In 1995, a meteor containing Tiberium landed near the Tiber River. As the crystal slowly proliferated throughout Europe and Africa, people soon realized its potential, both as an economic foundation and as a weapon. The advent of Tiberium harvesting technology led to the rise of the Brotherhood of Nod as a global political and economic superpower.

Nod has originally been an underground society with secretive goals claiming ancient origins. Though it is suspected to have held much influence dating back to the Second World War, the arrival of Tiberium catapulted Nod onto the global stage, competing directly against the Western countries. Their primary objectives were controlling and harvesting the world's Tiberium supplies in hopes of unlocking the crystal's true potential, which led them to experiment in human 'augmentation'.

The rise of Nod prompted a reaction from the United Nations. The Global Defense Initiative was a united peacekeeping force, whose primary goal was to find a solution to the crisis brought to the world by the proliferation of Tiberium and to destroy the Brotherhood of Nod, whom they blame for terrorist activities in Central Europe.

Before the beginning of the conflict, Nod was already an economic power, controlling 49% of the world's Tiberium supply. Having amassed much wealth, the Brotherhood went on the offensive against the GDI on all political, media and military fronts. Nod began to consolidate control and influence over Second and Third World nations in Eastern Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa.

After reports of terrorist activities in Austria and Slovenia, the United Nations Security Committee authorized GDI to openly engage Nod.