GameTimeline

Release & story order

Battlefield timeline

Battlefield from Battlefield 1942 (2002) through Battlefield 6 (October 2025)—US release dates, war-era setting order, Bad Company continuity, and FAQ for Heroes, Portal, REDSEC, and which titles still have campaigns.

Updated August 2026

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Release order Story order

Release order

When DICE / EA shipped each major Battlefield in the US—Battlefield 1942 (2002) through Battlefield 6 (2025), including Bad Company, Hardline, and 2042. Heroes, 1943, Play4Free, and mobile titles are FAQ-only.

  • Multiplayer history → Release tab from 1942 through Battlefield 6
  • Campaign nights → Bad Company → Bad Company 2 → BF3 → BF4 → Hardline → BF1 → BFV → BF6
  • Play today (2026) → Battlefield 6 for the current live service
  • Skip Heroes / 1943 / Play4Free unless collecting every experiment
Story order tips

There is no single continuous canon across every Battlefield. Story order here is setting chronology (WWI → WWII → Vietnam → modern → near-future → 2142), plus the linked Bad Company pair. Most players still use Release order for multiplayer history.

  • Era path: BF1 → BFV → 1942 → Vietnam → Bad Company → BC2 → BF3 → BF4 → Hardline → BF6 → 2042 → 2142
  • Only Bad Company → Bad Company 2 share a direct squad story
  • 2042 is near-future; BF6 returns to grounded modern before that year
  • On Story order, later entries may be hidden—reveal when ready or use Show all spoilers

Timeline

When each game was released. Click a game for platforms, dates, and where it fits in your playthrough.

Release order

  1. Battlefield 1942

    Battlefield 1942

    PCFPSMainlineWWII

    Series debut—large maps, vehicles, Axis vs Allies.

    Overview
    Conquest-focused multiplayer that defined the franchise's scale.
    In-game setting
    WWII setting—early Story-order slot after BF1 / BFV eras.
    Should you play it?
    Historical foundation—multiplayer classic, no modern single-player campaign.
    Release date
    US PC launch September 10, 2002.
  2. Battlefield Vietnam

    Battlefield Vietnam

    PCFPSMainlineVietnam

    Vietnam War maps and vehicles on the 1942 engine lineage.

    Overview
    Era shift with helicopters and period loadouts.
    In-game setting
    Standalone multiplayer setting between WWII and modern titles.
    Should you play it?
    Optional for collectors; not required before modern Battlefield.
    Release date
    US PC March 14, 2004.
  3. Battlefield 2

    Battlefield 2

    PCFPSMainlineModern

    Modern warfare breakthrough—commander mode and 64-player scale.

    Overview
    Kits, commander, and modern factions that shaped BF3/BF4.
    In-game setting
    Multiplayer-first modern era—campaign not the focus.
    Should you play it?
    Landmark PC shooter—play for history, not a story marathon.
    Release date
    US PC June 21, 2005.
  4. Battlefield 2142

    Battlefield 2142

    PCFPSMainlineFuture

    22nd-century Titan mode—future war sandbox.

    Overview
    Titan assault and frostbite-era sci-fi setting before Bad Company.
    In-game setting
    Latest fiction year on Story order (~2142).
    Should you play it?
    Cult classic—optional after the modern path.
    Release date
    US PC October 17, 2006.
  5. Battlefield: Bad Company

    Battlefield: Bad Company

    Xbox 360PS3FPSCampaignBad Company

    B Company gold-heist campaign—Frostbite destruction showcase.

    Overview
    Console-focused story campaign with destructible environments.
    In-game setting
    Starts the Bad Company narrative continued in Bad Company 2.
    Should you play it?
    Best entry if you want a character-led Battlefield campaign first.
    Release date
    US Xbox 360 / PS3 June 23, 2008.
  6. Battlefield: Bad Company 2

    Battlefield: Bad Company 2

    Xbox 360PS3PCFPSCampaignBad Company

    B Company returns—Vietnam multiplayer expansion later.

    Overview
    Peak Bad Company campaign plus beloved multiplayer maps.
    In-game setting
    Direct sequel to Bad Company—play after BC1.
    Should you play it?
    Often cited as a series high for campaign + multiplayer balance.
    Release date
    US launch March 2, 2010 on consoles and PC.
  7. Battlefield 3

    Battlefield 3

    Xbox 360PS3PCFPSMainlineModern

    Modern warfare blockbuster—co-op moments and multiplayer peak era.

    Overview
    Frostbite 2 spectacle; set the tone Battlefield 6 later chased.
    In-game setting
    Campaign is a Hollywood war film—not tied tightly to Bad Company.
    Should you play it?
    Essential modern classic for multiplayer fans.
    Release date
    US October 25, 2011.
  8. Battlefield 4

    Battlefield 4

    Xbox 360PS3Xbox OnePS4PCFPSMainlineModern

    Naval warfare and levees—troubled launch, long-lived multiplayer.

    Overview
    Commander return and large-scale map events.
    In-game setting
    Campaign follows Recker after BF3's era—loose modern continuity.
    Should you play it?
    Still a common 'classic BF' pick beside BF3 and BF1.
    Release date
    US October 29, 2013 across last-gen and then-current consoles.
  9. Battlefield Hardline
    Optional

    Battlefield Hardline

    Xbox 360PS3Xbox OnePS4PCFPSCampaignOptional

    Cops vs criminals—Visceral campaign, Hotwire mode.

    Overview
    Crime sandbox twist on Battlefield multiplayer.
    In-game setting
    Standalone modern story—optional after BF4 on either track.
    Should you play it?
    Divisive—play for the campaign novelty, not required canon.
    Release date
    US March 17, 2015.
  10. Battlefield 1

    Battlefield 1

    Xbox OnePS4PCFPSMainlineWWI

    World War I—war stories campaign and Operations.

    Overview
    Anthology War Stories instead of one continuous campaign cast.
    In-game setting
    Earliest major setting on Story order (WWI).
    Should you play it?
    Strong single-player anthology plus acclaimed multiplayer.
    Release date
    US October 21, 2016.
  11. Battlefield V

    Battlefield V

    Xbox OnePS4PCFPSMainlineWWII

    World War II—War Stories and Grand Operations.

    Overview
    Fortifications and attrition-focused multiplayer; Firestorm BR experiment.
    In-game setting
    WWII setting after BF1 on Story order.
    Should you play it?
    Play for WWII vibe; live service ended years ago.
    Release date
    US November 20, 2018.
  12. Battlefield 2042

    Battlefield 2042

    Xbox Series X|SPS5PCXbox OnePS4FPSMainlineNear-future

    Specialists and Portal—no traditional launch campaign.

    Overview
    Hazard Zone / Portal / large 128-player maps; rough launch, later recovery seasons.
    In-game setting
    Near-future setting before Battlefield 6; story via multiplayer fiction.
    Should you play it?
    Optional now that Battlefield 6 is the current live title—Portal still unique.
    Release date
    US November 19, 2021.
  13. Battlefield 6

    Battlefield 6

    Xbox Series X|SPS5PCFPSMainlineModern

    Current all-out warfare entry—campaign returned; REDSEC seasons ongoing.

    Overview
    Battlefield Studios multi-studio build; grounded modern tone after the 2042 experiment.
    In-game setting
    Default 2026 multiplayer home; includes a single-player campaign.
    Should you play it?
    Start here for live multiplayer in 2026; seasons / REDSEC are FAQ-only rows.
    Release date
    US launch October 10, 2025 on current-gen consoles and PC.

FAQ

Release vs setting order, Bad Company path, campaigns vs multiplayer-only, Battlefield 6, and optional free-to-play titles.

Release order

Release order is when each major Battlefield launched in the US (2002–2025). Story order on this page is setting chronology (WWI → WWII → Vietnam → modern → Battlefield 6 → 2042 → 2142)—not one official EA canon chart. Only Bad Company → Bad Company 2 is a true narrative sequel pair. Heroes, 1943, and free-to-play experiments stay FAQ-only.

Multiplayer today: Battlefield 6 (live seasons / REDSEC). Campaign path: Bad Company → Bad Company 2 → Battlefield 3 → Battlefield 4 → optional Hardline → Battlefield 1 → Battlefield V → Battlefield 6. History nerds: Release order from 1942 forward. You do not need 2042 before Battlefield 6 unless you want Portal / near-future context.

Settings & campaigns

Battlefield: Bad Company (2008) and Bad Company 2 (2010) follow B Company in a gold-heist / special-forces story. Play them back-to-back. They are separate from Battlefield 1 / V War Stories and from the BF3/BF4 Hollywood campaigns.

Campaigns / War Stories: Bad Company, Bad Company 2, Battlefield 3, Battlefield 4, Hardline, Battlefield 1, Battlefield V, and Battlefield 6. Multiplayer-first classics like 1942, Vietnam, BF2, and 2142 are setting rows without modern single-player. Battlefield 2042 launched without a traditional campaign—fiction lived in multiplayer and seasons.

Modes & editions

Battlefield 6 launched October 10, 2025 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. It is the current all-out warfare mainline with a returned single-player campaign and ongoing seasons (including REDSEC). On Release order it is last; on Story order it sits in the grounded modern era after Hardline and before the near-future year of Battlefield 2042.

Optional & related

More timelines

Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.