The video game series “Medal of Honor” is creating great controversy due to its latest installation. The games are set in World War II, as a first person shooter. This can be the first not set in that war. Though not new to video games as a whole, the new “Medal of Honor” is set in Afghanistan. In multi-player mode, gamers can be either coalition forces (United States, U.K., etc.) or the Taliban in “Medal of Honor 2010.” The Minister for Defense of the United Kingdom has called for the game to be banned.
Fox demands ban
The Defense Secretary for Great Britain (British English spells “defense” with a “c”), Liam Fox, has required a bar of the game. According to The Guardian, he believes retailers should refuse to carry the game, and people should refuse to buy it. The belief that players could be within the Taliban in multiplayer mode is the root of the controversy, and would be shooting, virtually, at US and UK troops. There are others who oppose the game. It would seem sacrilegious to shoot at American or British troops, even in an online gaming pretend reality. Other games, such as those in the “Call of Duty” series took place in Iraq and Afghanistan. Seems like unfortunately like an inevitability that this would be in a video game.
Electronic Arts responds
Electronic Arts makes the game, this being the first “Medal of Honor” not set in World War II. The PR Representative for EA said to AOL News that most people take opposing roles in play as children. Kids do play games like that. Cops face off against robbers, Indians confront cowboys, cowboys must face the truth that their quarterback is lousy, and within the multiplayer mode of “Medal of Honor”, “someone’s gotta be the Taliban.” Opponents of the feature highlight that playing as Nazis in previous installments is less harmful, as the second World War is farther removed from the present.
It is simply a game
Every video game controversy has two outcomes. First, some people get offended and raise a great ruckus. Second, the video game sells a lot of units, if any person can recall “Grand Theft Auto” or the first “Mortal Kombat,” for instance. As far as the controversial component; it sadly seems inevitable. Steven Spielberg really helped to create the first “Medal of Honor.” That first game had some multiplayer characters that were interesting as well. Players could unlock multiplayer characters such as William Shakespeare or a German Shepherd. They could also play as a Velociraptor from “Jurassic Park”. Remember, this is the game where you could kill Nazis as a dinosaur, so maybe you shouldn’t take it too seriously.
Further reading
AOL News
aolnews.com/nation/article/new-video-game-will-let-you-play-as-the-taliban/19588413
Guardian
guardian.co.uk/technology/gamesblog/2010/aug/23/liam-fox-medal-of-honor-ban
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