Some People Are Protesting New Medal of Honor
A game where players can assume the role of the Taliban would definitely upset some people.
Medal of Honor is one of EA's big games this year, which it hopes to capture a piece of that insanely popular 'modern warfare' genre.
The Medal of Honor reboot is shaping up to be something that could steal something away from Activision's Call of Duty franchise, but the upcoming game isn't going unnoticed by groups who are finding issue with the game's realistic setting.
You see, the new Medal of Honor takes place in Afghanistan, and will allow players to assume the roles of either U.S. soldiers or the Taliban in multiplayer mode.
The problem with this is that this would allow some players to assume the role of the Taliban and shoot to kill U.S. soldiers. Understandably, this has raised some issues, especially with families of soldiers who were killed in the line of duty. One Golden Star mother has objected to the game to Fox News.
The objection to Medal of Honor's setting isn't limited to just the United States, as Britain's Defence Secretary Liam Fox is also taking issue with players being able to assume the role of the Taliban.
Fox's position is that the Taliban in Medal of Honor attack the area of central Helmand where British troops are operating.
"At the hands of the Taliban, children have lost fathers and wives have lost husbands," he said to the BBC. "It's hard to believe any citizen of our country would wish to buy such a thoroughly un-British game. I would urge retailers to show their support for our armed forces and ban this tasteless product."
Electronic Arts has responded that the game "does not allow players to kill British soldiers," which is attributed to the fact that "no British troops feature in the game."
Even with no British representation in Medal of Honor, there is a considerable market for the genre in the UK. Recent sales numbers have shown that Modern Warfare 2 is now the top selling game in the UK of all time, surpassing Dr Kawashima's Brain Training (AKA Brain Age).
Metal of Honor launches for the PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on October 12.
- Malware Could Have Played Part in Plane Crash
- Motorola Blocks Unofficial Froyo ROM for DROID X
- Cleveland Smart Bins to Rat Out the Non-Recycler
- Halo: Reach Stolen from Xbox Live, Leaked Online
- Motorola Revises its Android Upgrade Roadmap
- Texting World Record Broken Using Swype
- Valve: Steam for Linux Not In Immediate Future
- Apple and Verizon Close to a Deal?
- Justin 'Mac' Long Messes With Bieber-aware Teen
- George Lucas Sues Peripheral Maker Jedi Mind
- Microsoft Re-Confirms Voice Support for Kinect
- Virgin Mobile Reveals $40 Unlimited Data Plan
- Water-Resistant Power Strip Now Available in U.S.
- School May Use RFID Chips to Track Students
- Mozilla: 10-minute ''Private Browsing'' Spikes Common Occurrence At Lunchtimes
- VOTW: Snoop Dogg Blows Up an Armored Truck
- Sony Could Start Banning Hacked, Jailbroken PS3s
- Valve Says PS3 is ''Incredibly Important''
- Say Bye To Old Yahoo As Bing Takes Control



""At the hands of the Taliban, children have lost fathers and wives have lost husbands," he said to the BBC. "It's hard to believe any citizen of our country would wish to buy such a thoroughly un-British game. I would urge retailers to show their support for our armed forces and ban this tasteless product.""
Of course that isn't true the other way around. There has never been collateral damage, civilian deaths or decidedly un-geneva like behavior on NATO's part... the hypocrisy is beyond words.
IB
Also, at the hand of the Nazis, wives lost husbands, children lost fathers and their children lost grandparents, yet nobody seemed to care when MoH was WWII. People need to shut up and let us enjoy the game.
...and yet no one complains about games where you get to play Nazis (points a finger at HOI) or fictitious groups of bad guys. Nor have I seen any complaints about playing the British in a revolutionary war game, or including the Mongolians or Huns, or any other hated group of enemies.
I can understand how this may upset some, but they do have a choice - don't buy or play the game. However, realize it is a game and not a Taliban training tool. I doubt a significant number of players would be tempted into becoming terrorists by playing a Taliban member and fragging their friend, just as we haven't seen waves of Nazis storm our streets from the WWII games (or Confederates from Civil War games).
I agree.....I am glad we treat the taliban that we can shoot like dogs that no one could possibly care about.....it is not like many of them have families as well
(obviously sarcasm)
Just another example of propaganda and censoring from our government.....
Them stupid morons.
It's all fun and games until it's "OUR" side that gets killed? That's not a one way street. It's also not the first game to get "Our" side killed by other players. I guess it's just more upsetting to many because now the enemy in the game is not faceless, it's the "Taliban" and very recognized and recent. Making it the Nazzi is diffrent as it's over 60 years ago.
I'm glad people are protesting this game. Releasing a video game about a current still-running conflict is in very very poor taste. This is no different than releasing a Haiti Earthquake game, a Hurricane Katrina game, or a game about raping women and children in Congo.
And playing as a Nazi killing us troops is different... How???
Because there are ZERO eighty-five year olds who fought in WWII who are avid computer gamers. On the other hand, the age of many US troops fighting and dying in war today puts them squarely in the video game demographic. If someone had released a Kamikaze board game in 1944 I bet it would have been met with some serious disdain. This is no different. It has nothing to do with "our side" getting killed in a video game. It has everything to do with our side getting killed in a video game, while simultaneously our side is actually getting killed on a real battlefield. I will bet cash money that not one of you commenters making fun of this situation has ever served a day in the armed forces. Think about that.
Absolutely BS. So it's better for us to run through WWII games as Nazi's?
So going by this.. playing in COD where you can play as axis and kill US soldiers is wrong? Since you know we still have WW2 vets who are alive and I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be so happy either about murdering US soldier pixels.. So why all the sudden the complaining when no one complains about killing US soldiers in WW2 games?
People will find any excuse to **** and moan these days. Its a game ffs! If you dont like it, dont buy it, its that simple really. And its not like its the first game that allows a player to play as a terrorist, i mean how long has Counter Strike been around for now? If you find yourself with nothing better to do than whinge about a game you clearly have no intend on playing do everyone a favour and shut the up!
I think the reasonable response would be to "just not purchase it or play it" if you think it's in poor taste.
I am a soldier and have served 25+ years. This is a game. Let me put this as delicately as possible.....who cares. It is a game. 'Nuf said.
"A game where players can assume the role of the Taliban would definitely upset some people."
Additionally, a game where players can't assume the role of the Taliban would definitely upset some people.
It isnt even in the campaign... What do they want, NATO vs NATO mp? Seriously we all played on the, nazi, jap, vietcong, and soviet side. Just think about CS/CSS CT vs T, yeah T like in Terrorist.
No game should be ever banned from existence, as programmers, designers, the whole team, are in fact artist. Who do their best in ways that may be are not the best to everyone, and may be we don't get at first.
They have their right to do their job and create those games, which may or may not disturb some people.
By this reasoning, there should never be any American Civil War games because ONLY American soldiers are dying.
These idiots should just shut up and go back to playing Left Behind: Eternal Forces...
I'm glad people are protesting this game. Releasing a video game about a current still-running conflict is in very very poor taste. This is no different than releasing a Haiti Earthquake game, a Hurricane Katrina game, or a game about raping women and children in Congo.
Good ideas. Especialy the Katrina big game hunting game.
Send the profits to Wasihington and see what they say and do.
I'm buying it.
People are hyper sensitive these days. the game doesnt "hurt" anyone and if you dont want to play it then don't but do not tell me that i am not allowed because it offends your delicate sensibilities.
I want to play as a Blackwater contractor(now Xe Services LLC) so I can shoot indiscriminately!!
There are always idiots protesting for everything.
This is a GAME and don't you think that those "talibans" have families too, where's the point? Talibans are killing americans, just as much as americans are killing talibans, this whole protest is dumb and with no sense.
What about Counter-Strike, there are terrorists killing others?
Ohhh i can't wait to play MOH in the role of a nasty taliban, i had enough with all those games, where americans are killing nazis, talibans, chinese, koreans ecc.
it is impossible in this day and age to create anything that doesn't offend atleast 1% of the population. people need to get over this pretentious BS about what offends them and just look the other freakin way.
hey its a good idea. its like games like half life: counter strike where you take the roll of the army going after Gordon freeman. they are just doing it too soon. i am sure if the cold war was still going on people would be protesting games where you play the Russians
Do not worry , I will take the US Special Operations Command soldier (aka. infidel) side and eliminate as many taliban fighters as bullets in my rifle.
Bad Company 2, your Russians killing US Soldiers.
Modern Warfare 2, Russians killing US Soldiers.
Medal of Honor (For Play Station 1) Multiplayer included Nazi's v. Americans.
I'm a soldier, not a fobbit, and people like us will play the game regardless if its taliban, mujahadeen, or Master Chief. GET OVER IT PEOPLE.
I am a soldier and have served 25+ years. This is a game. Let me put this as delicately as possible.....who cares. It is a game. 'Nuf said.
You know you could've stated ur point without the BS lol
The game is poor anyway going on the multiplayer beta, don't really care.
I agree.....I am glad we treat the taliban that we can shoot like dogs that no one could possibly care about.....it is not like many of them have families as well(obviously sarcasm)Just another example of propaganda and censoring from our government.....
Except the government realize this is a clear first amendment issue and instead attack it with spineless quips like "Surely no retailer would be tasteless enough to sell it"... I wish I lived in the UK and could open a game store to sell nothing but this title. I would make a fortune, and the protesters can stuff it if they think some namby pamby plea like "oh but it shows bad thing happening to good people" is going to stop FREEDOM.
and i am sure the US army soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan that were the families of the people in the Taliban too not to mention many innocent children and innocent people in those places too. what about them?
or is your attitude praise America and screw everyone else in the world
OMG!
it's a game!!!!!!
either way these games are teaching young kids about killing no matter what side they choose.
killing is killing.
in WWI and WWII religions were killing those of the same religion on the opposite side.
you guys are a bunch of complaining wienies!