Black Ops 2: A Pinnacle and Prophecy?
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 felt like a pinnacle of the franchise back in 2012. It blended past, present, and futuristic gameplay elements effectively. While the multiplayer and single-player campaign were widely enjoyed, some story elements now seem almost eerily accurate when compared to modern-day politics, unfolding in the very year the game’s future segment was set: 2025.
Black Ops 2 utilized non-linear storytelling across 1986, 1989, and 2025, featuring a branching mission structure. The campaign was engaging and unique. However, beyond precise details, the broad concepts in the game’s 2025 segment warrant closer examination.
The Core Pillars of Black Ops 2’s 2025
The game’s plot revolves around a terrorist cyberattack on the Chinese stock exchange, leading to an export ban on Rare Earth Metals. This sparks a new cold war between NATO and China. The terrorist group, Cordis Die, then uses a Quantum Computer hacking device to control the US Military Drone army, attacking Los Angeles. While multiple endings exist, four main connected pillars form the narrative’s core:
- A cold war between the United States and China.
- A ban on Rare Earth metal exports.
- Quantum computing and its implications for data security, influenced by rare earth metals.
- Drone warfare, specifically featuring AI systems.
Distilled, Black Ops 2 depicts a US-China cold war leading to a ban on rare earth metal exports needed for quantum computers, culminating in conflict involving advanced drone technology. This fictional plot now seems more than plausible.
Pillar 1: US-China Cold War & Rare Earth Metals
Setting aside specific catalysts like trade wars and tariffs, the United States and China are arguably at risk of, or already in, a cold war. One significant leverage point China possesses is its control over Rare Earth Metals.
According to Reuters, China accounts for roughly 60% of global mined rare earth production and dominates processing with about 90% of global output. Even the primary US mine sends output to China for refining. Recently, China implemented export restrictions on several rare elements, including Yttrium, demonstrating its control.
Pillar 2 & 3: Quantum Computing & The “Q-Day” Threat
Quantum computing is a complex, developing technology with the potential to break established encryption. The Global Risk Institute (GRI) highlights that the moment a functional quantum computer capable of breaking encryption emerges, it will trigger “Q-Day,” a potential global disaster.
The implications are vast. As Wired Magazine noted, it could mean “the sudden unlocking of the world’s secrets.” Finance, military secrets, control of critical infrastructure – all could be compromised. Cybersecurity experts surveyed in the 2024 Quantum Threat Timeline Report estimate a one-in-three chance of Q-Day before 2035, and some estimate a 15% chance it has already secretly occurred.
Interestingly, Black Ops 2 featured a fictional resource, “Celerium,” critical for its quantum computing. In reality, specific rare earth metals are vital. According to Advanced Engineering Materials Limited (AEM), Yttrium possesses unique properties enabling qubit development for quantum computers. China also controls Europium, another critical element for quantum research.
Pillar 4: The Reality of Drone Warfare
Drone warfare, a key element in Black Ops 2’s 2025, is no longer futuristic. The conflict in Ukraine demonstrates its critical importance on the modern battlefield, often augmented by AI systems.
Research from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) highlights the Ukrainian military’s objective to remove warfighters from direct combat using autonomous systems, citing human vulnerabilities like fatigue and stress. This reinforces the imperative for increased battlefield autonomy.
Developing these advanced drone capabilities requires vast amounts of specific rare earth metals, including Gallium and Germanium. In 2023, China implemented stricter controls and export limitations on these minerals. In 2024, these controls were strengthened, explicitly naming Europium, Ytterbium, and Yttrium – the backbone elements for quantum computing research – further demonstrating China’s market control and ability to restrict exports unilaterally.
Recap: Black Ops 2 vs. Reality 2025
Black Ops 2’s core narrative involved US-China conflict leading to a rare earth mineral export ban aimed at hindering enemy military tech development (quantum computers, drones). A quantum device was used with devastating effect due to a lack of safeguards against novel technology surpassing existing encryption.
Now, in the real 2025, the US and China face escalating trade tensions as China restricts the very rare earth minerals crucial for quantum computing and advanced drone technology. Experts estimate a non-trivial chance that “Q-Day” – the real-world equivalent capability enabling events like those in the game – may have already happened.
Furthermore, the global prioritization of drone warfare and battlefield automation increases dependency on these Chinese-controlled mineral exports, creating an eerily similar landscape to the game’s setting, in the exact same year.
Coincidence or Prophecy?
While likely coincidence, with different specific catalysts (real trade war vs. fictional terrorist plot), the parallels are striking. Black Ops 2 launched in 2012, 13 years ago. The developers couldn’t have known how closely the geopolitical world would mirror their science fiction themes in the very year their game was set.
This reflects the best kind of sci-fi – plausible, seemingly on the cusp of reality, albeit somewhat unnervingly this time. It also serves as a reminder of the game’s quality. Black Ops 2 remains a standout title in the Call of Duty franchise and the FPS genre, holding up well even beyond nostalgia when re-examining its story and writing.
While not a precise prediction, the overlapping themes between the game and our current reality hit home, making the comparison compelling and potentially even more relevant as 2025 progresses.
