Video games are often an escape from the real world, a place for gamers to enjoy some fun without thinking of what’s happening outside. But sometimes, they’re a bit too realistic.
WhenCall of Duty: Black Ops 2launched in 2012, its plot and technology of the near future seemed more sci-fi than anything. But in reality, some of it has become a bit too real for my taste, and it’s a combination of cool and scary how much the game’s campaign has seemingly begun to come to fruition.
BO2is widely considered one of the bestCoDgames in general. Its stellar multiplayer offering paired up with an awesome new take on Zombies to steal hundreds of hours from gamers everywhere, but its campaign missions have become the subject of focus thanks to several viral posts on the internet the past few days on apps likeInstagramand TikTok.
Within the events ofBO2’scampaign, a cyberattack greatly hinders the Chinese stock market. In response to the attack, China bans the export of rare earth materials, which brings about a new Cold War between China and the United States.
Well, in case you’ve been avoiding the news lately (and who can blame you?), there has indeed been a trade war between the US and China as the countries have traded increases in tariffs back and forth over the past few weeks. But today, a major plot point ofBO2’splot became a reality.
On April 11, “shipments of seven rare earths placed on an export control list last week by Beijing have ground to halt,” according to a report byReuters, “raising the risk of shortages overseas as Chinese exporters begin the long, uncertain wait for government licenses.”
China produces about 90 percent of the world’s rare metals, such as magnets, and it’s a crucial part of the global economic chain for both exporters in China and importers around the world. In response to this, the world economy will possibly destabilize even further than it has recently.
Thankfully, the similarities betweenBO2and its current real-world counterpart end there for now. However,the campaign mission list also begins its current day arc on April 19 and 20, 2025, which are both next week, so the campaign nailed down the exact month and year where this would happen.
Let’s hope that a US fireteam doesn’t invade Myanmar looking for info on a rare Earth metal, further escalating the conflict, like what happened inBO2’s“Celerium” mission.
The campaign goes on to feature drone attacks (common in modern warfare these days), assassinations, conflicts in Yemen, Pakistan, and other locations, and large-scale battles the world over. For the sake of all of us, let’s hope theBO2similarities end at rare metals.
