While Battlefield 2042 is introducing plenty of new features like Specialists and battle passes, one of its biggest additions is world events. Taking the form of weather disasters, Battlefield 2042 is presenting a believable scenario for its near future setting — though DICE has clarified that it is not going out of its way to be political in the new game.
Given the importance of natural disasters in the Battlefield 2042 reveal trailer, it is hard not to wonder where the concept came from. After all, it is a big talking point in the ongoing climate change debate, with many pointing out that natural disasters will become more common in the future due to the current state of the planet. As such, it would make sense that Battlefield 2042’s weather changes are a result of this climate change, though DICE has said otherwise.
In an interview with IGN, DICE design director Daniel Berlin states bluntly that politics were not the reason for designing this Battlefield 2042 feature. Instead, the sandstorms, lightning, and tornadoes were a direct result of the team believing that the game needed more “spectacle.” Involving natural disasters gives DICE a reason to go “all over the world” in the next game, with the environmental changes being purely for “gameplay reasons.” As such, Berlin has confirmed that the addition has nothing to do with real-world politics, even if it does fit nicely.
Berlin reiterates that Battlefield 2042 is “purely a multiplayer game,” with the studio not setting out to further a political agenda with this game. This is a fair argument, as it would be far easier to deliver a political message through a story mode. Battlefield 2042 has no campaign, however, and while its backstory of Non-Patriated men and women is interesting, it seems unlikely that this story will hit too close to home for players. Given the Battlefield franchise’s history with political topics, DICE choosing to steer clear of overly realistic concepts makes sense.
Back when Battlefield 5 was revealed, the first trailer sparked a massive amount of controversy due to the appearance of a woman wearing a prosthetic arm. Deemed historically inaccurate by a large number of fans, this led to a massive number of dislikes on Battlefield 5’s first trailer. Further discussions of sexism and realism resulted, with many choosing a side as the game became more of a talking point than a successful entry in the series. With 2018’s Battlefield game being so divisive, trying to steer clear of the same pitfalls is understandable.
Even if they were made purely for spectacle, the use of natural disasters in a game with a near future setting is fitting. While the intent behind Battlefield 2042’s destruction was not a political message, the game might just find itself becoming a realistic representation of climate change anyway.
Battlefield 2042 launches October 22 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Source: IGN