The Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone game mode is available to play right now thanks to the release of Battlefield 2042. Here's absolutely everything you need to know on Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone, from tactical upgrades to the valuable Dark Market Credits.
Hazard Zone will be a brand new Battlefield experience and it was interesting to try out on release. Check out what we thought in our full Battlefield 2042 review!
Read more: Battlefield 2042 Best M5A3 Loadout
Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone Reveal Trailer
Below, you can find the Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone reveal trailer in all its glory. Give it a look if you aren't yet aware of what the game mode entails.
What Is Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone?
Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone is a survival game mode where squads of four drop into a map and try to find data drives hidden around the map before extracting.
The story of Hazard Zone starts in 2042, with the number of satellites in the sky down by 70% due to a worldwide blackout. Now, temporary satellites roam the skies in low orbits, collecting intel including photography, ID scanning, and other important bits of data.
The satellites have been brought down by occupying forces of the US and Russia to collect the intel stored in data drives. These data drives are your main objective, helping to keep your fellow No-Pats safe.
So basically, Hazard Zone is a Battlefield 2042 game mode in which squads of four need to get the data drives and extract from the map without getting killed. It isn't about being the last team standing, it's more about the tension and action brought about by multiple teams fighting with AI enemies and nature as well as each other over a limited resource.
Squads will drop in at an insertion point determined as you sort out your loadout, and you need to make sure to bring your Intel Scanner - it'll help you find where the data drives are (even if they're being held by an enemy squad).
Hazard Zone ends when your squad all die off or when you extract at one of two extraction points. The second extraction is the last chance you have to get out of there, so you'll need to be on the ball and escape. If even one of your squad gets out of there alive, you'll all receive rewards. Only two squads can survive, so play smart.
Hazard Zone Dark Market Credits
What are these rewards then? Well, Hazard Zone's Dark Market Credits are the currency you'll earn for successfully extracting with data drives intact and in tow.
You'll be rewarded more Dark Market Credits based on the number of data drives collected, which also turn into XP for unlocks.
Dark Market Credits can be used to unlock more guns for your loadouts, or for getting more Tactical Upgrades pre-match.
What Are The Hazard Zone Tactical Upgrades?
Tactical Upgrades are passive bonuses you can purchase with Dark Market Credits and equip pre-match. There's a big wedge of them you can have a look at on our dedicated Hazard Zone Tactical Upgrades page. We'll be making a tier list when we get our hands on the game too!
Hazard Zone Loadouts
You can bring in your favourite loadout into the Hazard Zone. Remember though: you can only bring one of each Specialist into each game. No, you can't use an entire squad full of grappling hook wielders. That'd be silly.
This is where communication will come into play - take into account the map you're playing on and the location you'll be dropping to figure out which guns and Specialists you take in, as well as the Tactical Upgrades to use.
And remember: always bring an Intel Scanner with you!
What is a Hazard Zone Extraction Streak?
A Hazard Zone Extraction Streak is a level attached to each unique specialist you play as. It increases by 1 on successful rounds and resets to 0 on failed rounds. A high Extraction Streak will give you discounts when purchasing Tactical Upgrades or items for your loadout at the start of a game, so the more you streak, the better your chances next time around.
How to Revive In Hazard Zone
If you get killed in Hazard Zone, you can crawl to safety, much like getting downed in a BR game. Your teammates can revive you as they would in All-Out Warfare. However, if you fully die, you'll enter spectator mode, and will need to be brought back to life via a reinforcement uplink (found around the map) or the Squad Reinforcement Tactical Upgrade. These are limited resources, so do everything you can to avoid throwing your life away.
Which Maps Are Available in Hazard Zone?
Hazard Zone will allow you to play on all currently playable Battlefield 2042 maps. This includes the following:
- Kaleidoscope
- Manifest
- Orbital
- Discarded
- Renewal
- Hourglass
- Breakaway
Since these are also the All-Out Warfare maps, any future map releases will also allow you to play Hazard Zone on them.
How Many Players Does Hazard Zone Have?
Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone will allow for up to 32 players on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. On PS4 and Xbox One, the maps will be smaller and thus only allow for 24 players. That's still a lot of action, especially when you include the AI squads you'll be facing off against as well.
Since there are teams of 4, you'll have 8 squads per match on current-gen, and 6 squads on last-gen versions.
How Long is a Hazard Zone Match?
The second and final extraction in a Hazard Zone match will occur between 10-12 minutes after the start of the match, so they'll go pretty quickly! Factor this into the decisions you make with loadouts and the like in your first match - you might want to be more aggressive to get the initial extraction instead.
Is Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone Battle Royale?
The Battlefield 2042 devs have been adamant that Hazard Zone is not a Battle Royale, and we tend to agree. The goal isn't to get loads of kills and be the last squad standing, shown by the two separate extraction points available in each game.
There are all kinds of other factors that distinguish Hazard Zone from your standard BR games, including but not limited to the dangers of the weather conditions and a tornado that could rip through the map, completely changing the game, as well as AI soldiers gunning for you and your squad to contend with.
That's all the Hazard Zone info we have for you at the moment - how have you found it? Why not take a look at some of our other Battlefield 2042 coverage too, like info on how to Ping, or advice on the best guns in Battlefield 2042.