Modern Warfare 2 is out. Like you didn’t know that? The game is huge and is now the fastest selling video game ever. While the game received a lot of controversy prior to it’s release from the gaming community, the mainstream media didn’t seem to say all that much about the game. Now that the game is out, news outlets like Fox News and MSNBC have already had segments on the game. No they aren’t talking about the gameplay or graphics instead they are focusing on one specific level in the game.
Most of you know where this is going. The mainstream media is focusing on the airport terror level. Many of us expected this response considering that the media loves harassing games that think outside of the box. Most people outside the gaming community think that most games should be like Mario or Tetris. Simple and kid friendly
Hit The Break For The Full Story
For those of you who don’t know, in the level you are a undercover C.I.A agent who has infiltrated a Russian terror organization. The level begins with you and other terrorists walking into a airport and then start unloading clips into civilians. This is something we don’t normally see in games. It is morally wrong, and disturbing.
The thing is that if you felt these emotions while playing the level then Infinity Ward succeeded in so many ways. You see, when I played the level and walked out into the airport, I felt like the undercover C.I.A agent. I didn’t want to shoot anyone and I felt uncomfortable even firing a single shot. On my first playthrough I just walked through most of the level and shot less than 5 people. Even shooting those five was uncomfortable for me. This is exactly how people in this situation feel in real life but a thousand times worse.
This is what the mainstream media doesn’t seem to understand. In the game you are not rolling with Osama Bin Laden, and they are not supporting terrorist activities, instead they are trying to convey emotion. You are a solider in between a rock and a hard place; do you kill a few to save a thousand?
There are other moments in the game that convey emotions nicely as well, but I want to keep this for the most part spoiler free. While, I personally, feel that Modern Warfare 2 has it’s fair share of flaws I think one thing they do well is help show the gaming community how we can evolve storytelling and what we are doing in games.
In most games, do you think about the fact that you are killing hundreds of AI throughout the game? Not really, it is second nature to us now that we start a game, get a weapon, and kill enemies to progress story. Maybe this game is actually good for some members of the gaming community, maybe it will help us think about the fact that we go through games killing without thought.
Fox News needs to understand that this game is doing nothing different in story manner that kids don’t get on TV like the show “24†and more. There are plenty of movies out there that have terrorists in it and extreme violence yet video games are the reason for violence in America’s youth? No, the problem is that these people consider video “games†to be a shallow hobby where things need to be fun and simple. They don’t get us and we don’t get the Wii.
This game is made for adults, and as someone over the age of 18 I see the value in this product as an artform. We need more games to think outside of the “gaming†box and start making games that talk about the dark aspects of life. Not all movies are Disney movies or even action flicks like James Bond. If someone made a game like “The Departed†or “The Talented Mr. Ripley†it would be all over Fox News because of “questionable material†while if it is a movie it will win awards because movies can have serious subject matter. It will be very interesting when Heavy Rain comes out, if people will change their views on video games from “gaming†to “interactive entertainmentâ€. Sex, drugs, and violence are blasted on major TV networks and movie theaters with real actors; while a $60 game that you have to be over 17 to buy with pixels as the entire world is considered too far.
So, I ask you, TheBitBag community, what are your thoughts on this level and if gaming should cross this point in the future? Does Fox News have a point or are they just shallow minded because they are misinformed? Did you understand the message Infinity Ward was trying to send or did it have absolutely no effect on you? Share your thoughts on this.
Below I posted the Fox News video for those of you who didn’t see the interview. I will say that I am disappointed in the person they picked to defend the game. It’s obvious he was under prepared and doesn’t have much on camera experience.
I guess I will be one of the first. I have posted this earlier in the forums after I saw some of the leaked footage. There are alot of powerful images and interaction in this game that children should experience without parental supervision. As for FOX NEWS, they have been very sensational about these topics. When comes to things like this, they never take into account the parental accountability. It is the job of the parents to raise their children. If you aren’t aware of what is going on in your kids lives, you’ve got problems.
P.S. What site is that guy from ???
I think that FOX News just took the stance that most non-gamers have on games that have guns. I doubt if anyone on the panel actually played the game or did any research on the topic. They just sensationalized the violence in the game due to this particular scene. This is the 12th game in the COD4 franchise and now they want to talk about the violence and murder. C’mon Son. Being undercover is a reality for thousands of law enforcement officers and Special Ops personnel around the world. So this scene should not come as a shock. I did not kill any civilian. I just shot my gun in the air. I did engage with law enforcement at the end. Overall, I’m not surprised at this but IW did give people a chance to skip the scene without any impact on achievements or storyline so they did their part. As a side note, the person they had on the side of video games was inexperienced being on TV. I’m sure he was nervous just like anyone else would have but he was not match for the opposing side and the host. Both who seemed to be comfortable giving out the soundbites. If HHG or Torr had of been on there I doubt they would have folded like that. It would be nice if these media sources would reach out to sites that actually have TV experience.
Damn Jon from slashgamer did a poor job defending the game on FOX, Wasn’t Adam Sessler suppose to do it? Anyway Video games are a form of media/art (IE: Books,film,music)Why then should video games always have to be some what kid friendly? that’s what FOX was getting at weren’t they, they oppose the game because kids could potentially play it and become terrorists? First off any kid who plays this mission will either do 1 of 2 things shoot the civilians or like I did freeze and walk through the mission only to kill the swat team that was sent to stop you. Now if they choose option 1, they’re not being raised properly at all, which is the parents problem not Infinity Wards. Now if an adult shoots the civilians in the game that’s fine he realizes the broader picture of whats going, something a 6-13 yr old cannot do very well. I think we should all give kudos to Infinity Ward making this level, we need to expand video games as a media/art form and this is definitely the way to do it.
Was dude about to have a seizure or somthing? I mean it didn’t help why Fox did it in the first place when the host kept saying bs about turning your 8 yr old into a terrorist.
The dude from Kotaku did a better job on MSNBC explaining about it and they let him actually talk.
Jon did a HORRIBLE job in presenting his point. And this guy has a Blog? ***Note to self: Don’t go to this dumbass site for gaming news and conversations***
Simple points to make:
1) The game is rated M for mature and you must be 17+ years of age to PURCHASE it.
2) It is up to the PARENTING to KNOW what their children are doing. It is not up to the child because they are a CHILD.
3) Simply pointing out that the NEWS especially FOX doesn’t have a M rating and yet the media is by far more scary with the coverage that they show 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. So can the news be held responsible for aggression in children? Even so to go to the point of people becomming terrorist if they constantly see images of Terrorism on the news? Hello 9/11 anyone? How many images of the planes flying into the world trade centers were splashed all over the media?
4) Gaming is a form of entertainment. just like movies, wrestling, boxing, paint gunning, TV shows etc. The only difference with gaming is that you are interacting with what is happening on the screen rather than just watching it. Sports can be just a violent. Anyone watch a European soccer game recently? How about that blonde chick from Mexico university who has been banned from playing soccer because she is too competitive and physically beats up the players around her. Going by Fox’s logic, playing sports would have a higher chance of a child growing up to be a terrorist than playing games. How about the military, or getting into congress? Anyone recently read about the psychiatrist who was gunned down by the female officer because he went on a shooting rampage? So i guess the U.S military should shut down because they have a greater chance of creating terrorist.
Bottome line is that the game is rated M for a reason, and if the mature person who is playing the game still lives under his/her parents house, then it is up to the parents to know what their child is playing and to control what they are allowed to have access to within the home.
*sigh*
Who gives a fuck?! It’s only pixels on a fucking TV. I’m not going to go to an airport with an M249 and level the place just because I “killed” some “innocent” “civilians” with my controller. I hate people.
The American media always makes me laugh. Day in day out the general media support and defend “collateral damage” and never a day goes past where one American agency or another isn’t killing and terrorizing innocents in some country or another around the world all in the name of “freedom”. The same subject matter is presented in a video game and suddenly parts of the media are up in arms. Why so serious?
“This is what the mainstream media doesn’t seem to understand. In the game you are not rolling with Osama Bin Laden, and they are not supporting terrorist activities, instead they are trying to convey emotion. You are a solider in between a rock and a hard place; do you kill a few to save a thousand?”
Let’s just be clear here though. You are playing as a terrorist; an American one. Just because you are working for an American agency does not absolve you. You are walking through a crowded airport carrying a loaded weapon. Without firing a single shot you are frightening and terrorizing people. That in itself is the very definition of a terrorist.
Personally I have no problem with the level and don’t see it as very controversial at all. Now if they had really wanted to make a splash IW would have changed the storyline and had the shooting in an American airport. The general reaction in the US to that would have been very interesting to see.
meh what differnec does it make mowing people down at a airport or on the streets of liberty city lol.
LOL Nice
I didn’t shoot in that part, it felt slow and like it should had been a cutscene
I started shooting when the SWAT came, that mission for me began right there
the whole killing civilians stuff was mediocre, seeing the same guy in purple shirts
dead ruins that whole mission, nice try IW ya got the shock publicity but leave
bull like that to Kane and Lynch or something.
The rest of the game though has a story THAT COULD HAPPEN, yes folks what you seen
there is possibly going to happen one day, the Big Red Bear is just waiting for
the right time.
This is really sad I mean parents have to buy the game for the kid when i got mine they made everybody show there licitness and they denied a kid just because he tried to use his moms credit card. Really parents can buy anything for kids pot and alcohol also when you start the game it asked you is you want it to show you all levels so again your accepting it. fuck fox ill get on there and fuck up those unintelligent guys who don’t know the difference between a ps3 and a dreamcast
i have something to say this. its part of the plot ur undercover for makarov trying to earn his trust and u have the option to skip this mission if u dont want to see this i mean i played the mission i had no problem with it i felt it was real but its just a game. but i beat the game great plot but makarov is a cold hearted terrorist.