Battlefieldfans have been anxiously awaiting the start ofBattlefield 2042’s beta tests leading up to launch. Even the slight delay thatBattlefield 2042received didn’t impair fans' anticipation of what looks to be the biggest, most bombasticBattlefieldyet. That official open beta arrived Wednesday and will last through Saturday, October 9. However, alongside excitement at the beta’s start, there’s also been disappointment. Despite assurances from EA DICE regardingBattlefield 2042’s anti-cheat system, hacking is already apparent within the beta.
Footage fromBattlefield 2042’s open betadepicting cheaters using traditional hacks including wallkhacks, aimbots, player location data, radar data, and more have been widely shared within theBattlefieldcommunity. Despite theBattlefield 2042open beta having been available for just over a day, it appears that traditional hacks from common hacking sources work without issue. The hacks are notably rudimentary, of course, though that’s perhaps in part due to theBattlefieldfranchise being less of a target for hack makers than theCall of Dutyfranchise.
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Battlefield 2042does have anti-cheat technology implemented for its open beta, so it’s not like hackers have free rein to implement and sell hacks as they please.Battlefield 2042usesEasy Anti-Cheat, a third-party anti-hacking service also used in games includingApex Legends,Dead by Daylight,Dragon Ball FighterZ,Fortnite,Halo: The Master Chief Collection,New World,Rust,Spellbreak, and more. In other words, this is a highly effective and respected anti-cheat service.
It’s also worth acknowledging that despite the footage spread online, it isn’t clearhow effectiveBattlefield 2042’s anti-cheat truly is. That’s because anti-cheat doesn’t typically ban users immediately, once their hacks are recognized. Not only does anti-cheat wait to ban a player in a way that hackers can’t tell how their hacks are being recognized, but anti-cheat systems also collect data over time so as to better counter future hacks. It’s possible that this is all by design, though that’s obviously unlikely.
No comment has been made by Electronic Arts orEA DICEregarding the cheats seen in theBattlefield 2042open beta. It’s likely that some form of communication on the subject will be shared prior to launch, but not in any sort of specific way. Discussion of hacks rarely occurs outside of very general terms in the industry.
For the time being,Battlefield 2042players in the open beta will simply have to deal with any hackers they encounter in-game.WhenBattlefield 2042launches, a system allowing players to report opponents for cheating will be available. Until then, however, sharing clips on Reddit and hoping EA DICE is silently watching appears to be players' best hope of consequences for these hackers.
Battlefield 2042releases November 19 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
