There are lots of games set in the 2040s, probably because it's easier to visualize compared to the later decades or century. That time period also offers a good balance of contemporary technology and futuristic hardware, enough to make certain stories look hauntingly plausible. That's what some games set in the 2040s usually aim for in terms of atmosphere.
Some, however, aren't content with being a prophetic view into the near future; these sci-fi games simply want to tell a good story based on an alternate timeline, unconstrained by the limits of what's possible. Regardless of the case, these video games set in the 2040s might just be good enough to be remembered until that actual decade befalls us.
8 Call Of Duty: Black Ops 4
- Release year: 2018
- Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Well, a Call of Duty game is bound to be here. There are so many of them that they likely have games set on time periods for every decade of the modern era from the 1940s, and even spanning all the way to the future. In Black Ops 4's case, it's set around the 2040s, and unsurprisingly, the game is centered around a group of elite specialists.
Story-wise, it's what one could expect from a Call of Duty game. A six-hour movie that features some impressive and plausible military tech along with a story with its pick of favorite protagonists. The difference here is that it's told through bits and chunks of narrative in a collision between multiple Call of Duty mythos, which makes it more confusing compared to others.
7 Battlefield 2042
- Release year: 2021
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows
Despite the controversy surrounding its unfavorable state during release, Battlefield 2042 still gets plus points for the attempt. It's one of the few Battlefield games that delved head-first into the future to put a new spin on its timeless multiplayer formula.
The game is familiar enough for those craving contemporary action while still offering some futuristic arcade mil-shooter toys that some armies are likely attempting to employ right now. To add to the chaos, Battlefield 2042 also makes its fictional timeline relevant by including natural disasters such as tornadoes and other calamities.
6 BRINK
- Release year: 2011
- Platforms: PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360
Speaking of multiplayer shooters, BRINK is one of the tried and tested ones dating back to 2011. It's still active today, though the mechanics are notably outdated, and so are the graphics. In any case, BRINK is set during the middle of the 21st century when the world was more or less ruined.
In an effort to save humanity, floating man-made cities called Arks became the norm and standard for safe living. But corralling different groups of people in such a small space has proven to be tumultuous, and that's where the strife in BRINK comes from as players pick their faction and lead their character to an all-out civil war.
5 Nier Gestalt
- Release year: 2010
- Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Nier is a JRPG that prides itself on telling some convoluted but thought-provoking stories about mankind and existentialism. In the original Nier Gestalt, the game starts in 2049 in a rather odd alternate and fictional timeline when monsters and modernly dressed humanoids exist.
Players take on the role of a middle-aged man whose name is up to the players as they explore and find the meaning of existence in a ruined world. The game will eventually fast-forward to around 1,300 years late but still puts relevance in the events of its 2049 prologue as not much has seemed to change.
4 Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
- Release year: 2007
- Platforms: Microsoft Windows, macOS, Xbox 360, Java Platform, Micro Edition, Classic Mac OS
All these action games might be taxing on the fingers, so here's a little something that offers a more relaxed view of all the chaos. Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars was one of the last RTS from the Command & Conquer brand and it served as a proper retelling of the Tiberium saga.
It continues the story of an alternate Earth that became infested with a space element called Tiberium. Turns out this glowing rock is also a powerful resource and in turn, has become the object of constant war between the GDI and the religious fanatics of Nod. But Tiberium Wars shakes things up by adding a third faction into the fray called the Scrin, an alien race in this already bloody global war.
3 Crysis 3
- Release year: 2013
- Platforms: PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360
Crysis 3 goes back to New York like its predecessor, but this time around, it explores a world in shambles after aliens invaded Earth. New York thus became a sunken area full of high-tech militant groups vying for control. Players step into the shoes of Prophet, which is more of a title given to an exoskeleton wearer than a single character.
As Prophet, players will zip and zoom around the jungle of New York killing aliens and human soldiers with their bow. The story is more or less similar to the ones in Call of Duty games both in length and presentation; the real star here is the aforementioned exoskeleton, the Nanosuit, since it turns its wearer into superheroes.
2 Defiance
- Release year: 2013
- Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Like Battlefield, Defiance is an online multiplayer shooter but the scale is bigger here since it takes place in an MMO-sized persistent world set during the year 2046. That was 33 years after some aliens invaded Earth. A long period of truce did ensue, but as always, humans don't like to share resources and space with odd-looking beings.
The aliens, called Votans, unleashed a powerful terraforming device that altered Earth and plunged the planet into a semi-apocalypse. Players will enter the game with the current state of the world in an uneasy peace as they prepare to mount offensives as human beings once again.
1 Wipeout 2048
- Release year: 2012
- Platforms: PlayStation Vita
Wipeout games have always been about futuristic racing and Wipeout 2048 being set in an earlier timeline compared to its predecessors didn't affect the adrenaline rush too much. Players still get to pilot anti-gravity race cars in a high-octane and dizzying race.
the technology and the sights here are a lot less high-tech compared to the more futuristic titles, but the gist of these races is still there. Sadly, this game is only available on the PS Vita which is a relic these days, though an emulator could fix that exclusivity issue.