EA Lets Gamers Play As Taliban

[Mirage]

What do you think about this? EA's upcoming Medal of Honor release features the real life war in Afghanistan. On one side you have the U.S. forces. On the other? Well, who else besides the Taliban. This makes sense, but some people are saying that game itself crosses the line by making a game of a real life war that is happening right now.

What do you think? Does the phrase "too soon" apply here, or "grow up?"

'Play as Taliban' angle controversial in 'Medal of Honor' - Technology & science - Games - msnbc.com

And would your reaction be any different if you lost close friends or family members in this war? Furthermore, if you have actually lost friends and family in this war, your opinion is probably the most valued here.

Thoughts?

 

[MAgnum9987]

Grow up. its a game. Who cares? Its like Activision pulling MW2 out of Russia. Its not real, it doesn't matter! You never saw WW2 veterans getting pissed about MoH or CoD games of the past.

On a side note, that game looks 100% awesome. I was pissed when I saw only a few people would get the game. That was just ridiculous. How could they possibly hope to see if people would like it if only a few got it? BFBC2 was an open beta, why couldn't MoH?

 

[Major]

I can see where it might upset people who have lost loved ones in the war, but it shouldn't be that big of a deal. Definitely not something worth getting worked up over. The game doesn't force you to play as the Taliban, does it? If it does, then simply don't play the game. I mean, does Grand Theft Auto cross the line because you can kill cops and innocent civilians? Maybe it does, but the great thing is that nobody forces anyone to play games they don't want to play.

 

[Unity]

I do think it's on the side of "too soon." This is a real war going on out there, even if it's got a fictional storyline. People still have family over there, and it shouldn't be turned into a "game" that kids will be playing.

I understand WWII or fictional modern/future war. Not so much with wars that are happening now.

 

[Scissorhands]

Definitely "grow up." It's a game, and this is life. Whether we make the game now or later, it will eventually get made about this -conflict. To integrate real soldier's names would be a little fucked up, but I doubt they will do that on purpose.

 

[Mirage]

Grow up. its a game. Who cares? Its like Activision pulling MW2 out of Russia. Its not real, it doesn't matter! You never saw WW2 veterans getting pissed about MoH or CoD games of the past.

Well, to be fair there aren't many WW2 veterans who sit around playing video games. And there are just as few friends and family members of WW2 veterans who sit around playing games. It's outside of their interests most likely.

I can see where it might upset people who have lost loved ones in the war, but it shouldn't be that big of a deal. Definitely not something worth getting worked up over. The game doesn't force you to play as the Taliban, does it? If it does, then simply don't play the game. I mean, does Grand Theft Auto cross the line because you can kill cops and innocent civilians? Maybe it does, but the great thing is that nobody forces anyone to play games they don't want to play.

No, it doesn't force you to at all. It's essentially like Counterstrike where one side is the good guys and one side is the bad guys. What would the other option have been? US vs. US? I'm sure that would have gone over well.. :lol: So I agree with you. People don't have to play it. However, the issue some people have is that they simply shouldn't have made a game of an ongoing war where people are dying in the real war literally as people play it.

I mean, it would be like making a game called 9-11 where the goal is to hijack airplanes and crash them into buildings. Even if the roles are clearly defined as "bad guys", is there a point where it goes too far? Or can we just slap the "it's just a game" excuse on anything and everything imaginable?

 

[Xeilo]

I say grow up, they can make movies about the Iraq war already and whats the bet there will be one about Afghanistan but yeah, get over it, its a game!

 

[Nevyrmoore]

However, the issue some people have is that they simply shouldn't have made a game of an ongoing war where people are dying in the real war literally as people play it.

Bear in mind that a number of people like to look for excuses to be offended. I like to point to a game in development, that is approved of and overlooked by US Marines called Six Days in Fallujah. In fact, this game goes one step further; the marines ASKED the developers to make it!

In effect, this game has the approval of the US Marines, as a way to tell their experiences there. And yet there are officials and public figures that are against it for various reasons. Because of this, it's unlikely that the game will ever be released, which is strange considering the people who actually fought there are saying "Yeah, we're cool with that."

 

[Zappa]

I say let it be released, and if people don't buy it because they are too offended, the makers won't try it again. My brother served overseas in the war, saw a lot of action. No way he would play a game like this. But no one asking him too, and he wouldn't care if it was released.

 

[CaptainObvious]

I say let it be released, and if people don't buy it because they are too offended, the makers won't try it again. My brother served overseas in the war, saw a lot of action. No way he would play a game like this. But no one asking him too, and he wouldn't care if it was released.

This pretty sums up my feelings on it. I find it a little offensive and wouldn't play it but it doesn't bother me that others will.