The recently revealed Battlefield 2042 is returning the series to the near-future, hoping to recapture some of its former glory. 2013's Battlefield 4 was the last title to take place a few years ahead, depicting a fictional conflict in 2020. This time, Battlefield is jumping ahead two decades to 2042, a fitting year for a series that already includes Battlefield 1942 and Battlefield 2142. The series' vision for the year 2042 involves a conflict between Russia and the United States, but fought as a proxy war brought about by the last decade's events.
The central conflict in which players will participate in Battlefield 2042 is a culmination of over a decade of global instability. The 2030s were a tumultuous time for the entire world in the prelude to 2042. Natural disasters, such as Battlefield 2042's massive tornadoes and the first-ever category 6 storm, 2033's Hurricane Zeta, were just one symptom of climate change which led to rising sea levels. A Second Great Depression is marked by fuel and food shortages worldwide. Economies collapse under the strain, alliances are broken, and in 2035 the European Union is dissolved following the collapse of .
The proxy war becomes possible after the increase in non-patriated peoples, according to landscape and climate in Battlefield 2042, many No-Pats refuse to re-assimilate, instead embracing the new, nationless lifestyle.
No-Pats Become Battlefield 2042's Near-Future Combatants
Amidst the collapsing world of Battlefield 2042, the United States and Russia emerge as the two remaining global superpowers. Things begin coming to a head in 2040, when a "Kessler Effect" - an increasing cascade of space debris - destroys over 70% of orbiting satellites. The fallout of the event is incalculable. "No internet. No navigation. No surveillance. No storm forecasts." The already delicate geopolitical circumstances are exacerbated to paranoia.
The US and Russia both believe the other is responsible for the blackout, and tensions rise as each nations scrambles to secure dwindling resources around the globe. In order to maintain a politically suitable distance from the impending war, both factions enlist No-Pat military task forces. This is where the Battlefield 2042 multiplayer players come in. No-Pat specialists will be the online multiplayer combatants in the game. Each massive map in Battlefield 2042 represents a key military asset desired by both the Russians and Americans, though the nature of war has changed so that conventional militaries will not be present.
Source: EA
