It was inevitable really. The Moment EA announced that DICE was not only working on the next Medal of Honour game but that it was to be set in the current, ongoing conflict in Afghanistan, you could feel the anticipation of a shitstorm of epic proportions cutting the air with a serrated, US issued, special forces combat knife.
And so it was FOX News who were first off the starting block as they reported on how gamers will be able to “play” as the Taliban in another controversial video game. (Let’s be clear, Medal of Honour has never been considered ‘controversial’ but hey, this is FOX News, they don’t pull any punches). Speaking on Fox & Friends, the mother of a soldier killed in Iraq six years ago claimed that the decision “is disrespectful”.
When asked why Medal of Honour is any different to cops and robbers where, as the anchor puts it, someone has to play the bad guys, Karen Meredith responded: “War is not a game, period. They’ve already done games about WWI but that’s far enough removed. People aren’t dying in WWII anymore. It’s not based on real people. Right now we’re going into a really bad time in Afghanistan; we’ve just come off of the worst month of causalities in the whole war.”
“This game is going to be released in October, so families who are burying their children are going to be seeing and playing this game. I just don’t see how a video game based on a current war makes any sense at all.”
Naturally EA were quick to respond and defend their latest IP:
“Medal of Honour is set in today’s war putting players in boots of today’s soldier. We give gamers the opportunity to play both sides, most of us having been doing this since we were seven. If someone’s the cop, someone’s gotta be the robber. In Medal of Honour multiplayer someone’s gotta be the Taliban.”
So, the most pertinent question would perhaps be: Where does one draw the line? How far can any medium push the boundaries before it becomes tasteless and the reasons behind it unfounded?
One might argue that EA could have made this game like any other based on modern day warfare and not used direct names or references , whilst it could also be argues the only reason for doing so is to snap people into paying attention in a bid to draw away fans from their closest rival Modern Warfare. Unfortunately the publisher’s flippant dismissal and insensitivity towards families with sons and daughters currently serving in Afghanistan – thanks to the ‘cops and robbers’ comparison – gives credit to that train of thought.
On the other hand, EA’s motives may very well be to try and deliver a respectful slice of entertainment, one that teaches us more about the goings on in Afghanistan more than the news and its own brand of glorification on current conflict ever could. Maybe…
Whatever the reasons for EA/Dice going down this route, no doubt the same controversial fire will flare up again as the game hits shelves and our televisions and billboards are bombarded with advertisements as we move into the Christmas build up. Every publisher dreams of securing that Number One spot in the charts during the holiday season, but have EA gone to far this time to try and oust the competition? I guess the answer to that rather pertinent question will be down to the gamers themselves; albeit with their wallets and perhaps a sprinkling of moral wrestling to boot.
When I'm not doing my regular day job I enjoy spending time with my Wife & two children, painting plastic Space Marines and playing and writing about video games. Oh, and eating curry. Lots of curry. "
8 Comments
I just don’t see how any war makes sense at all…
ure soo retarded bro seriously! like woow
To be honest i think every one needs to calm the fuckk downn!!! its a fuckign gamee man relaxe, ok fair eough it is a war currently going on but oh my god, it took them about 6 months to make a movie starring nocolas cage on september 11th and i didnt hear any body screaming out omgg glorifcation of tragedy!! guys rememebr it is a game made specifically to entertain us so everyone getting a boner over it is just rediculous, now im not hating on americans but us Brits dont really give a shit as long as we can kick some ass in an FPS, its just americans who are up in arms and we’ve lost soldiers to but ask yourself would a soldier veteran who returned from this war play MoH?? i honestly think so campaign is alll about whooping terror ass and multiplayer ure in the skin of the bad guy THATT ISS ALLL!!! and cummon how long have we been playing the “evil” russians or a better example playing as nazi’s in video games? the taliban have stayed in their own nation and killed hundreds of soldiers, tha nazis killed over 11 million in concentration camps plus millions in war, the world had to come together to fight them yet its alright to be them in a game so i honestly think everyone needs to calm down because games are just another medium of entertainment just like movies and music and to all those who have lost a loved one in the war my condolences but if u take ure anger out on a video game u might aswell take ure anger out on a rapper who talks about gunning someone down or the hundreds and hundreds of war movies and movies got to do with killing regardless of location, video games are the ebst entertainment so please lets not fuck it up for everybody -_- thank you BTW FUCKK FOX NEWS!!! they couldnt find their ass if they were sitting on both hands -_-!
I think it’s all centres on how tastefully it’s done.
Case in point I believe is the Call of Duty series, which at the beginning stated that it wanted to try and stand as a dignified testament to how our brave soldiers fell during the two World Wars. They wanted accuracy, they wanted the brutality and they wanted the horror fully displayed on the user’s telly so whilst they were enjoying the experience they might be able to show a tiny understanding of the situation… and then they put in zombie nazis.
Bang goes any credibility in my eyes and it enters crass entertainment. Not because of the undead evil but because of their initial mission statement.
If Call of Duty can handle the current conflict in anything approaching a dignified portrayal then I believe their choice of theatre to be justified. If they go all Michael Bay, however, this is yet another war game that I’m going to mark down in poor taste.
PS Agree on you about Fox News
I do think the gaming community and industry do have a responsibility to respect the opinions and views of parents who have either lost loved ones or have loved ones currenty serving in Afghanistan. Sadly looking at responses across the net what we have is the usual kneejerk reaction to the sound of “leave our hobby alone”. It’s hardly paints the gaming community in a good light and will only serve to fan the flames of media outrage. This story is far from over.
ok that is true and i understand but what im saying is that, dont u think that people are over reacting to the fact tht ure in the skin of the enemy? dont u think its over reacting even in the sliightesst??? there is no story for it just u play as the taliban in online mode and its a FPS so u dont even see ureself? and all of this outrage do ou really not think its over reacting? and with all the movies and music videos of death and killing are you honestly telling me video games dont get ripped on really often more than it actually deserves??
Beyond questioning EA’s motives I’m not bothered by the publisherss take on the conflict in Afghansitan, lets make that clear. I wrote the article as I deemed it news worthy of the site. I do, however, repsect and can understand why some people may be upset by the content. Whether one’s in agreement or not with EA’s position is irrelevant; what is relevant is that this latest slice of gaming entertainment will be a little close to the bone for some. That is all.
As for the gutter press? Well, they do what they do and to be fair, they do it very well, which is why we haven’t heard the last of this yet no doubt.
Great post. I was checking constantly this blog and I am impressed! Extremely useful information specifically the last part
I care for such information much. I was looking for this certain info for a long time. Thank you and best of luck.