Battlefield 2042 Season 1: Zero Hour - Content Retrospective

Last Updated: October 31, 2025

Following a turbulent launch in late 2021 and a significant delay, DICE and EA launched the inaugural season for Battlefield 2042 on June 9, 2022. Titled Season 1: Zero Hour, this was the first major content injection for the ambitious shooter, representing a critical first step in the studio's long-term commitment to rebuilding player trust and evolving the game based on community feedback.

The season was a pivotal moment, aiming to address launch-day criticisms while introducing a new map, Specialist, and arsenal of weapons and vehicles. Here’s a complete, authoritative breakdown of everything that defined Battlefield 2042's first season.

The Battlefield Expands: Exposure

The centerpiece of Season 1: Zero Hour was the new large-scale map, Exposure. Set in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, the map delivered on the promise of extreme verticality and combined-arms chaos. Players battled for control of a secret research facility built into a mountainside following a catastrophic landslide.

Exposure was praised for its varied combat zones, offering something for every playstyle. Tight, claustrophobic infantry battles raged inside the underground research labs and server rooms, while the facility's exterior and surrounding cliffs provided dramatic sightlines for snipers and vehicle operators. The map's defining feature was its verticality, with players fighting from the valley floor all the way up to the mountain peak, using ziplines and aircraft to navigate the treacherous terrain. Dynamic landslide events could also reshape parts of the map, altering cover and creating new tactical opportunities.

New Reinforcements: Specialist Ewelina Lis

Joining the roster of No-Pats was Polish-born Specialist Ewelina Lis, a former special forces soldier classified as an Engineer. Lis was designed as a dedicated vehicle hunter, bringing a powerful new gadget to the battlefield to counter armored threats.

Her specialty gadget is the G-84 TGM, a player-controlled guided missile launcher. Once fired, players could manually steer the projectile toward its target, allowing for precise strikes against air and ground vehicles from a safe distance. Complementing this is her trait, "Armor Hunter," which automatically highlights damaged enemy vehicles on her HUD, making it easier to identify and finish off weakened targets. This combination made Lis a crucial anti-vehicle asset for any squad.

An Expanded Arsenal: New Weapons & Vehicles

Season 1 expanded every player's armory with two new weapons and two new stealth helicopters, all unlockable via the free tiers of the Battle Pass.

The first new weapon was the Ghostmaker R10, a high-tech crossbow that fires explosive-tipped bolts, offering a unique and silent option for infantry combat. It was accompanied by the BSV-M, a versatile Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR) that could switch between full-auto and semi-auto fire modes, making it effective at both medium and close ranges.

To dominate the skies above Exposure, two new stealth gunships were introduced: the RAH-68 Huron for the US faction and the YG-99 Hannibal for the RU faction. These advanced aircraft featured a stealth mode that made them disappear from enemy radar, along with a powerful loadout of guided missiles and bombs, adding a new layer of aerial strategy.

The Season 1 Battle Pass and Foundational Improvements

Zero Hour introduced the game's first 100-tier Battle Pass, featuring both free and premium reward tracks. DICE confirmed that all gameplay-affecting content—including Ewelina Lis, the new weapons, and the new vehicles—was available on the free track for all players. The Premium track was reserved for cosmetic items, offering legendary Specialist and weapon skins, new takedown animations, player card backgrounds, and weapon charms.

Beyond the new content, the Season 1 update was a massive patch focused on quality-of-life improvements and bug fixes. It delivered significant performance optimizations, a major balance pass on existing Specialists and vehicles (including a nerf to the overpowered MD540 Nightbird), and enhancements to soldier animation and movement. This foundational work, driven by months of player feedback, was as critical as the new content itself, aiming to create a more stable and balanced experience as the game began its long journey of post-launch support.