EA Defends Medal of Honor's Taliban Faction Change

[jdun]

I wonder why the game is banned in military bases? Does the US Government really think it's soldiers are just going to jump ship and join the Taliban because they can play them in a video game?

Maybe some fancy doc in a lab coat told em that it would ruin the morale if they will keep playing as American Army and get their butts kicked by 12 year old kids playing the Taliban? It's a very likely scenario.

It about respect for the dead. Not some kid fantasy about joining the Taliban.

 

[gl1koz3]

Getting upset about "Taliban" being in the game is stupid.

 

[jdun]

The game will probably suck anyways, they might as well piss off enough people by mentioning everything everyone is afraid/finds offensive now a days.

I saw the trailer and it was one of the most unrealistic military base game ever. The graphic look horrible in some cases.

 

[kouriichi]

I never saw a problem with it to begin with.
The taliban is just another force.
:/ it it wrong were killing Nazis or Vietcong in a WW2 game? Its based on real conflict.
Whats wrong with that?

 

[Amnestic]

You can't do something like when there is an active war going on. It's stupid.

Why?

 

[Jared]

They may not see it as a big deal, and may see it as justifiable, but after all the hell that has been raised, and all the defending they had done prebvious, for this to happen it feels like they have there tail firmly between there legs

 

[Phoenixlight]

Well i'm not going to buy the game now, the only people upset by the taliban being included are the people who don't play games like modern warfare 2 anyway so why care about them? The people who like this sort of game don't care about it so doing this makes no sense.

 

[The Unworthy Gentleman]

If it was just seven letters they should have left them on it. Forgetting who's side they should be on. Those seven letters have cost at least one sale.

In fairness those 7 letters would have cost them thousands of sales. I'm pretty pissed about the decision to change it too though. Are we ever going to progress past petty arguments about minor things?

It doesn't look like it. Gamers are damned to being bombarded with shit forever.

 

[Dexiro]

We need developers to stand up for themselves, this is getting ridiculous. If we want the industry to be taken seriously we can't let it get pushed around like this.

 

[Daniel Matthews]

Look its a video game. Its not RL, nor is it going to change anything in RL.

They should have just kept the Taliban as the Taliban, not that lame ass name theyve got now. I mean all the missions are the same anyway so what was the point?

Maybe I will just get a Post-It Note, write Taliban on it and stick it to the top corner of the screen.

 

[BlueHighwind]

Is this really a free speech issue?

I never said that Medal of Honor couldn't do it (and neither has anybody else), they're perfectly allowed to make any game they want. They should just be prepared for the shitstorm. If you don't want a shitstorm, then don't do it. They're being stupid. Hey, if they had a legitimate political position to take here by having players act out the lives of the Taliban, maybe this game would have a purpose. Maybe it could help us understand each other in this war. But that's not the purpose: its just a shooter. Since all the developers wanted was that, what do you expect? They aren't going to stand on artistic principles, because THERE ARE NONE. They do not have those things.

So there's nothing to defend here, this company was being stupid and made the predictable change. These guys need a better PR department.

 

[icyneesan]

The game will probably suck anyways, they might as well piss off enough people by mentioning everything everyone is afraid/finds offensive now a days.

I saw the trailer and it was one of the most unrealistic military base game ever. The graphic look horrible in some cases.

Alright ignore what I said, this game will probably be the best game of this year
*Goes and pre-orders*

 

[Alandoril]

It doesn't matter if the game has changed or not, that's not the point. The point is that they gave in, it's intellectual cowardice.

 

[The Procrastinated End]

Awww but I wanted to be a terrorist killing American forces in a spectacle that will turn me against my country and teach me how to kill people, oh wait I forgot it was just the multiplayer.
Back to playing as fake russian terrorists and other unnamed middle eastern terrorists and possibly some nazis.

 

[Alandoril]

I wonder why the game is banned in military bases? Does the US Government really think it's soldiers are just going to jump ship and join the Taliban because they can play them in a video game?

Maybe some fancy doc in a lab coat told em that it would ruin the morale if they will keep playing as American Army and get their butts kicked by 12 year old kids playing the Taliban? It's a very likely scenario.

I still don't get how a simple name change satisfied all the protesters.

The same way that a single word upset them in the first place. It's got nothing to do with logic.

This whole 'debate' just keeps on reaching new heights of stupid. If having the Taliban in a game upsets you, DON'T FUCKING BUY THE THING. How many times does this simple principle need to be repeated beofre all the fucktards with the jerking knees get it?

And they are not buying the game. The military are thinking hard about not helping EA on any future game and they should IMO.

Yeah, you say that but the military were obviously fine with it up until it was made public. Dropping out because of a pointless "controversy" would just be pathetic.

 

[Irridium]

Honestly, I think the reason people are getting so upset it because it IS such a minor change. I can't really blame them for doing it if it works, but you're still playing as the Taliban really. Really, it's not a bad move to make, and they really shouldn't have gotten so much garbage from people for it in my opinion. But they shouldn't have had any garbage from most the people who were complaining about the Taliban being playable in the first place. The only people I can understand and respect complaining about it are the people who've fought or the families of those who've fought against the taliban. Most these politicians are just trying to complain about something is how I see it.

Funny thing is, from what I've read/seen/heard, most soldiers are fine with having the Taliban included. Its pretty much just politicians, and their families, that are protesting it.

Apparently it is a very big deal, especial with families of dead or injured warriors. The US military was going to break up all connect with EA and I think they should IMO. You can't do something like when there is an active war going on. It's stupid.

What EA should have done was just name the enemy opforce instead of calling them Taliban. It is the proper military name for opposing enemies. It doesn't offend anybody but no they have to go full retard and try to get as much attention as they could. Play stupid games win stupid prize.

There are a lot of people that never been in the military said otherwise on forums. You can easy catch them by posting false accounts but that depending on your military knowledge.

What about when movies about WW2 were made about WW2 during WW2? Those seemed to be fine. What about that Daffy Duck Cartoon?

Spoiler: This one. Note: May be hilariously offensive

That was apparently fine way back then, when the war was still fresh on everyone's mind.
Why should a simple name in a video game incite such controversy?

 

[Autofaux]

"An EA spokesman doesn't think the decision to rename Medal of Honor's Taliban multiplayer faction is that big of a deal."

That's why they spent months defending the decision then.

I am so pissed off about this: how is the medium supposed to get anywhere if the major companies cave in to every ill-informed bit of anger aimed at it?

Exactly. No use putting in content, and then changing it when it doesn't suit a demographic. We need less cowards in the industry.

Unless this was a carefully crafted bait and switch marketing ploy. Which would make EA less of a pussy, and more lame.

 

[unlucky slevin]

By changing the name, the Taliban wins... oh wait, or is that opposing force?

 

[robert022614]

Personally i think it is a mistake to take it out.The reason being that it is disrespectful to the families or fallen soldiers or wounded soldiers is ridiculous. It would be like taking car jacking out of grand theft auto because i am sure there are car jacking victims and families of them that are truly offended by it. The world can be a brutal place where something bad can happen to anyone and everyone. As someone who served in the army I should not be any more entitled to decide if someone uses the war in any medium as anyone else. If you are offended by the game then dont buy it or dont let your children buy and play it. It is that simple to censor your own little world. Dont go messing with mine.

 

[MarsProbe]

This is the sort of thing that isn't a very big deal in of itself. It is more significant in the poor precedent it sets by having the developer fall under the pressure that, "you can't do that in a GAME" (regardless of how tasteless some might perceive it to be).

Too right. It's a matter of principle really more than anything Now that this has happened, games develoeprs will be expected to bow to the slightest bit of pressure into removing any "offensive" material from their game. And if they don't? Well, they'll be portrayed as the villian of the piece anyway, and Jack Thompson will still prattle on in a clear, logical manner that he wins. Again.