Ubisoft Accused Of Breaking International Law
- Thread starter Andy Chalk
- Start date
Surprisingly no. They have a legit complaint against Ubisoft. I don't know much about international law, but my understanding is that they're just rattling the 'Bad PR' saber at them. One also has to keep in mind that this isn't going to go away just because they bark at Ubisoft. These developers get paid sacks of money to make these games, which is a much safer investment than praying your game sells.Meagen said:
The game is free and not half bad, if anyone is interested. It has a weird, Scientology vibe to it though. Every time you score well it congratulates you and suggests you find out more about serving in the Army.
Well, by one argument, America's Army is a multi-million-dollar propaganda project.ZacOfTheZombies said:
Now, that's not exactly a nuanced stance based on a strong working knowledge of the history of gaming and military simulation, but it's not an altogether unreasonable outlook, is it?
Imagine a government-sponsored action movie about Iraq, with a special more intense version shown to actual soldiers as part of their training. That would cause some uproar, too, wouldn't it?
-- Alex
The best recruitment tools work at targeting people long before they are intended to buy in to the idea, product or organization. Look at disney. What they do is almost criminal. Lets put our kids in disney diapers, with disney baby toys and disney baby wipes. After that, suround them as much as you can with disney stuff so that by the time they are old enough to cry to their parents or make their own buying choices they will chose: Disney! Same concept can apply to young teens or even younger kids being involved in a recruitement tool like AA or ROTC. Brain wash them now so they are more likely to make decisions later.j-e-f-f-e-r-s said:
Now as far as your "look how that turned out": Yes there have been many deaths in Iraq. Almost all of which are because they hate each other. Heck, almost all targets of violence are on Iraqis by Iraqis. Should we have gone in? Maybe, maybe not. The point was not to support the war, it was to say how the international community is wasteing its time and money, probably on purpose to distract from issues that most of the government leaders don't even want to bother with.
My point: Dear international community,
Stop wasting time and money on sillyness and focus on things that really matter, like countries that really do have child soldiers working for them.
Since when has international law concerned our government? 
I dont get what the big deal is. We have an all-volunteer armed forces. Whatever a person's reasons for joining, whether they want to serve their country, or act out a video game fantasy, it's still their their choice, and their signature on the enlistment papers. And those same signatures are what's keeping them all-volunteer.
I dont get what the big deal is. We have an all-volunteer armed forces. Whatever a person's reasons for joining, whether they want to serve their country, or act out a video game fantasy, it's still their their choice, and their signature on the enlistment papers. And those same signatures are what's keeping them all-volunteer.
I think they answered their own question. If the American Army broke international law to plow through Iraq... why aren't they going to do it in polygon land to get more soldiers?
I mean, it's the same as saying: "Those people who did illegal things are... doing further illegal things!"
I mean, it's the same as saying: "Those people who did illegal things are... doing further illegal things!"
On a neutral point here, even if America's Army is a Recruitment tool; the ESRB set the ratings, as the poster at the start let us know, and people are PAYING for it.
So...someone who pays for a Recruitment Tool will probably see a large number of lives disappear in a short game; and realise that one of them might be him.
You could equally argue that the whole idea is ageist because I'm sure there are some 12-16 year olds that are either bound for the army or have NO wish to go into it; but supposedly their views don't matter...
So...someone who pays for a Recruitment Tool will probably see a large number of lives disappear in a short game; and realise that one of them might be him.
You could equally argue that the whole idea is ageist because I'm sure there are some 12-16 year olds that are either bound for the army or have NO wish to go into it; but supposedly their views don't matter...
As much as I'd like to criticize the policy's of the US army. I find these accusations a tad weak. Before you judge me let's have a look at what the rating mean.
T - Teen
Titles in this category may contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling and/or infrequent use of strong language.
M - Mature
Titles in this category may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language.
This is as everyone say's a government produced propaganda tool to get people to join the army. They're going to keep it fairly clean, and straight forward. Having your friends head blown off and his brains splattered over you, may make for good drama in an ordinary game but hardly servers the purpose of a propaganda one, and I think people might have a problem if they started emphasizing the merits of "Fucking some sweat foreign whores ass.".
T - Teen
Titles in this category may contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling and/or infrequent use of strong language.
M - Mature
Titles in this category may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language.
This is as everyone say's a government produced propaganda tool to get people to join the army. They're going to keep it fairly clean, and straight forward. Having your friends head blown off and his brains splattered over you, may make for good drama in an ordinary game but hardly servers the purpose of a propaganda one, and I think people might have a problem if they started emphasizing the merits of "Fucking some sweat foreign whores ass.".
The treaty says it all. At the end of the day it is up to the childs parents to ok everything.
Your son is playing a game geared to climitize him to joining the military? Let him or dont let him play it.
What is difference between AA and Call of Duty? Both depict soldiers fighting/dying, both glorify war and both push the idea that it isnt a simple or easy thing.
The only difference? One was made for profit the other as a recruiting tool.
If this had been a British game there would be no complaints. Feel free to bash the US all you want. Feel free to call its methods illegal and its theories inhumane, but at the end of the day it is the American Army that keeps those people over there. Either in Germany or in Iraq.
Since kids watch their adverts with the cool music should we be suing that publication company too? Oh wait....
This is a load of bollocks, I have played AA for over 5 years now and I still have no intention of joining the American forces. If you feel that your stupid children are lead to simply; how about you educate them so they cannot be lead?
Your son is playing a game geared to climitize him to joining the military? Let him or dont let him play it.
What is difference between AA and Call of Duty? Both depict soldiers fighting/dying, both glorify war and both push the idea that it isnt a simple or easy thing.
The only difference? One was made for profit the other as a recruiting tool.
If this had been a British game there would be no complaints. Feel free to bash the US all you want. Feel free to call its methods illegal and its theories inhumane, but at the end of the day it is the American Army that keeps those people over there. Either in Germany or in Iraq.
Since kids watch their adverts with the cool music should we be suing that publication company too? Oh wait....
This is a load of bollocks, I have played AA for over 5 years now and I still have no intention of joining the American forces. If you feel that your stupid children are lead to simply; how about you educate them so they cannot be lead?
This just showcases societal absurdity.
Ubisoft creates a military game which sports violence so minor to warrant a T rating (hurray, the anti violent crusaders win another)
only to get pestered by another activist set.
Your Damned if you do etc. etc. etc.
If they through in a couple exploding bodies these guys would be happy but there would be another article about another group in its place.
I honestly hope Ubi does not ever respond to this one.
Ubisoft creates a military game which sports violence so minor to warrant a T rating (hurray, the anti violent crusaders win another)
only to get pestered by another activist set.
Your Damned if you do etc. etc. etc.
If they through in a couple exploding bodies these guys would be happy but there would be another article about another group in its place.
I honestly hope Ubi does not ever respond to this one.
You can't make everyone happy these days. Also, if its against the law to recruit under the age of 17 then fire my recruiter cause he is breaking international law by talking to me about joining the armed forces.
And this seems to be yet another stunt by people that want the infamy of that old miser, Jack Thompson, so bad that they will attack a company just because a game they made in partnership with the U.S Army that showcases violence (just like every other game and movie made these days).
Just seems everyone is looking for some quick attention and the softest target for accusations of this nature happens to be video games...
And this seems to be yet another stunt by people that want the infamy of that old miser, Jack Thompson, so bad that they will attack a company just because a game they made in partnership with the U.S Army that showcases violence (just like every other game and movie made these days).
Just seems everyone is looking for some quick attention and the softest target for accusations of this nature happens to be video games...
The answer to this problem is simple. THIS GAME DOES NOT RECRUIT KIDS. It's true that it is military propaganda designed to make kids eventually consider joining, but so are the adds for the US Air Force that play every time I go to watch a video on Halo Waypoint.
It's not like by downloading the game somehow automatically enlists you in the military. Therefore the point is moot. There are no laws or treaties that say you can't glorify your military to the youth. You just can't actually sign them up.
It's not like by downloading the game somehow automatically enlists you in the military. Therefore the point is moot. There are no laws or treaties that say you can't glorify your military to the youth. You just can't actually sign them up.
