The issue in question surrounds a Battlefield 2042 skin designed for its specialist Pyotr “Boris” Gukovsky. The controversial issue has to do with the skin’s name, which is “Little Green Man.” This term is a reference to the real-world Ukrainian crisis of 2014, during which Russian forces invaded and annexed the Ukrainian region of Crimea. Invading soldiers wore green army uniforms without insignia, which Russia employed to deny involvement. These soldiers have been commonly referred to as “little green men” both during and after the conflict.

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A viral tweet from Twitter user Waggle_ua first drew attention to the issue. Waggle_ua posted a response to EA and EA DICE asking if they were “ok with jokingly putting the Russian terrorists that occupied part of my country” in Battlefield 2042. This tweet was then widely shared on social media by many calling attention to the issue.

EA has since responded directly to Waggle_ua on Twitter, saying that it sincerely appreciates the issue being brought to its attention. EA then claims that the use of the name and its ties to the Ukrainian crisis of 2014 was “unintentional.” That said, EA says that the name’s use is not “reflective of [its] values.” The Battlefield 2042 skin’s name is now planned to be changed in an upcoming update, though a specific date for the change has yet to be announced.

Battlefield 2042 player frustration over the controversy remains high, however. Many find it difficult to believe that whoever chose the name did so unintentionally. After all, “Boris” is a Russian character and the skin’s green camo fatigues create a visual connection to the conflict beyond just the name.

The controversy has also reignited a conversation surrounding the undeniably political nature of war games. Battlefield 2042’s specialists have real-world nationalities, the weapons, skins, vehicles, and maps all have connections to real-world conflicts, and, at its heart, Battlefield 2042 remains a game about military conflict. Denying the nature of the game is, in some’s view, insulting. The “Little Green Man” view simply serves as a poignant reminder of this ever-present connection between multiplayer shooters and where they draw inspiration.

Battlefield 2042 launches November 19 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, but is available now in early access.

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