Wallpaper shared by a member in this thread.
Breakaway is a Battlefield 2042 launch map set on an Antarctic ice shelf where an oil extraction facility sits above the glacier, with flags on the shelf, at the refinery and in the ice caves below. It was the largest launch map and the one most reduced in the reworks.
Last verified: November 2026 · Game: Battlefield 2042 · Type: map
| Field | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Game | Battlefield 2042 | EA |
| Added | Launch, 19 Nov 2021 | EA |
| Setting | Queen Maud Land, Antarctica: an oil facility on an ice shelf | Game |
| Size at launch | Very large | Game |
| Dynamic event | Collapsing ice and a blizzard; destructible oil silo [verify] | Game |
| Vehicles | Tanks, hovercraft, helicopters, jets | Game |
| Reworked | 2022 to 2023 season updates reduced size and added cover [verify: which season] | EA |
Link to section: What it isWhat it is
Breakaway is the ice map: a research and oil facility on the edge of Antarctica, a long bridge, a refinery with silos and a glacier that breaks up as the match goes on. At launch it was enormous and widely criticised; the Season 3 rework cut a large area, moved flags and added cover. The blizzard reduces visibility and the ice collapse changes the terrain.
It remains the map where vehicles matter most and where the hovercraft, fast over ice, is at its best.
Link to section: How it playsHow it plays
Do not walk. The hovercraft and helicopters are the transport; the refinery is the infantry fight. The bridge is a chokepoint for armour and a sniping lane for Recon. When the blizzard comes, the open ice is safer and the buildings become the danger. Engineers with launchers at the refinery decide whether vehicles can cross the shelf.
Breakaway also hosts the game’s longest sightlines, so it is the map where Recon’s long-range rifles and the vehicle-mounted optics matter most, and the map where a lone infantry player is least useful. Squads that stay inside one vehicle for the whole round routinely top the scoreboard.
Link to section: Changes by patchChanges by patch
| Date | Update | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Nov 2021 | Launch | Available at launch | EA |
| 2022 to 2023 | Season reworks | Layout, cover and flag changes | EA |
Link to section: SourcesSources
- Battlefield 2042 forum on this site
- Official Battlefield 2042 wallpapers thread on this site
- The World of 2042 (setting discussion)
Link to section: FAQFAQ
Where is Breakaway set?
An oil facility on an ice shelf in Queen Maud Land, Antarctica.
Is Breakaway the biggest Battlefield 2042 map?
At launch, yes. The rework reduced it substantially.
What is the dynamic event on Breakaway?
Ice collapse and a blizzard; the silo destruction is marked for verification.
Is Breakaway good for infantry?
Only at the refinery and in the caves. The shelf is vehicle ground.
Which modes run on Breakaway?
Conquest, Breakthrough, Hazard Zone and Portal.
Discuss Battlefield 2042 in the Battlefield 2042 forum. This page is part of the Battlefield Wiki; see also Battlefield 2042 (game) and every Battlefield game in order.