From a decade of chaos to the rise of no-pats, the story of Battlefield 2042

EA and Dice recently revealed that the new addition to the Battlefield franchise, Battlefield 2042 takes the series back to its near-future roots.

Set in the fictional imagination of 2042, when the US and Russia have clashed in a war, a new group of refugees called No-pats has emerged.

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— Battlefield (@Battlefield) June 9, 2021

Previously, the Battlefield campaign used to follow a single story from a single perspective, which was changed for Battlefield 1 and V. The two latest Battlefield games featured smaller stories regarding the war, from a variety of perspectives. Battlefield 2042 is going to be the first Battlefield game in a while to not feature a single-player story campaign mode.

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The Lore behind Battlefield 2042

With the announcement of the upcoming Battlefield, EA and Dice have also given a brief prelude to the world of Battlefield 2042.

A Decade of Chaos

As the world stands on the brink of war, a new kind of stateless soldier emerges from the greatest crisis in human history. How did we get here?

The world has been suffering for quite a while, from the first category 6 storm Hurricane Zeta in 2033, to the Global food shortage sparking the Second Great Depression in 2034, to the European Union disbanding in 2035. This was known as the Decade of Chaos.

A decade of Chaos (Image by EA)

The rise of No-Pats

During this time, the displaced refugees banded together in search of a safe harbor. Families, farmers, doctors, engineers, and soldiers, the once privileged and the impoverished with backgrounds that are worlds apart, forced together, determined to survive.

The media calls them the Non-Patriated. They call themselves… No-Pats.

By 2037, humanity had adapted to the new normal. Revolutions in energy, desert irrigation, hydraulic levees, and sea walls save coastal cities, reclaim farmland, and rebuild supply chains. The hope of finding stability leads to some nations re-opening their borders.

The rise of No-Pats (Image by EA)

However, with no way to repatriate 1.2 billion people, No-Pats become a permanent fixture in all economic, military, and social policymaking. Many No-Pats are still distrustful of the governments that exiled them and refuse calls to reassimilate. No-Pat leaders emerge, inspiring a new identity unbound to former nationality, drawing a line in the sand between the Old World and The New Normal. #WeAreNoPats becomes a rallying cry.

Amidst the world's rebuilding, sparks of friction erupt between the US and Russia, as the last two superpowers both vie for control of this fast-changing world.

The Blackout of 2040

In the year 2040, a sudden space debris storm creates a “Kessler Effect” causing 70%+ of all orbiting satellites to malfunction and crash to Earth. The subsequent blackout caused mass devastation. From crashing planes to communication failure, the world came to a standstill. Over 100,000 livers were lost.

A world on the brink goes over the edge. No internet. No navigation. No surveillance. No storm forecasts.

Geopolitical distrust surged overnight. No one can spy on each other, so no one can trust each other. Both Russia and the US claim the other is responsible for the blackout, while some suspect No-Pats were behind it and accuse them of trying to sow anarchy. Former military and combat-trained specialists amongst the No-Pats rose to the armed Task Force to defend themselves as tensions rose.

The Brink of War (Image by EA)

The Brink of War

A food and fuel shortage ignites a shadowy war between the US and Russia. To maintain plausible deniability, both sides field the No-Pat Task Force as proxies in escalating conflicts over resources, promising the refugees a piece of what's left.

Open war is imminent. No-Pats have no choice but to choose sides, fighting not for a flag, but for their future.

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— Battlefield (@Battlefield) June 9, 2021