Today, the ever-anonymous, ever-ubiquitous Daily Mail Reporter brought us news that there is “fury” over the latest addition to the Call of Duty franchise:
An ultra-violent computer game which features explosions and scenes of destruction on the London Tube and at the Houses of Parliament is to be released later this year.
And that:
Supporters of those affected by the 7/7 suicide attacks in July 2005, which killed 52 people, called for Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 to be banned.
Except, the only group quoted by the Mail that are displaying any measure of “fury” are Mediawatch-uk.
Could that be the group euphemistically described by the Mail as being “[s]upporters of those affected by the 7/7 suicide attacks”?
If you’re not already aware, Mediawatch-uk was originally established in 1965 by Mary Whitehouse (yes, that Mary Whitehouse) as the National Viewers’ and Listeners’ Association.
According to their website, they campaign for “family values in the media”, so the idea that they would be opposed to a violent game like Call of Duty 3 is surely not news. Can we not just take it as read that they would be “furious” over the release of this game?
And as for the Mail’s claim that the game “features 7/7 Tube bomb-style attacks”, the only example they can produce is the following:
In one particularly vivid shot, an armed soldier on a truck cuts in front of a Tube carriage, derailing and causing it to explode.
As far as I know, the events of 7th July 2005 played out somewhat differently to that scenario. The only comparison to be drawn between the two is that they both take place on the Tube and both involve an explosion.
Tenuous stuff, I’m sure you’ll agree.
The Mail also tells us that the game:
shows soldiers running through the streets of London with machine guns while bombs explode and buildings tumble to the ground.
And that:
Big Ben is clearly visible as are police cars and a London bus amid the violent scenes.
Again, the 7/7 link is pretty superficial and has clearly been thrown in merely to justify the so-called “fury” referred to in the headline.
The Game for anyone not knowing is basically world war 3, France Britain and Germany are invaded by a Russian ultra nationalist group. It is War, Pure war and nothing to do with terrorist attacks. It is soldiers killing other soldiers.
WARNING MW1 SPOILERS (some people still havent played it)
I should remind everyone that the Modern Warfare games have some of the most anti war moments in any game or even film to date, during the first game you are charged with controlling a US marine in an Iraq style desert warfare. Only, half way though these missions, A nuclear warhead is detonated, what follows is some of the most harrowing and terrifying 2 minutes from any fictional IP. You watch and desperately control the man you've been fighting as and for as he stumbles around a dead burning city in grave yard quite, before suffering a lonely and slow death on in the dirt and ash miles away from his home, No save points, no respawns. It is simply horrifying and forced me to stop playing long enough to wonder what the hell id just witnessed.
As much as it is violet, as much as its bloody, it is not glorifying it in anyway, while the later games do a lot less of this, the first is a good left hook out of nowhere with its undertones of "WAR IS TERRIBLE"
The scene, but its something that has to be witnessed first hand.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dCa5UbnSXc