Frequently Asked Questions

Gadgets and gizmos make everything in the world move faster, do better, and cost less. EA and DICE’s Battlefield 2142 is a pretty good demonstration of how science and its gizmos can turn a. 1 - Install a legitimate version of Battlefield 2142 (Standard Edition DVD, Deluxe Edition DVD, or via Origin). 2 - Update the game to v1.51 (using this updater). 3 - Install the MapPack (using this installer). 4 - Install the BF2142 Hub (using this setup file). 5 - Apply the OpenSpy patch via the Help tab in the BF2142 Hub. A Battlefield 2142 (BF2142) Forum Thread in the Help category, submitted by felipegoes. There are mods that make it so you unlock everything for just singleplayer.

If you have questions or need technical help, please check out the items below before contacting us for additional assistance on our Discord server.

General Battlefield 2142 Reclamation info:

Acquiring and installing the main Battlefield 2142 game:

Getting the game to run:

Logging in and connecting to a game:

Reclamation game servers:

Other things:

Who are you and why does this exist?
We are just a handful of people who would like to be able to continue playing Battlefield 2142 now and well into the future. Since the GameSpy server infrastructure was shut down in June 2014, we have been working on alternatives to continually achieve this goal. For legal record, we are neither affiliated with nor endorsed by GameSpy, Digital Illusions CE (DICE), or Electronic Arts (EA).

How does all this work?
We are leveraging the OpenSpy platform to emulate what GameSpy did with providing the master server for Battlefield 2142. Our game servers are hosted in a way which communicates with this master server, allowing you to easily find and join games just like in the old days.

Can I use my old account from when EA and GameSpy were running the show?
No. All that information was destroyed when the GameSpy servers were taken offline. There is no way to recover that information. Therefore, you will need to make a new account on the OpenSpy system.

Since my old account and soldiers are gone, does that mean I have to unlock all the weapons/equipment/upgrades again from scratch?
No. The original master server code has been modified such that all unlocks are available to everyone from the moment they create a new soldier.

Is Electronic Arts (EA) okay with all this?
Based on previous commentary, EA has stated that as long as their copyrights and trademarks are not blatantly infringed they are content with community efforts to keep their legacy games running.

How do I get the main game if I currently don’t own it?
It is recommended to purchase a 2nd hand copy of one of the Retail DVD editions (either Standard or Deluxe). Please make sure it includes a matching manual, since the serial code required for installation is printed on the back cover of the manual. See Step 1 of our instructions for more detailed information on how to locate a legitimate copy of the game.

Don’t I need to use the Deluxe Edition to get the Northern Strike expansion content?
No. Either edition of the game is equivalent after the game is patched to v1.51. See Step 1 of our instructions for more detailed information on what is required for a valid installation.

What should I do if my computer does not have a DVD-ROM drive?
Legacy software often requires legacy hardware. Therefore, it is recommended to invest in an external USB-based disc drive to enjoy legacy PC games such as Battlefield 2142, and others with the same requirement going forward. For Battlefield 2142, connecting the disc drive is temporary since it is only required for the installation process. After the game is installed and then patched to v1.51, the DVD will no longer be needed to launch the game.

Why can’t you just give me a download link for the game?
First, that’s copyright infringement (Title 17, Chapter 5 of the U.S. Code) and we prefer to avoid any shady practices which can damage the integrity and risk the life of this project. Second, downloads that are not officially from Origin often contain modifications and are unsupported by our technical team if you run into issues. Therefore, you will be on your own if you choose to neglect this advice. Please do not abuse the volunteer labor donated by our tech support team and exploit their work to troubleshoot or repair unsanctioned versions of the game.

Why can’t I find the game on Origin?
The Origin edition is only available to users who have purchased/registered the game prior to June 2014. New Origin purchases are not available after this date.

What should I do when the game installer asks me to install GameSpy Comrade and PunkBuster?
Do not install GameSpy Comrade. PunkBuster is optional, but none of the Reclamation game servers use PunkBuster so we recommend to not install it either.

I’m having a LAN party. Will I be able to use the same disc and same serial code on all the computers?
Using the same serial code is technically copyright infringement, and is not recommended. But to more specifically answer the technical angle of this question, there is currently no mechanism on either the master server or the Reclamation game servers to prevent users with the same code from connecting.

Every time I attempt to launch the game a black screen pops up and then it crashes back to the desktop. What am I doing wrong?
It’s not your fault. Battlefield 2142 has some issues running on modern PCs. By far the most common cause is an incompatible video mode, which can almost always be fixed by simply running this small application.

When attempting to run the BF2142 Hub, why do I get an error message saying it is “not a valid Win32 application”?
The BF2142 Hub is written for modern PCs, so it will not work on 32-bit operating systems such as Windows XP. However, you can still use the OpenSpy system by manually modifying the game files. First, make sure your game is fully updated to v1.51. Next, locate your Battlefield 2142 game folder, and rename 'RendDX9.dll' to 'RendDX9_ori.dll'. Finally, download and place this new RendDX9.dll into the same folder.

How do I enable widescreen resolutions when running in fullscreen (non-window) mode?
This should be automatically enabled when launching the game via the BF2142 Hub. If you are unable to use the BF2142 Hub, then you need to add the additional “+widescreen 1” text to the Target path of your game shortcut. Here is an example applied to the desktop shortcut which was generated when the game was installed:
'C:GamesBattlefield 2142BF2142.exe' +menu 1 +fullscreen 1 +widescreen 1

Battlefield 2142 Unlock Everything

When attempting to login or create a new account, why does it hang on “CONTACTING EA MASTER SERVER”?
Most likely it’s due to not properly applying the OpenSpy patch as stated in Step 5 of our instructions. To fix this, it’s recommended to first Reset the hub using the button in the Help tab and then follow Step 5 again.

I am 100% sure the OpenSpy patch has been applied successfully, but it still hangs on “CONTACTING EA MASTER SERVER”. What is the problem?
Although extremely rare, when it does happen this is caused by something blocking your connection to the OpenSpy master server. The most common cause of this is usually anti-virus/firewall applications, privacy applications (e.g. AdLock), or parental control applications (e.g. Covenant Eyes) blocking the required connection. The less common cause is certain countries or internet service providers denying access to the OpenSpy master server.

I failed to follow your instructions and did not write down my account name & password. How do I recover them?
The built-in account retrieval system via the game’s user interface is currently not implemented. So the only way around this is to create a new account with a completely different name and email address.

When attempting to create an account, I receive a message stating that “a system error occurred”. How do I fix this?
The most common cause of this is the email address you entered is currently being used by another account. So try again with a different email address. Other less common causes are invalid birthdate formats, invalid postal codes, or attempting to