A lot of rumors, possibly leaked info, and speculation were swirling around the new Battlefield game, and they were amplified with the recent Battlefield 2042 teaser. With Battlefield 2042’s official title and reveal now past, it looks to be following a classic video game trope that continues to be problematic: a war between the United States and Russia. For many people, this may not seem like a big deal, but it is something that games have been doing for a while.
While this information about Battlefield 2042 has just been revealed, it is important to look at where this fictional conflict stems from. As games continue to age and grow, the fanbase does as well. While there are older gamers that grew up when arcades reigned supreme and the Cold War was at its height, there are younger fans that may not understand the implications of such a story and conflict in a modern context.
Battlefield 2042 Taking On World War 3
With the confirmation of Battlefield 2042's conflict, it joins a growing list of shooters that use the idea of World War 3 and a US-Russian conflict. Because of the history of this specific conflict in video games, many may not see it as a problem. Call of Duty has used the exact conflict for multiple games with the original Modern Warfare trilogy and the Black Ops series both centered around a US-Russian conflict. This does not mean that the idea is not tired and harmful.
The media that people consume can potentially affect how they perceive different peoples and countries. Continuously feeding the idea of a bad guy Russia in games might not be something that has the biggest impact, but it can move the needle of people’s perception ever so slightly. In short, the concept of Battlefield 2042's third World War being centered around a US-Russian conflict can be easily seen as harmful. There is no singular video game that would be able to wrap the level of complexity that was involved in the Cold War into one title, regardless of whether it's Battlefield 2042 or Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War.
Battlefield 2042's Potential Connection to Battlefield 2142
With the reveal that Battlefield 2042 will not have a campaign, a devotion to narrative might not be completely abandoned, but it may lack the nuance that could be provided.
The universe of Battlefield has lore that is available, and with Battlefield 2042 being a near-future game there are great ways to set up the future. 15 years ago, Battlefield 2142 was released with a date that comes a century after the new Battlefield 2042, and this could be a great opportunity to build the foundation for the story that takes place then.
Answering the questions of what leads to the alliances and environmental realities of Battlefield 2142 in Battlefield 2042 is a great opportunity for world-building. While this can still be pursued in the conflict of Battlefield 2042, the lack of story does leave a lot to fans' imagination. The near-future conflict of Battlefield 2042 is an enticing selling point, but it is not a new idea and has been visited by numerous other shooters.
Battlefield's Pseudo-Rivalry with Call of Duty
Many people can identify why this conflict is being used as the market relationship and history of competition between the Call of Duty and Battlefield franchises. For a long time, consumers have looked at the two as competitors, with each franchise bringing its strengths and weaknesses. With the recent shift of shooters back onto alternate history and present/near-future conflicts, it seems natural for the new Battlefield to fill the role it does.
While Call of Duty has long brought an arcade shooting style to its games, the Battlefield franchise solidified much of its differences with Battlefield 3. Large maps, destructible structures, vehicles, and massive battle-based warfare became the expectation. The idea that gamers could actually coordinate in squads and push points with a tank or attack helicopter was not something that other major FPS titles were delivering at the time. Battlefield 3 took the military shooter genre to a whole new level with how much could be done.
Move on to almost a decade later, and massive lobbies of players have become the norm for many games. Battle royale games are built on the premise of putting 100 (or more) players into one map and letting them fight it out. While Battlefield 2042 might not have a BR mode, the premise of large teams is something that the series is familiar with. Given how much has changed, there is a huge wishlist of future features for Battlefield 2042.
How this might all be executed in Battlefield 2042 could give the series incredible longevity. That still does not mean it should get a complete pass as it brings forth a rather tired premise. What fans got with the Battlefield 2042 reveal is a look at a game that takes advantage of the advancements in hardware since the last installation, and hopefully delivers a rich experience full of features the series has become synonymous with.
Battlefield 2042 is currently in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.