After the disastrous launch ofBattlefield 2042, it only makes sense for other studios to attempt to steal theBattlefieldfranchise’s thunder. Developer Riverside Sports chose a different approach, however, leaning into the issues in service of parody withClownfield 2042.
EA and DICE launchedBattlefield 2042last year and quickly drew widespread backlash for taking the series in a direction with less tactical depth. Major balancing issues were also seen, while the numerous bugs ruined the experience of players. Even through several updates over the almost two months since its launch, the game still sits at a Mostly Negative rating on Steam.
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Riverside Sports is not quite entering the competitive space withClownfield 2042; in fact, the company is taking the opposite approach by taking the issues withBattlefield 2042and pushing them to the extreme. The Steam description proudly boasts that the game is “the [most] broken and unoptimized experience ever,” with players able torun down groups of hostiles in hovercrafts. A “basic but good enough for the moment” AI system is also included.
Clownfield 2042, in its goal to copy and satirize features fromBattlefield 2042, even copies the game’s tornado mechanic. During gameplay,tornadoes will appear on the mapand pull in physics objects to throw around. While the effects may not be as detailed as the originals, it fits the game’s style and is functionally very similar to the mechanic it copies.
With theresounding disappointment fromBattlefield 2042, it could be cathartic for some to jump into Riverside Sports' cynical take on the franchise. Its current Steam reviews, while it has thousands less overall, average much higher than the realBattlefield 2042’s scores. Only time will tell if it stays around as a serious game or remains an epheremal joke game, but either way the amount of effort it would take to even make the parody is indicative of how disappointingBattlefield 2042was for some.
With manyBattlefield 2042players going backto the divisive but much better receivedBattlefield 5, DICE will have to put in serious work to retain the currently remaining players and win back those disappointed by the original version. The game’s fundemental design may be different, but with better balancing and some returning features, it could stand on its own as a solid entry. Even with updates, though, whether it will reach the heights of its forerunners is a question that can only be answered by waiting.
