Electronic Arts is responding to rising criticisms regarding the fact that gamers can play as US Marines and also the Taliban in the reboot-camped, Medal of Honor (sic).
The thing with wars is that you really need two sides to fight them. Traditionally this means 'the goodies' and 'the baddies'. The thing with a videogame that seeks to simulate a current conflict is that playing as 'the baddies' is likely to offend the families of 'the goodies' currently in action. This is what EA has to say to PSM3.
Game producer over at EA DICE, Patrick Liu, explained,"I think it is a fair point. We do stir up some feelings, although it's not about the war, it's about the soldiers.
"We can't get away from what the setting is and who the factions are, but in the end, it's a game, so we're not pushing or provoking too hard."
Are you deeply offended? Or is this is brave and mature decision by EA? Tell us in the comments.
Via ConnectedConsoles
The thing with wars is that you really need two sides to fight them. Traditionally this means 'the goodies' and 'the baddies'. The thing with a videogame that seeks to simulate a current conflict is that playing as 'the baddies' is likely to offend the families of 'the goodies' currently in action. This is what EA has to say to PSM3.
Game producer over at EA DICE, Patrick Liu, explained,"I think it is a fair point. We do stir up some feelings, although it's not about the war, it's about the soldiers.
"We can't get away from what the setting is and who the factions are, but in the end, it's a game, so we're not pushing or provoking too hard."
Are you deeply offended? Or is this is brave and mature decision by EA? Tell us in the comments.
Via ConnectedConsoles
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Comments
Sly Reflex 10 Aug 2010 16:47
1/3
Personally, I couldn't give a hoot. Across all the FPS games I have ever played I have stepped into the boots of American, English, Japanese, German, Russian, African, French, Italian, Chinese, Vietnamese, NATO, Iraqi, and various Eastern Bloc soldiers. Those are the ones I can reel off off the top of my head. There are probably more. Wars are not as one sided as people would like to think, for all the people crying over soldiers that died on 'allied' sides there is another family on the other side grieving about the same thing. One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.
TimSpong 10 Aug 2010 17:16
2/3
I am betting that before the game is released there will be a change of mind within EA regarding enabling young, impressionable chaps to play as the Taliban. The fear that video games will produce thousands of John Walker Lindh-a-likes) will probably tick-off a few EA stockholders, and the 'real real world' will come crashing down into video games again.
Sly Reflex 10 Aug 2010 17:30
3/3
Anyone who thinks playing a FPS thinks it is a real reflection on how life at war is is severely misguided. That goes for both "Ooorah!" and "Kill the Infidels!" camps.
I don't think EA will back out, the game is set in Afghanistan, the only enemy there is the Taliban. It isn't like they have a national army or anything.
I don't think EA will back out, the game is set in Afghanistan, the only enemy there is the Taliban. It isn't like they have a national army or anything.