Highlights

  • Battlefield 2042 mirrors real-life events in Antarctica, showcasing a future world where climate change reshapes geopolitics.
  • The game's Breakaway map features Russian drilling operations in a similar setting to current Russian activities in Antarctica.
  • DICE's world-building in Battlefield 2042 aligns with potential real-world scenarios, raising concerns about future resource conflicts.

Fans of Battlefield 2042 have caught wind of a news story that seems to be reminiscent of the game's Breakaway map. The polar drilling operation that makes up most of Battlefield 2042's map is the result of a situation similar to what's unfolding in the southern seas of Antarctica.

Currently spanning 1915 to 2142, explaining the Battlefield timeline can be a little confusing. The most recent iteration of the Battlefield series takes place in the near-future, where climate change has disrupted the geopolitical order. After billions are displaced and many state governments have collapsed, the two main superpowers are Russia and the United States. Maps are usually based around an effect of this climate change, such as drained lakes, a desert city beset by sandstorms, and a high-tech farming operation.

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Fans on Reddit picked up on a particular story circulating on Yahoo! News regarding Russian ships discovering and monitoring a massive deposit of oil and natural gas in the seas surrounding Antarctica. To understand the resonance of the story among fans, it helps to learn about the Battlefield map Breakaway. The centerpiece of the map, set in Antarctica, is a massive Russian oil drilling platform, surrounded by icy glaciers and other infrastructure, including a workers' village. Players on the US team are striking against what they see as the Russians' illegal mining activities, while the Russians are defending vital energy sources for their populace.

Fortunately, there aren't any crazy, over-the-top Battlefield kills in the middle of Antarctica just yet. The current IRL situation centers around Russian research vessels making repeated trips to a particular area of the sea surrounding Antarctica. One of the ships has been officially sanctioned by the US, and its operations are testing the diplomatic skills of the nations that have claims to the areas it's been operating in. Mining in Antarctica has been illegal since 1959, but there have been reports of natural gas in the oceans surrounding it since the early 90s, which led to the member states of the Antarctic Treaty recommitting to the mining ban. The treaty does allow for scientific research, which Russia asserts is all the ships are doing.

Separating Fact from Fiction

Because of these reports in the 90s, predicting clashes in Antarctica caused by a scarcity of resources isn't exactly novel, but is still no less concerning. The Russian ships in question have been active in the Weddell Sea of Antarctica, which has overlapping claims between Great Britain, Argentina, and Chile. Battlefield 2042's Breakaway is located in Queen Maud Land, an area claimed by Norway. This area almost borders the Weddell Sea, so it's not too much of a stretch to imagine a drilling platform set up somewhere in that claim. But DICE choosing a more land-based drilling platform probably makes it easier to get help calling in Battlefield 2042's near-future land vehicles, so that makes sense.

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If there is any good in this situation, it's that DICE's world-building has been vindicated as believable. But here's hoping the events that preceded Battlefield 2042 don't actually come to pass.