World War III is underway and the liberal world order is officially over. NATO members have defected from America’s national security sphere in favor of outsourcing their warfighting to the mysterious “Peace Army” (“Armed Peace”). This is not our reality…yet? Game enthusiasts have long awaited the newest release of Battlefield 6 set in the near future. The game’s sales have shattered record revenues thus far. A former CEO from Battlefield’s competitor and higher grossing game franchise, Call of dutyrecently said his former title will suffer to Battlefield’s success. It will likely gross tens, if not, hundreds of millions of dollars for the publicly traded company Electronic Artsnow purchased by Saudi Arabia just before the game’s release. Why should we care about a video game depicting a fictional intra-civilizational war? In short, because millions are going to spend countless hours on Battlefield 6a far greater amount of time on this medium of entertainment than television, film, and social media, combined. Thus, the themes of war expressed are necessary to discuss as it will probably shape public opinion for years to come.

Yet of course, it is indeed necessary to qualify that in most video games, mechanical design and player retention almost always upstage adherence to real simulation. Especially considering features at the tactical level, such as a playable medic with a defibrillator who can instantly resuscitate a comrade hit by a tank projectile at near point-blank range. Also immortalized by Battlefield fans, a pilot ejecting from his fighter jet, then firing a rocket propelled grenade at an enemy jet to destroy it, and free fall back safely back into his aircraft. Therefore, when speculating on the reasons for why NATO may fight a conventional war against a private military contractor (or “PMC”) organization in Western (or Eurasian) countries, we can only truly compare the fictional themes to modern geopolitical narratives.

In Battlefield 6’s signature multiplayer mode, more than 30 players on each side fight for either American led NATO or European Pax Armata displaying the horrors of a modern conventional war fought on Western soil, including the Iberian Peninsula and Brooklyn, New York. The fictional plot begins as NATO members are leaving the alliance, outsourcing their national security entirely to Pax Armata. Yet,America and Pax overtly clash for the first time when a NATO military base in

From Battlefield to Reality: The Rise of Private Military Companies

Video games often mirror real-world events,and the fictional 2020 War depicted in Battlefield 4 offers a surprisingly accurate glimpse into the growing influence of private military companies (PMCs). The game portrays a world where PMCs are major players, capable of sparking international conflicts and challenging national armies.

Returning to our reality, we should look to one of the great experts on modern mercenaries, Dr.Sean McFate, a professor of war, military strategist, former U.S.Army soldier, and mercenary himself. His two books, The modern mercenary and The New Rules of War, were developed following experiences with African warlords, the extractive industry, arms deals, and preventing genocide in the Rwanda region, according to his biography.

To put it simply,McFate’s books explain that modern governments are struggling to maintain strong,capable militaries. It’s often more cost-effective to hire private organizations that are already experienced in a wide range of tactics and techniques.This isn’t a new trend; it’s a return to older forms of warfare where rulers hired the best warriors they could find. McFate argues that we’re heading towards an era where mercenary armies are funded by the world’s wealthiest individuals or institutions.

It truly seems Battlefield’s plot was modeled after a real-life PMC conflict that could have changed history. The Wagner Group, a Russian PMC, gained notoriety from the late 2010s to the early 2020s. Wagner has operated throughout Africa and once fought alongside U.S. Special Forces in Syria.