Battlefield 2042 Update 3: Release Date, Patch Notes, Changes, & More

Battlefield 2042’s launch was divisive at best and there are a lot of things that left fans feeling a little nonplussed about the series. Thankfully, EA DICE is still working on improvements and fixes to bring Battlefield 2042 in line with what everyone expected, and Update 3 is due to drop soon. We don’t know all the details about the update yet, but we know enough to be excited. Here’s the latest and when we should see the next update release…

When does Battlefield’s Update #3 drop?
At the moment, EA DICE has only stated that Update #3 is going to drop in “early December”. This is, of course, quite vague. However, we think this update could drop within the next week.

Tom Henderson, a notorious leaker, has suggested that Update 3 is going to release for Battlefield 2042 around December 7th – fitting in with his claims that there will be a “Day 10” and a “Day 25” patch for Battlefield 2042 before the Season One content is released.

We should learn of an official release date soon, either way. Keep your eyes on Battlefield 2042’s official social media account and the “Direct Communication” account above.

What do we expect from EA DICE this time?
EA DICE has shared the following points in a Blog Post about the future of Battlefield 2042, but this is hardly the complete list of changes we’re expecting to arrive with Update 3.

” With Update #3 arriving early December, we’ll be delivering our biggest update since launch, with significantly more fixes, changes, and more importantly, Quality of Life enhancements due to arrive in the game.”

User Interface Changes
🔴Improved the collection screens making them easier to use and clear as to what you’re interacting with
🔴Improved the ways in which you’re able to manage your attachments via the collection screen to reduce the number of interactions you need to have when building your loadouts
🔴Enhancements to our Player Card screen and End of Round (EOR) to provide additional polish
🔴Added new markers to make your newly unlocked items easier to find
🔴Improved screen transitions when entering and returning to the Main Menu
🔴Improved Report a Player flows, specifically around toxicity and cheating reports

Matchmaking & Friends Changes
🔴Improved the experience between EOR and the Main Menu
🔴Improved Matchmaking reliability and reduced instances of Matchmaking failed
🔴Improved Crossplay invite flows
🔴Fixed Rich presence update issues, ensuring that your friends are better able to track where you are in Game
🔴Addressed servers getting stuck in unresponsive game states, where rounds fail to properly start
🔴Fixes to Friend Invitations for players on PC

Progression & Unlocks Changes
🔴Introduction of weekly missions, providing set challenges that reward cosmetic unlocks.
🔴Added 1st match bonus of 1000 HZC for HZ
🔴Fixed an issue that was not properly awarding XP for Angel resupplies
🔴Improved overall XP/Rank tracking and reliability
🔴Improved Mastery rank tracking
🔴Improved reliability of Player card tracking

Rendering Changes
🔴Addressed a variety of visual flickering and stuttering issues
🔴Improvements to water rendering when Aiming Down Sight (ADS)
🔴Addressed multiple graphical issues affecting water reflections
🔴Fixed reflections in Kaleidoscope for late-joining players
🔴Addressed issue with character rendering for late joiners
🔴Improvements to artifacts affecting DLSS implementation
Map Changes
🔴Over 150 individual fixes, small changes, and improvements across all of our Maps
🔴Improved level geometry issues across all levels addressing issues such as players getting snagged or trapped
🔴Resolved multiple spawning issues
🔴Visual glitches such as lens flare, visible seams in the skydome
🔴Resolved a large number of collision and placement issues
🔴Addressed issues affecting local audio placement in multiple Maps

Battlefield Portal Changes
Builder additions
🔴Rush game mode layouts for all 2042 All-Out Warfare maps (through Portal)
🔴New official Vehicle Team Deathmatch template
🔴New official Team & FFA Gun Master templates
🔴New official Infection template
🔴Rules Editor – Added the ability to detect what players were killed with in order to apply additional logic

UX Improvements
🔴 Added Server Info for the Pause screen
🔴Added support for server admins to write periodic server messages
🔴Added support for reporting a server from the pause menu
🔴A series of visual, audio, and gameplay improvements to weapons, vehicles, and gadgets
Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone Changes

🔴Improvements to visual presentation of Hazard Zone currency system in Front End
🔴Added an animation and audio cue when the player’s Remaining Balance changes in the Hazard Zone lobby
🔴Modified Squad and Player Screen in Hazard Zone to only show your squad
🔴Modified Scoreboard to no longer show players connected in Hazard Zone to elevate tension experienced
🔴Improved extraction zone smoke visibility
🔴Added additional flares to extraction point offering players better visibility of extraction area, as well as providing additional cover
🔴Added variation in Hazard Zone to preplaced intel locations. Initial Data Capsules now have a chance to contain several data drives
🔴Resolved an issue with persistent scoring in Hazard Zone
🔴Improvements to the Intel Scanner’s accuracy and enemy identification
🔴Resolved an issue where two teams could extract simultaneously in Hazard Zone
🔴Resolved inconsistency in warning to alert players that they’re being scanned in Hazard Zone
🔴Resolved capacity issues with intel collection in Hazard Zone
Made it easier to interact with intel pick-ups
🔴Added distance read-out for next extraction point in Hazard Zone
🔴Improved Hazard Zone end-of-round camera placement
Game Mode Changes

🔴Irish: DCS Deployable Cover
🔴Fixed an issue where the DCS Deployable Cover Minimap Icon was not displayed correctly
🔴Improved reliability of the DCS Deployable Cover’s deployable placement allowing placement on more angled surfaces
Dozer SOB-8 Ballistic Shield
🔴Fixed an issue where the SOB-8 Ballistic Shield didn’t block bullets when inside an elevator.
🔴Fixed an issue where Dozer would not be targeted by Boris’s SG-36 Sentry Gun and AI ignoring the user while having a SOB-8 Ballistic Shield equipped.
🔴Fixed an issue where players couldn’t enter vehicles while the SOB-8 Ballistic Shield was equipped
🔴Fixed an issue where reviving is hard to perform while having the SOB-8 Ballistic Shield equipped
🔴Fixed an issue where killing a player with the SOB-8 Ballistic Shield would also take the victim’s dogtag.
🔴Fixed an issue where players were flung up in the air after being melee’d by Dozers with his shield equipped]
Rao: Cyber Warfare Suite
🔴Added a short grace period for Rao’s Cyber Warfare Suite when something occludes the target being hacked. This will help most frequently when trying to hack vehicles that may be driving in front of trees
Paik: EMG-X Scanner
🔴Added a sound effect for the victims being scanned by the EMG-X Scanner
The EMG-X Scanner should now be able to spot targets above or below Paik.
🔴Disabled the usage of EMG-X Scanner while inside vehicles
🔴Fixed the EMG-X Scanner’s “target found” audio effect not working for targets beyond 20m
Casper: OV-P Recon Drone
🔴Fixed an issue where user is unable to deploy the OV-P Recon Drone while in a prone position
🔴Improved the visibility of Enemy Recon Drones; they now have lights making them easier to see
Players now switch back to their previous weapon after exiting the OV-P Recon Drone
🔴Updated OV-P Recon Drone EMP hint message to clarify that firing requires a lock on
🔴Increased the range of the EMP on the OV-P Recon Drone
🔴Fixed an issue where Casper’s OV-P Recon Drone is sometimes unable to lock onto enemy targets
🔴Increased the OV-P Recon Drone’s movement speed
🔴Increased the OV-P Recon Drone’s hitbox size to make it easier to hit.
🔴Adjusted the “near drone” spotting distance
🔴Adjusted size of the spotting area when controlling the drone’s camera view.
Boris: SG-36 Sentry Gun
The SG-36 Sentry Gun will now be destroyed when the owner dies instead of when the owner is downed
🔴Fixed an issue where Boris’ SG-36 Sentry Gun would not be able to acquire targets that are near a vehicle
Falck: S21 Syrette Pistol
🔴Added Lock On and Lock Off sounds for S21 Syrette Pistol for when a target is designated by the magnetism of the S21 Syrette Pistol
Players that require health and can receive it now have a white outline around them to indicate that the magnetism will fire at the outlined target.
🔴Added healing VFX for when you’re being healed by the S21 Syrette Pistol
🔴Added sound feedback for when being healed by the S21 Syrette Pistol
Mackay: Grappling Hook
🔴Fixed an issue where the Grappling Hook rope got misaligned in front of the gadget after changing FOV settings
🔴Fixed the vault after the Grappling Hook animation where it could cause camera jerks or provide no animation at all
🔴Gadget Changes
🔴CG Recoilless M5
🔴Fixed a bug where the CG Recoilless M5 would not lose its lock on to enemy air vehicles when locked on via SOFLAM Designator and the target 🔴deployed countermeasures
C5 Explosive
🔴Fixed a bug where the C5 Explosive blast damage was sometimes inconsistent when trying to detonate the C5 Explosive on a moving vehicle
🔴Fixed an issue where the C5 Explosive server and client positions were not correctly synced
🔴Adjusted the deploy time of the C5 Explosive and reduced the delay before allowing it to be detonated to improve responsiveness.
SOFLAM Designator
🔴Fixed an issue where the visual SOFLAM Designator UI elements are still present on the screen when switching to other gadgets while zoomed
🔴Fixed the SOFLAM Designator’s tooltip text being misaligned
Anti-Tank Mine
🔴Fixed an issue that caused Mines and other deployables to not trigger sound effects when deployed from inside a vehicle
Medical Crate / Supply Crate
🔴Fixed issue where the Medical Crate healing cooldown was triggered when at Full HP.
🔴Adjusted Medical and Supply crates’ trajectory to align with the animation of the throw and address jitter
🔴Improved responsiveness of Medical and Supply crates deployment. It is now possible to throw them a lot quicker after selecting them
🔴Fixed an issue where the resupply animation would not play when resupplying gadgets from the Supply Crate
Smoke Grenade
Changed the detonation behavior of the Smoke Grenade; it will now bounce once before detonating
🔴Fixed an issue where Smoke Grenades could be destroyed by bullets or explosions
🔴Fixed an issue where the VO was not triggering when an enemy Specialists’ Smoke Grenade has been thrown
Frag Grenade
Ensured that the grenade warning icon does not draw under certain elements of the HUD like the minimap
Repair Tool
🔴Fixed an issue where the Repair Tool can repair vehicles while not facing the vehicle.
🔴Improved the Repair Tool so that it is quicker to equip and put away
Insertion Beacon
🔴Fixed an issue where picking up an Insertion Beacon would not make any sounds.
🔴EMP now blocks spawning on Insertion Beacons
🔴Reduced the delay before the Insertion Beacon is placed after throwing it
FXM-33 AA Missle
The FXM-33 AA Missile reload sound effect will now appropriately fit the animation of reloading
Extended the animation of the FXM-33 AA Missile reload
Soldier Changes
🔴Fixed an issue where attempting to traversal sprint while swimming resulted in a broken swimming animation.
🔴Fixed missing weapon deploy animation when transitioning from water to land.
🔴Adjusted soldier animations when swimming.
🔴Various visual adjustments and fixes for Specialists
🔴Fixed issues where the soldier would sometimes not properly follow the ground when sliding
🔴Fixed an issue where jumping would be buffered if holding jump when trying to stand up from crouch or prone pose
🔴Reduced occurrences where Specialists can be seen with low quality animations in the distance
🔴Adjusted the pose of the legs when falling to avoid legs blocking the view
🔴Addressed issues where players prone on thin surfaces could be seen floating in the air. They will now tend to fall if the surface is not large enough.
🔴Fixed an issue where it is not possible to look up and down enough while prone on a slope
🔴Fixed an issue where character hands were not in contact with ladders when FOV was higher than default
🔴Fixed an issue where you could turn and see your own headless 1P body while on ladders
🔴Fixed an issue where the user was able to gain velocity by hopping on and off a ladder and hit melee
🔴Fixed an issue where setting the “Always Traversal Sprint” Option would sometimes not allow the player to traversal sprint with the intended speed
Melee Changes
🔴Adjusted the timing of sound of takedowns on enemies being prone
🔴Improved the speed in which the weapon switches when watching another player melee attack
🔴Decreased the range in which you can melee a player
🔴Fixed visual glitch when blending between ragdoll and settled state in a takedown animation
🔴Fixed an issue where players sometimes got thrown up in the air while using melee
You can no longer perform a takedown on a soldier climbing a ladder
🔴Added a fix that should allow the melee to nudge vehicles to get them to be unstuck.
🔴Fix for takedowns on enemies lying prone not working from all angles
🔴Fixed issue where the animation was misaligned while taking down an enemy that is prone on stairs
🔴Fixed a camera bug for meleeing players while standing on a moving platform

Attention note
All this may not be in one update due to the size of the files and with the launch of the in-game market
But with compressed files, it will range between 10 to 15 gigabytes, and this is the biggest update to the game since its launch and the biggest fixes for the game in the history of the Battlefield series.
Sorry if I missed something
See you on the battlefield
Ryan