Gun Enthusiasts Complain About the "Call of Duty Effect"

[Greg Tito]

Gun Enthusiasts Complain About the "Call of Duty Effect"

Many gun enthusiasts complain how amateurs believe that they know about firearms due to playing videogames like Modern Warfare 2 [http://www.amazon.com/Call-Duty-Modern-Warfare-Xbox-360/dp/B00269QLI8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1278694263&sr=1-1], which feature real guns.

The owner of the gun site, The Firearm Blog [http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/], was surprised to realize that the most popular search term that led to his site was an obscure gun unknown outside the firearm industry, the Bushmaster ACR. That was until he realized that the gun was featured in Modern Warfare 2.

"I was surprised because, compared to the AKs, M4s and Glocks of the world, the ACR is relatively unknown outside of the industry," the blog's owner, Steve, wrote on December 8th, 2009. "Have any other bloggers noticed the Call of Duty effect?"

There follows a stream of anecdotes from gun enthusiasts about how videogames have turned gamers into "gun experts."

"I was riding around with a friend of mine when I asked him to stop in at this new gun shop," said one commenter, Robert. "He knows next to nothing about guns so I was surprised when he asked, 'Can you buy an ACR in there?' After explaining they don't sell it to regular people I asked him where the hell he had heard of it ... should've known before asking. He's an avid gamer."

Another funny story is told by Jim:

I wouldn't call it the Call of Duty effect as much as the Halo effect. He came in to a Pawn Shop I was shopping around at and asked for an "Ess Em Gee" (Submachine gun). The owner said that he didn't carry them. He then asked if he had any sniper rifles. The owner showed him a .270 (I believe). As the punk (hat cocked off to the side and his pants at a level where a belt would not allow them to fall) looked down the scope, he asked how to "zoom it" (a common feature of scoped rifles in video games). The owner showed him how to magnify and clarify the image. The punk said that he was just used to the rifle doing that for him.

Finally the owner asked what the kid was looking for to which he replied "I just want to headshot some noobs! Like in Halo!"

The conversation quickly degraded from that moment and ended very shortly.

Source: Firearm Blog [http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2009/12/08/call-of-duty-effect/]


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[qbanknight]

this is just fucking terrifying, a bunch of assholes who think they know about guns playing games and they want to try em out in real life. you know that whole, we gamers aren't violent people thing? and games don't train you to become a mass killer? not doing a good job at reinforcing these things.

the only saving grace is that these kids are just idiots who truly have no idea how to handle a weapon, and that games are not yet "realistic" enough to show the actual workings of such a gun

 

[Woodsey]

"Gun enthusiast" is both an amusing and depressing phrase.

Anyway, I've definitely heard of this before. Can't say I ever listen.

 

[Disembodied_Dave]

Well judging by who they have to deal with, I don't blame them for being angry.

 

[Premonition]

I'll just stick to playing a game and wikipediaing the guns featured in them if I want to know more.

 

[uppitycracker]

ya it's pretty hilarious how gaming in general drives people to think they're experts about this or that... it's not just limited to guns and CoD, although it's a lot more dangerous with this particular thing.

 

[MorsePacific]

This seems pretty common, actually. The problem is that while games may spark an initial interest in firearms, people don't want to even bother learning about real ones.

Although, there are occasionally those whose interest is sparked by it and they then pursue shooting as a hobby, as I did. I did pursue my interest, though, and now I go to the range with my dad very regularly.

 

[fix-the-spade]

this is just fucking terrifying, a bunch of assholes who think they know about guns playing games and they want to try em out in real life.

Nah it's not terrifying, it's been going on since Goldeneye.


I have to admit this is always funny to overhear in outdoor and hunting shops. It's the ones who ask with a straight face if they can see a Five-Seven or a Deagle that are best, especially when the shopkeeper's reaction usually amounts to 'buh?!'

Ah well, some of them'll learn properly, the rest will buy airsoft guns and pose on MySpace.

 

[Atvomat_Nikonov]

Whilst Call of Duty did pique my interest in guns, I know better than to ask for expensive rifles that are still in production/limited military sale.

 

[black lincon]

I know a lot of people who think they know a lot about guns, and a few who are obsessed enough to do more research. I know just enough to understand that with the exception of looks and names the guns aren't all that similar to the real versions of the guns.

 

[Bob_F_It]

Golden test: tell me what to do in a misfire, and I'll pass you as competant.

Amazing how some people blur the line between games and reality. I'm surprised that Forza hasn't turned everyone into racing pros.

 

[HeySeansOnline]

this is just fucking terrifying, a bunch of assholes who think they know about guns playing games and they want to try em out in real life. you know that whole, we gamers aren't violent people thing? and games don't train you to become a mass killer? not doing a good job at reinforcing these things.

the only saving grace is that these kids are just idiots who truly have no idea how to handle a weapon, and that games are not yet "realistic" enough to show the actual workings of such a gun

On the other end of the spectrum I believe the gun-blog guy is kind of a prick, I know atad about firearms from what my dad has taught me, chamber the first round, safeties on the grip, I wouldn't make a stupid mistake like the guy in the second thing, dude didn't seem bad for it, just uneducated. But back to the point so what If people learn about certain guns through games, who cares, they pick the stuff up later, get more interested, learn more, and join groups like the NRA, hopefully they don't end up like gun nuts though.

 

[Chipperz]

Oh yes. There's a kid on my course who's convinced that he's a crack shot with every type of weapon because he's good at Counterstrike. When I gave him a bunch of pellet guns I've got over the years, he couldn't even hit a can at twenty paces. To this day he claims that he was "compensating for recoil" and that he missed because "a pellet gun doesn't have any".

I wish I'd kept in contact with my mate in the army. I'd have LOVED to see this kid try to strip and clean something.

For the record, I'm a fucking awful shot. Except with lightguns, so, uhh, bring on the laser cannons?

EDIT

Golden test: tell me what to do in a misfire, and I'll pass you as competant.

Unload the clip, put the safety on, keep it pointing away from people and look for someone who knows what they're doing?

EDIT the second - By "unload the clip, I mean eject, not fire randomly."

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Again, this has been around since the 80s or so when Combat and Survival magazines started coming out.

"You know how to fire this gun?"
"Yeh, I read it in Andy McNabb's book."
*BANG* Snap "MEDIC!"

Dumbasses are dumbasses, no need to find an excuse for them.

 

[AndyFromMonday]

"YES! Finally played Modern Warfare 2 for 20 hours straight! Now I am fully trained and ready to use a sniper rifle on the battlefield."

People are just so, so stupid...

 

[Swaki]

i believe i have a better idea of where the safety is and how to reload a weapon than if i didn't play videogames, but since i dont live in America or in the middle of a war zone ill probably never have a chance to test it.

 

[A Pious Cultist]

Finally the owner asked what the kid was looking for to which he replied "I just want to headshot some noobs! Like in Halo!"

I would have called the law authorities at that moment. Sounds like the kind of nutjob that goes around shooting up schools.

 

[Kuraigekage]

This is further proof that games like MW2 and Halo should NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE be sold to anyone under the age of 18.

Parents should not be allowed to buy these games either. They just end up in the hands of bratty 12 year old xbox 360 users.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Well this proves that violent games don't turn kids into mass murders, it just makes them think they can become one. Obviously the complaint that games teach kids to use guns is incorrect, as seen here. About the only thing they learn is which end makes the loud noise, sometimes.