No, I didn’t drive Polaris’s new Sportsman ATV through a real battlefield; I don’t get paid enough for that. However, I did take it for a spin in a virtual battlefield—Battlefield 2042, that is. Not to mention a battlefield-free (thankfully), real-life trail-tromping experience.
EA’s latest entry in the Battlefield franchise takes players into a semi-futuristic setting with combat-based objectives, usually with large teams. The maps in these matches are huge, so fast travel is essential to giving your team the advantage. Polaris saw this opportunity and jumped on it, introducing a fully licensed Sportsman ATV that you can drive in-game. Polaris feels this opportunity gives players a unique chance to drive a realistically attainable off-road vehicle in a virtual setting and in the real world.
“Our partnership with Battlefield 2042 brings that real-life passion to a virtual world to help enhance the players experience and ability,” said Holly Spaeth, Polaris director of corporate branding and partnerships.
In addition to being fun to tool around in, the Battlefield 2042 Polaris Sportsman ATV presents a significant advantage to the gameplay. It’s the fastest and most nimble ground vehicle in the game, perfect for sneaking up behind the enemy or pushing fast to gain an advantage.
I was able to see this advantage first-hand in an awesome evening of gaming at Big Bear Lake, California. The in-game version really does look identical to its physical counterpart, and Polaris branding is seen from various angles. Spaeth mentioned that because the ATV spawns in each match randomly, players seek it out, in particular, to seize its speedy advantage. This could be an indication of the Sportsman earning cult-classic status with fans.
An actual licensed ATV in a combat simulator is something we’ve never seen before, and Polaris believes it can help connect players with the real-world counterpart—which was the next stop on my adventurous agenda.
The next day, the team and I traversed the winding roads above San Bernardino to the sunny, prehistoric landscapes beyond the mountains. There, we synced up with Happy Trails Rental and its owner, Ben Stone. HTR is part of Polaris Adventures experiences—a network of off-road outfitters around the country. Out front sat the Battlefield 2042-inspired Polaris Sportsman ATV, which was hand-painted to mirror the in-game version.
In a large open garage lay a wide assortment of other Polaris RZR vehicles, chomping at the bit to roam the desert. We happily obliged. Ben and his staff led the train of snarling RZR XP 1000 vehicles on a 50-mile excursion, traversing trails over rocks, mountains, and combinations of the two.
A fellow journalist was assigned to be my partner, and we quickly became friends between the random spurts of dust-clogged laughter and shouts as we went nearly airborne numerous times.
We met up in a dried lake bed for lunch and to give our smiles a rest. That didn’t last long. Ben took the team for rides in his Cadillac-esque Polaris RZR Turbo S and all its 168-hp glory. Seventy mph in a birdcage of tubing and sheer adrenaline is far more exhilarating than your daily highway commute. Add the punishing surface of a desert trail, and you have a recipe for success, as I thankfully experienced.
In short, Polaris has done an outstanding job making their off-road vehicles accessible for everyone with three options. You can buy one of their ATVs yourself to enjoy whenever you like. If that’s not an option, renting something from a Polaris Adventures location for the day is more than enough to satisfy that adrenaline rush. And if all else fails, you can drive one around in Battlefield 2042. Just watch out for the occasional rocket launcher, they’ll get ya.
Gifts for Motorcyclists, UTV Riders, and RVers
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