EA's bad move

[Figs]

I know this will probably get sent to the video game section but it isn't focused on info for the gamer but as an actual article of controversy. Sorry if this has already been posted but I just saw the story on the news.

http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/08/2...game-british-defense-secretary-calls-for-ban/

As expected, EA’s Medal of Honor is coming under fire from all sides. The game, a first-person shooter, is scheduled to be released on October 12 for the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC, takes place in Afghanistan, and puts you in control of U.S. soldiers on the ground there. It also, at least in the multi-player mode, lets you play as the Taliban. So, the natural line of thinking is, what kind of video game lets you shoot and kill U.S. soldiers?

As you might expect, the game hasn’t exactly flown under the radar.
A Golden Star mother appeared on Fox News last week to criticize the game, saying that “war is not a game,” and that “families who are burying their children” shouldn’t have to do so against the backdrop of people fragging each other on Xbox Live. “It’s disrespectful,” she added.
In its defense, EA said that “someone has to be the bad guy,” whether in a game of cops and robbers or in Medal of Honor.

Never mind that the average age of gamers today is 39 years old, so it’s not a case of a 10-year-old boy walking into Best Buy, buying the game with cash that grandma and grandpa gave him for his birthday, and coming home to play it into the wee hours of the morning.
EA has learnt first-hand that “don’t like it? don’t buy it!” doesn’t apply to matters involving Uncle Sam.
Even the British are upset. This, despite the fact that there are no British soldiers in the game.
The country’s defense minister, Liam Fox, has pleaded with retailers, asking them not to carry the “thoroughly un-British” game.

… part of this game allows you to play the part of the Taliban attacking ISAF troops in the area of central Helmand where British troops are operating. [It is] shocking that someone would think it acceptable to recreate the acts of the Taliban against British soldiers. At the hands of the Taliban, children have lost fathers and wives have lost husbands. It’s hard to believe any citizen of our country would wish to buy such a thoroughly un-British game. I would urge retailers to show their support for our armed forces and ban this tasteless product.
​

Strong words, but the UK Government distanced itself from the comments shortly after they were made.
The point remains: we’re barely two months before the game’s scheduled release and EA is already having to defend its actions left, right, and center.

And talk about bad timing: this is an election year in the U.S. Granted, it’s not a general election, which means that media coverage and general interest won’t be as high as it would otherwise be, but if you don’t think politicians looking for easy points won’t go after the game…
You can see it now: “While I have come out against this senseless solider-killing simulator, my good opponent hasn’t said anything. What does that say about his character, ladies and gentlemen?”
Video games are a pretty easy target even under the best of circumstances, but throw in the fact that you can play as the Taliban while the war is still raging, well, you can at least understand why that might be an issue for EA.

The thing that pissed me off the most when I saw this story on TV was that the idiots only interviewed grade school kids if they want to play the game and they only showed the three idiots they picked to make ALL video games look bad again by showing kids too young to be playing this stuff.

The little kids were saying stuff like "I like shooting people in these games" and "I love the blood and violence and want to join the army when I get older".

I love how the media doesn't bother to show any older/mature kids that actually might have rightfully *****ed at what a stupid move this is. Those young kid's parents are complete failures just by hearing what those kids had to say, no supervision whatsoever.

 

[WompuM]

How's this a bad move. I would have never heard of this game, much less been interested to play it if not for this story. Brilliant move EA.

 

[The Warden]

I saw this story On fox news and I think it's ridiculous. If it's not one thing it's another. If parents don't want there kids to play it then they need to get off their asses and do some parenting.

 

[Timstuff]

The game is rated M so if kids play it, it's because their parents bought it for them. Apparently some idiots still think that parents should not be able to raise their own kids. Instead of kids watching TV, the TV should be watching the kids! [/Soviet Russia]

 

[The Warden]

The game is rated M so if kids play it, it's because their parents bought it for them. Apparently some idiots still think that parents should not be able to raise their own kids. Instead of kids watching TV, the TV should be watching the kids! [/Soviet Russia]

In Russia video games play you lol

 

[ObakeTora]

Why is even that news? Remember Counterstrike? Nobody made a fuss about that game after 911.

 

[Nell2ThaIzzay]

Or Modern Warfare, or any other shooter for that matter.

It's stupid. While I do agree it's a bit in bad taste to allow people to actually play as the Taliban, it's really not a big deal to me.

 

[Casius--J]

This is pretty insensitive but on the other hand how is it much different from the other war based games such as Call of Duty where they take story elements from WWII, Vietnam etc where there were many lives lost.

 

[Spider-Who?]

I've been eagerly awaiting this game, but this is the first i've heard of the taliban stuff. I would really like to know what the game developers were thinking when adding this aspect of the game. I think at the very least, they could have simply changed the name to some other nonexistant enemy. I think that would have been a little better. Its not going to change my mind on purchasing the game, however.

Between this, and the airport level from MW2, shooters have really gotten some balls to put this kinda stuff into games. Not quite sure how I feel about it.

Focus on making a good game, not on trying to stir controversy in hopes of selling more units.

 

[Spider-Who?]

This is pretty insensitive but on the other hand how is it much different from the other war based games such as Call of Duty where they take story elements from WWII, Vietnam etc where there were many lives lost.

Because this is a game about an active, present day war where real soliders will be killed by the "games" enemy while kids are at home playing the game. There hasn't been +20 years of desensitization between the actual events and the game itself like the ones you cited.

 

[THE MR. TERRIFIC]

People worry to much about this kinda stuff and not the bigger issues.

 

[Spider-Who?]

People worry to much about this kinda stuff and not the bigger issues.

very true.

 

[Figs]

I love how so many people think there's nothing wrong with a game letting you play as a bunch of sick bastards. That is what I call brainwashing, making the subject trivial.

It's sad when our society keeps getting lazier and above all more and more ignorant every day. I just don't see the justification or enjoyment playing as a bunch of sadistic religious psychos. Also, all those other mentions of past games some of you are using is ridiculous and isn't on the same level. Those games you're still playing as Allied soldiers whether it's from the USA or the UK.

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

so how is this any different from all the previous wwii shooters from the German or Japanese perspective.

 

[Spider-Who?]

so how is this any different from all the previous wwii shooters from the German or Japanese perspective.

I'll say again:

Because this is a game about an active, present day war where real soliders will be killed by the "games" enemy while kids are at home playing the game. There hasn't been +20 years of desensitization between the actual events and the game itself like the ones you cited.

thats not to say that playing as a nazi or japanese during ww2 is right either, but might be a little easier to swallow since so much time has passed and its not a present day war.

 

[Aesop Rocks]

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, is that you?

 

[Spider-Who?]

though, i am curious, how do Germans feel about playing games such as Call of Duty and Medal of Honor?

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

though, i am curious, how do Germans feel about playing games such as Call of Duty and Medal of Honor?

that is exactly my point, which your quote missed. German and Japanese are in essence killing they're own great gandfathers

 

[Spider-Who?]

that is exactly my point, which your quote missed. German and Japanese are in essence killing they're own great gandfathers

Ah, yeah i did - i took your comment as meaning players playing AS germans and japanese forces, like this game is having you play as the taliban.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

This is stupid. Its for older people so adults should stop whining about. Even if its for younger people I heavily doubt it'll make them want to join the Taliban or shoot US soldiers.

 

[Spider-Who?]

this isn't a case of "the game said it was okay to shoot people, so my little billy shot someone!"; but more of questioning the moral sensitivity of the game developers for allowing players to assume the role of a member of a currently active terrorist group to kill soldiers, while real soldiers are currently fighting said terrorist group in real life.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

But it really isn't any different from Modern Warfare 2 other than name. You're killing American special forces troops with a terrorist organization thats very similar to the taliban.

 

[Spider-Who?]

right, and like i said in my earlier post, they could at least change the name.

but i think that the difference here is that in MW2, the entire premise is fictional - a war between Russia and the US. There are two missions that take place in the middle east, but the enemy isn't referred to as the taliban, and its not the focal point of the game. Where as with this, the afghan war IS the focal point of the game, and the enemy isn't some generic middle east militia, its an actual terrorist group.

For some people - especially those directly linked to soldiers killed by the taliban - there is a big difference between "very similar" and the "actual thing".

 

[Raiden]

I think EA should at least change the name of Taliban to a fictional terrorist organization. Taliban is still killing American soldiers in Afghanistan right now, unlike the WW2 games where Nazis were the featured villains from a bygone era. EA should realize this insensitivity issue and offered to change the name at the very least.

 

[Alchemyst]

here's a stupid idea, do like Modern Warfare 2, put a disclaimer stating the nature of the gameplay, give you a choice whether you want to play the game with that feature intact or without. Also, it shouldnt affect the player's achievements or trophies if declined. It's just a damn game, you dont see people jumping up and down when a movie depicts the same stuff.