gets spotted when driver or passenger fire any of the guns.
• Adjusted vehicle radio volume depending on distance.
• Fixed an issue where players could equip armor while sitting on the back seat of CAV-Brawler and get stuck on a looping equip animation.
• RAM now uses the same repair system recharge time like the rest of tank categories, upped from 10 to 20.
• UH-60 freelock sensitivity is now consistent with the rest of All Out Warfare Helicopters.
• UH-60 repair system is now more efficient, heals 25hp in 5 seconds, from 10 hp in 8.6.
• The gravity pull when UH-60 is near the ground has been lowered to be consistent with the rest of All Out Warfare Helicopters from 5m to 0.8m.
• UH-60 miniguns have been tweaked to allow for effective burst fire, under constant fire this weapon will lose accuracy.
• UH-60 minigun damage increased from 18 to 20.
• UH-60 minigun damage drop off starts at 200 instead of 250.

Weapons

• Fixed issues where zoom level stats in the collection screen were not showing correctly on Vault Weapons.
• Improved reload sound effect on M1 Garand.
• Added M1 Garand from Battlefield Portal.

M1 Garand has seen various changes to fit in All Out Warfare including:

• Adjustment to recoil, you will notice a much more aggressive recoil that becomes more managable on crouch or prone stances.
• Increase dispersion when firing while moving, jumping or sliding.
• Increase in total magazines that you’re able to carry with the M1 Garand.
• Adjusted damage model over distance to fit with rest of All Out Warfare weapons of the same category.
• The M1 Garand clip now ejects to sides and not towards player camera.
• Tightened the weapon alignment within center of screen during recoil and movement.