Every gamer remembers this; the day that FOX News decided to report on Mass Effect, or to be more specific, the so-called 'sex scenes', in Mass Effect. We should all remember the uproar that occurred; fans cried out by every means possible. Some used Youtube, others wrote about it on their blogs. Others decided to badmouth Ms. Cooper Lawerence's book The Cult of Perfection: Making Peace with Your Inner Overachiever on Amazon due to her unfortunate misinformed opinion of the game. I personally remember the outrage I felt seeing someone who was perfectly happy to defend the game; Geoff Keighley, get overlooked so severely during the 'debate'.
Of course, later, after the uproar had quelled slightly, Ms. Lawerence said to a New York Times interviewer, Seth Schiesel, that she 'misspoke'. All was well, but I feel that that incident cast Mass Effect in a bad light. This report was broadcast on national television, for everyone and anyone to see. Each of those people, who did not follow the gaming industry as we did and do now, saw Mass Effect as heinous. Each of them probably thought, "This video game has full frontal nudity? Oh my god! And the lady on the television said it was being targeted at teenagers. It'll corrupt our youth!" Now, that's an exaggeration, but you see what I'm saying. This was a sign of the mainstream media influencing people who didn't know better.
I won't bore you with my opinions on something that happened in the past, but rather bring up something that is happening as I am writing this article for you to read. On the 14th of August, a little more than a week ago, FOX News decided to report on Medal of Honor. Anyone keeping up with video game news knows that this Medal of Honor brings players to Afghanistan, to fight as U.S. Soldiers against the Taliban. That is the single player adventure. What people are having problems with, is the multiplayer. The multiplayer pits players against each other, as multiplayer in any first person shooter would. So, one side plays as American Soldiers, while the other plays as the Taliban. That is exactly what news outlets, and now, the UK Defense Secretary, Liam Fox, have a problem with.
Earlier today, on both GamePolitics and IGN, and most likely various other sites, a news story was posted about the aforementioned British politcian calling for a ban of Medal of Honor among video game retailers. He has called the opportunity to play as the Taliban, 'disgusting', and from GamePolitics, I quote:
"It's shocking that someone would think it acceptable to recreate the acts of the Taliban.
I am disgusted and angry. 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."
He also said that at the hands of the Taliban, children have lost fathers and wives have lost husbands. I apologise, but this angers me. I will be specific in the fact that Mr. Fox has only been in the position since the 11th of May, but the fact that the holder of responsibility for the Armed Forces of Great Britain feels he has the right to talk about deaths in the Afghanistan war or emulating them in a video game angers me. Not only that, but Medal of Honor does not have the player play as a British Soldier, and there has been no mention of them starring in the game at all.
I will admit, I am not the happiest person that there is an opportunity to play as the Taliban in any game. Friends of mine have relatives that have experienced the horrors of the war that is still going on. However, in the multiplayer-focused industry that the gaming industry is today, can we expect any less? How else would Danger Close have made the game? There is no way that the multiplayer could have American Soldiers face off against other American Soldiers. I would totally agree with any criticism of that if that was to occur. So, the studio, in the interest of being politically correct, has been cast in a light that displays them as politically incorrect. There are two sides to this war, and the opportunity is being given that both sides are experienced in some shape or form. The game is not asking you to play through a story that gives you a character that aims to shoot down U.S. troops. Still, one and a half months before its release, Medal of Honor is being cast in a bad light before any of us have fully experienced the game.
In conclusion, mainstream media has begun reporting more heavily on games, and I do not think it is a good thing. Each time we see a news report about a game, its about a controversy within the game, whether it be sex, violence or anything in between. Mainstream media will never give the games we love a fair shake, and I am sad about that. However, I can't wait for FOX News to report on the Playboy Centrefolds in Mafia II when it is released tomorrow.
That's going to be a riveting discussion on FOX News' Livedesk
Stephen Barry is an opinionated gamer who gets angry when people who have no right to badmouth something, badmouth it anyway. He also appears to have very political views. Hrrm.
Follow Stephen on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/Kirgandian
