Iran Bans Arma 3

[Andy Chalk]

Iran Bans Arma 3

The Iranian government believes it's being unfairly portrayed in Arma 3.

The near-future military shooter Arma 3 is based on a war between a fractured NATO and resurgent Iran, following its invasion of Greece. It's fairly standard stuff as far as post-Soviet fictional conflicts go, but to absolutely no one's surprise, it doesn't sit too well with the authorities in Iran.

Iran's National Foundation of Computer Games, in conjunction with Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, has declared that Iranian military forces are being improperly portrayed in the game as the bad guys, and have thus refused to grant Arma 3 approval for sale in the country. It also issued a statement reminding "all relevant institutions and organizations" that the game is not to be sold without official permission.

It's not terribly surprising that the Iranian authorities dropped the banhammer on Arma 3, as it did the anti-Israel [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/114404-Iran-Bans-Battlefield-3] videogames.

Arma 3 is slated to come out in early 2013, exclusively for the PC.

Source: Trend [http://en.trend.az/regions/iran/2067248.html]


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[disgruntledgamer]

Well there goes 12 sales. Anyone else getting sick of hearing about these 3ed world countries getting upset, rioting, banning and killing people over trivial matters like free speech and video games. If it were up to these clowns nothing that wasn't kissing their butts or praising Mohammad would be banned.

I have no idea why we even care what these tools say or do anymore, they can't take the slightest amount of criticism and they don't want to change. The number of thing that have been unfairly portrayed in video games, probably vastly out weighs the number of thing accurately portrayed in video games. It's not a documentary for crying out loud and when you cry like this over little thing nobody is going to listen to you when you start crying over big things.

I hate to see the reaction when Kratos runs out of Greek Gods and starts going after Mohammad and Jesus.

 

[Orange12345]

is the "national foundation of computer games" a real thing?

 

[yuval152]

is the "national foundation of computer games" a real thing?

It's called Iran's national foundation of computer games.

Yer damn right the Iranian military is being improperly portrayed: No way they could ever beat Turkey!

Spoiler: Ninja'd

 

[Sectan]

In other news, water is wet. The Sun is hot and many other obvious things. This is just par for the course really.

 

[Absolutionis]

I should be insulted that Turkey got invaded by Iran... but I'm not. It's a game.
By banning it, you call attention to it. To the uneducated, a government ban may even legitimize it; what are they afraid of?

 

[tehroc]

I doubt a game set in a "fictional alternate reality" where US are portrayed as evil imperialist invaders would get the green light here in America.

 

[Andy Chalk]

Let my people game! T.T

 

[Braedan]

Step 1: Get angry about how you are being portrayed by games made by foreign developers.
Step 2: Attempt to execute a foreign developer for visiting your country.
Step 3: RESPECT!

 

[Jhooud]

I doubt a game set in a "fictional alternate reality" where US are portrayed as evil imperialist invaders would get the green light here in America.

Actually, that sounds pretty interesting. Maybe do the whole Spec Ops am I the good guy or the bad guy kind of thing. Could be a great vehicle to talk about the political divides in our country and how it affects us here and abroad...

 

[Vkmies]

Finland is apparently under "Russian Influence", which is probably horrible for all of the patriots around here, but we ain't banning shit. Stuff like that just shows the difference between free and just shitty countries.

 

[Agente L]

I must say, being against games that "portray" iran as bad guys, buta t the same time support anti-west and anti-israli is a good way to understand why 80% of the civilized world isn't very fond of iran.

 

[Thunderous Cacophony]

I doubt a game set in a "fictional alternate reality" where US are portrayed as evil imperialist invaders would get the green light here in America.

Actually, that sounds pretty interesting. Maybe do the whole Spec Ops am I the good guy or the bad guy kind of thing. Could be a great vehicle to talk about the political divides in our country and how it affects us here and abroad...

I'd play that game. The problem is, you'd have the same trouble that other games (like the Modern Warfare series and Spec Ops) have encountered: It's easy to make a villain representing the worst aspects of your culture, while it's very, very, hard to make an insightful commentary into your own society that is critical without falling into an ideological trap, while still making a game that is fun to play. For example, Spec Ops was very well written, but I don't know anyone who would say it was fun; mostly, people endured the lackluster gameplay for the story.

 

[Xan Krieger]

I doubt a game set in a "fictional alternate reality" where US are portrayed as evil imperialist invaders would get the green light here in America.

COD MW2. Black Ops 2. We're the bad guys in those 2 games at least.

 

[Andy Chalk]

People can't argue that Iran is evil for making anti-Israel games at the same time games like this are being released.

I think people argue that Iran is evil because it's an odious, fanatical theocracy.

 

[Doom972]

As an Israeli, I now feel like I have to buy this game.
As a gamer, I'm not very fond of realistic military shooters.

Why couldn't they have made a Sci-Fi shooter with RPG elements that represents Iran as it does?

 

[Meight08]

I did not notice it before but why is Iceland (where I live) claimed to be under "Russian influence"? Did the social democrats get elected or something?

From the official website.

"Blighted by the long tail of a deep-rooted economic crisis and sliding toward the threshold of war, beleaguered NATO member-states stand weakened against an ambitious, resurgent Iran.

Flooded with profits from the rich export markets of a resource-thirsty SE-Asia and the rising price of oil, bolstered by strong ties with China and strategic entente with Russia, Iran sought to expand its influence.

Deployed under the auspices of a swift humanitarian response, Turkey - decimated by a series of devastating and unprecedented natural disasters ? fell within months to ruthless Iranian Armed Forces. Iran's aggressive expansion - spilling over into Greek sovereign territory - was brought to a halt in Rhodope Prefecture with the ratification of the Jerusalem Peace Accord of 2034, which crystallised a new strategic front along the shorelines of the Aegean Sea.

With the US locked into its own proxy-wars against aggressive Chinese expansionism in the Pacific, with each year more member-states leaving NATO on the promise of Russian oil, the fragmented alliance faces the growing risk of a global conflict that they can ill-afford."

Basically the world is aproaching world war 3.

 

[Soods]

Finland is apparently under "Russian Influence", which is probably horrible for all of the patriots around here, but we ain't banning shit. Stuff like that just shows the difference between free and just shitty countries.

That was the first thing I checked when I saw that map. I, for one, welcome our new russian overlords.

 

[cerebus23]

People can't argue that Iran is evil for making anti-Israel games at the same time games like this are being released.

I think people argue that Iran is evil because it's an odious, fanatical theocracy.

That is not what I meant.

When a game gets released that depicts some country like Iran, Russia or China as a horribly evil invader then nobody has any problems with it, but when they release a game that depicts the west as evil then all of the sudden lots of people flip.

I think Extra Credits did an episode on this: http://www.penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/propaganda-games

for the record i have never gotten upset when the wast was portrayed badly. nor have i read any major outcries anywhere and would think living in the US i would catch wind of it.

also like to point out that the west in general has nicer toys to play with than most other places, being stuck with 15 different ak47 variants would not be a very satisfying game gun wise .

 

[antipunt]

They are upset because the game incorrectly portrays them as closed minded fanatical people, so as a result they...

MAKES SENSE