Muslim Complaints Get Modern Warfare 2 Map Pulled

[The Wooster]

Muslim Complaints Get Modern Warfare 2 Map Pulled

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Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer map, Favela, has been temporarily removed from the game's playlists.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and 3 players have found themselves temporarily one venue short, as Activision has pulled one of the game's maps following complaints from Muslim gamers.

The map in question, Favela, depicts a shanty town in Rio de Janiro. One of the bathrooms in the map contains two paintings, the frames of which are decorated with an ornate quote attributed to the prophet, Muhammad: "Allah is beautiful and He loves beauty."

As was pointed out in this video released back in October, the sight of holy teachings written on or in a bathroom can be offensive to some followers of Islam. It's a minor error, and one easily attributed to ignorance rather than malice, but Activision has elected to remove the map from rotation until it can be edited via a title update. The publisher has since apologized for the slight.

As an Activision rep told Kotaku:

"We apologize to anyone who found this image offensive. Please be assured we were unaware of this issue and that there was no intent to offend. We are working as quickly as possible to remove this image and any other similar ones we may find from our various game libraries."

We are urgently working to release a Title Update to remove the texture from Modern Warfare 3. We are also working to remove the texture from Modern Warfare 2 through a separate Title Update. Until the TU is ready, we have removed the Favela multiplayer map from online rotation.

Activision and our development studios are respectful of diverse cultures and religious beliefs, and sensitive to concerns raised by its loyal game players. We thank our fans for bringing this to our attention."

The video that originally pointed out the issue has had its comments section closed, I couldn't possibly speculate as to why.

This isn't the first time Muslims have taken issue with unintentional slights in videogames. Media Molecule's Little Big Planet was famously delayed when it became apparent one of the musical tracks from the game contained lines from the Koran. More recently, Hindus took offense when Hi-Rez Studios' announced that their upcoming fighter title, Smite, would feature characters from the Hindu pantheon. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/118471-Catholics-Buddhists-Join-Hindu-Protests-Against-Smite]

Source: Kotaku [http://kotaku.com/5949764/modern-warfare--map-removed-after-complaints-from-muslim-gamers]


Permalink

 

[unacomn]

Hold up a sec... that's all it takes to make them change a game on dime?

Alright, Activision, listen up. I'm part of a the Zamolxianist gaming community, there's millions of us, and we are offended by your repetitive games that show little to no improvement year after year. We ask you to change this, or we will boycott your games.

There, gaming industry fixed. Nobel prize please.

If they don't that that'd just be discrimination, double whammy!

 

[Insomniac55]

Does anyone think that the Muslims may get a degree of special treatment when it comes to things that offend them, due to the riots and such which were sparked off by that stupid video a few weeks back? And I'm not suggesting that Muslims are generally violent, just commenting on what the public perception may be for a while.

To illustrate my point, I can't see Smite getting altered to fit the demands of the Hindus, simply because I doubt there's a perception of the Hindus doing anything but complaining about it (which they have every right to do). However I doubt any publisher would dare create a game depicting Muhammad in the same light as the Hindu deities are in Smite.

Likewise, the tiny mistake of putting that picture in the wrong spot on that map, has prompted Activision to pull the map until the patch is out. Think about it... they haven't just said 'We'll make a patch and remove the texture', they've actually gone to the extent of pulling the map 'till the patch is ready.

It's almost like people are getting scared of offending the Muslims.

 

[Blunderboy]

Wait, someone found time during a CoD game to look at the quotation written on a painting in a bathroom?

I think you're doing it wrong.

 

[lancar]

*snip* Think about it... they haven't just said 'We'll make a patch and remove the texture', they've actually gone to the extent of pulling the map 'till the patch is ready.

It's almost like people are getting scared of offending the Muslims.

Yeah. It's almost like there're previous examples of Muslims taking things the wrong way.


... and I almost percieve the closing of this comment section as well, if given a little time

Ah, religion and politics; how I dislike them both.

 

[LTK_70]

And the winner of the World's Longest Toes award goes to...

 

[hazabaza1]

Wow, looking at the comments on the guys youtube page is kinda fun.

Spoiler: Such comments include...

"****** tie your turban to your fucking nose and hang yourself"
"i hope you fucking muslims get raped in the ass by a big black man in front of a toilet which has a picture saying fuck muslims"
"Islam confirmed for worst religion. Thanks for proving that."
"fuck Jews "
"Mohammad is a pedophile."
"Or rather in your case, blow yourself up? "
"Douche you ruined Favela for the whole community. SUCK OSAMAS DEAD FLAPPY DICK"
"Please dont start an international riot mr muslim man, im sure infinity ward is very sorry!"

There also seems to be a lot of question marks in those quotes that weren't there before and I can't remove them. Hmm.

 

[xptn40S]

Seems a bit late for them to complain about such a thing in a game that's almost three years old. I mean, at least that thing in Little Big Planet was pulled before the game was released, but oh well.

 

[nodlimax]

So they are offended? Who cares? Let them be offended. They don't care if I find some of their behaviour offensive.

I think the Islam itself as a religion is offensive....so please change for me....

 

[teebeeohh]

really? they insulted his religion and culture because of a tiny detail?

 

[VeryOddGamer]

Really?
I mean, based on recent events at least, muslims seem to be pretty easily offended, but this?
Okay, I can play this game too, Mass Effect 3's ending deeply offended me along with many other gamers. Please change it.

Yes, I'm still bitter about it.

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

I am offended by how bad the games are but they aren't changing them.

 

[Shadow-Phoenix]

Really?

A game that's 3 years old and people are complaining or going to complain about the complainers?.

Let it go people it's 3 years old and what's done is done.

 

[blackrave]

Funny people- they don't mind that they are being killed in hundreds every day
But as soon as you somehow touch their book of fairy tales or their pedophile prophet- suddenly they are enraged
And you know what is the most fucked up thing in this? THEY ARE NOT ENRAGED, simply muslim elite uses such things as excuses to show their supposed superiority.
As if they have unique right to ***** and moan about every tiny thing they don't like and everyone else is supposed to simply accept it.

P.S. Friendly advice- don't read Koran, unless you are of strong mind, otherwise you'll get indoctrinated. I'm not kidding, even translated version is set in such way that it will change the way you are thinking, unless you keep your guard up.
P.P.S. Now I know how Illusive Man felt.

 

[Jonny49]

In Call of Duty you kill hundreds of people, sometimes in the most sadistic ways.

But stick a texture in the wrong place! Well NOW we have a problem!

 

[Milanezi]

Between you and me, I never saw religious texts inside restrooms hahahaha However, there's likely no such thing in a favela. Well, anyway you look at it, it's not a matter of ignorance, it IS malice, it's so freakin' unreal that if this is ignorance, than I'm sure that whoever was responsible for that detail doesn't even have a degree...

 

[Kaymish]

it makes me sick how religious people can get away with saying "im offended by XYZ" and people will bend over backwards to accommodate them.
you know what offends me those stupid looking ankle boots, but will anyone bend over backwards to accommodate me? no they are still being worn everyday all over the world