First, there were the armed hijackers in France who stole truckloads of MW3.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.321850-So-two-dudes-stole-6-000-copies-of-Modern-Warfare-3
Next, I'm reading about a guy followed someone home from GameStop and tried to steal that person's copy at gunpoint, not because they couldn't afford it, but because they didn't want to wait in line! And then, when that didn't work, he went back to the same store to wait in line...
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/114117-Modern-Warfare-3-Fan-Fends-Off-Really-Stupid-Thief
Then, there was the guy who threatened to shoot the employees of a Best Buy and blow up the store because they didn't have his pre-order.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/114128-Modern-Warfare-3-Nutcase-Threatens-to-Blow-Up-Best-Buy
What the hell is wrong with these people?
Okay, the hijackers probably weren't desperate fans as much as they were looking to turn an opportunistic under-the-table profit by fencing the game to thousands of desperate fans who wouldn't want to wait a few more days for it to come out. That I get. Sleazy and low, but I get it.
But what about the other two? I understand that some people get obsessive in their fandom. I also understand that some people are unstable. And yes, I get it, there is going to be some overlap between those two groups.
What I DON'T understand is this...
I don't remember hearing about armed robberies or serious threats of violence when people camped out for Star Wars or Lord of the Rings midnight premiere tickets.
I also don't recall hearing about any armed robberies or serious threats surrounding the release of the last Harry Potter book.
Now, I'll be the first one to say that the way certain media types go after video games as encouraging violent and subversive behavior is garbage. I will call Jack Thompson an ass-clown at the drop of a hat. And I will be on the front lines defending video games from the sort of censorship attacks that tends to leave books and movies alone (see: that California case that went to the Supreme Court).
That being said, is it possible that the Call of Duty community actually is more aggressive than the fanbase of things like the LOTR films or Harry Potter books?
My first thought: Call of Duty, by the nature of what it is, is much more likely to ATTRACT the aggressive, unstable types. Hmm, I think I just answered my own question.
Oh well, let's discuss anyway.
EDIT: Okay... I never thought people would take the thread title so DAMN seriously, so here's the deal: I'm not trying to make a generalization. I'm not trying to condemn and entire group based on the actions of a few stupid people.
I was just pointing out something that I thought was strange and curious.
The seventh Harry Potter book sold 15 million copies in the first 24 hours after release, yet I don't remember hearing about ANY incidents of that nature. MW3 isn't expected to sell near 15 million in the first 24 hours, yet we have people doing stupid stuff like this.
Maybe it's nothing. Maybe it's coincidence. Maybe I shouldn't have expected to be able to make a thread like this and have people take it with a grain of salt.
I just thought it was something interesting and game-related to think about and discuss...
Sheesh.