EA Issues A Strong Warning To Battlefield 2042 Testers

EA's "Battlefield 2042" technical playtests are now underway. PC invitees just finished up their testing between August 12 to 15, with console tests to follow. Adam Freeman, one of the lead community managers for EA Studios, claimed that PC testing went well, except maybe for some NDA rule-breakers. Onlookers took an interest in the highlighted consequences for those who chose to violate their agreement and leak footage.

Freeman shared information on the invite-only playtest through a series of tweets. He updated fans on testing progress, reiterated how to sign up for testing, and reminded testers to take the NDA (non-disclosure agreement) seriously — or else. 

Testers agreed to not share videos, screenshots, and streams from the playtest when they signed the legally binding NDA. Freeman said those who break the NDA would receive a strike on their channels, which is a standard response to these breaches of contract. However, he also emphasized the stakes with a stronger warning.

"Break the rules, expect to lose access to both the Technical Playtest, future EA Tests, and potentially access to 2042 itself when it releases," Freeman warned. He also claimed that the team had already removed "plenty of people" from the playtest in the past 48 hours. They won't be able to participate in further testing, and it's unclear if they'll be able to play the game at all based on Freeman's tweet. However, some fans didn't think that Freeman's warnings carried much weight and responded in kind on Twitter.

Some commenters doubted the severity of Freeman's words. For example, one Twitter user linked to already leaked footage on Reddit. The user who shared the NDA-bound footage seemed to receive more of a "slap on the wrist" rather than a life sentence. The Reddit user unapologetically broke NDA to share their "Battlefield 2042" footage and only received a ban from future playtesting. Still, this could be a case-by-case basis and not the standard punishment. 

Even without leaked information, EA has already revealed plenty of details about its upcoming shooter. First off, it has a focus on multiplayer with three different game modes — even with one surprising mode left out. It also sweetens the deal with cross-play, even if next-gen consoles aren't compatible with older ones. 

"Battlefield 2042" has an open beta scheduled for sometime in September. Those who pre-ordered the game get early access, though it's a test open to anyone who wants to take the time to download and provide feedback. "Battlefield 2042" releases on October 22, 2021 for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.