Is Call of Duty's release ill-timed?
It's been a busy few weeks for gamers.Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, heralded as the biggest war-based videogame of all time, hit the shelves on Nov. 10. People were queueing from midnight to get a copy. The title, based on the original, groundbreaking Call of Duty title, features controversial scenes of modern battle -- including, apparently, an optional scene in which you play someone who has infiltrated a terrorist group and happily shoots civilians. But, amid all the hype and celebration, did anyone remember the date?
My little boy went to kindergarten the day before the release, where they held a Remembrance Day ceremony. A lone soldier was there, and talked sombrely about what it was like to fight, and why people have to do it. It's difficult for a five-year-old to understand that -- the notion that people might have to do horrible things to each other in the name of peace, or democracy, or oil. By the time he got to school, I had just about persuaded him not to be scared of the soldier, and explained that he wouldn't be carrying a gun or want to hurt anyone.
On what was meant to be a sombre day of remembrance and grieving, why were people going so crazy for this game? Sure, it's a tour de force of superb graphics, amazing gameplay, new cooperative modes, hidden special ops features, and all the other stuff that you'd expect from a flagship videogame in 2009. But when I watched the video interview with Infinity Ward, which developed the game, there was nary a mention of the underlying ethics of game publishing, of the social relevance of the subject matter, or of anything, indeed, other than the relentless drive for veracity, graphics, and better game controllers.
Modern day console gaming is largely about realism. How realistic can you make the experience? How juicy does the simulated blood look from inside your virtual visor? But, isn't this veracity at odds with what veterans were trying to explain to us that week? Remembrance Day isn't about calling to mind what it looks and feels like to pump a round of 40 calibre ammo into your nearest enemy. It's about remembering how horrific war can be, and trying not to do it again. Or celebrate it.
Activision-Blizzard, which publishes the game, will no doubt protest that it is making a $1 million donation to unemployed military veterans through the Call of Duty Endowment (CODE), a Charity Foundation of the Veterans. Surely, then, it must care about its vets? Except that, let's be frank, Call of Duty 4 sold 7 million units, and was heralded as the world's best-selling game of 2007. Not, you know, that I want to be cynical, or anything.
Call me overly moralistic if you like, but I don't want my five-year-old growing up playing this dehumanizing brain candy. I want him to be scared of war when he's older, and to understand that the people his great-grandfather had to bomb in Europe were living, breathing sons and daughters, and not just exquisitely animated pixels.
You'd think that when we are trying to honour the people that died for our freedoms, they'd give it a rest, and truly honour the dead, rather than trying to turn it into a media event to sell a product which celebrates, rather than mourns. Me? I'll take a silent moment and read some Wilfred Owen instead. And when I look at my children over lunch, I'll pray for a peaceful world in which they never have to fight, and never want to revel in the joys of hyper-realistic, simulated killing.
Danny Bradbury, MSN Tech and Gadgets
Comments
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Posted by: Shortney | Nov 17, 2009 1:40:41 AM
A game is a game, we all do not expect it to be like the real world. Just like movies and tv shows, they are never going to be as close to the real thing. COD is rated a specifc maturity level so that younger children do not exp. these types of things and get confused. I am a chick that plays this game and I love it! I do not take into consideration that this is what veterans went through or soilders fighting out there right now, its only a game. Everyone in the world has their own beleifs and values and if you dont want your 5 year old kid to be confused!!! Be a parent. The timing of release is kinda ironic but its not the end of the world. I will always support the gaming work no matter who advanced and crazy it gets!
~Shortney~ <3
Posted by: Ian | Nov 17, 2009 1:45:14 AM
I'm with Jay on this.
I personally think this is just all a matter of opinion. Granted some people may not be thinking when they are forming an opinion (see Mohammand). At our school we have Rememberance day masses and I rushed to get this game just to be sure I would be there on time for the mass. I think these games do desensitize the youth of this generation, but if you look back in every generation, there has always been some sort of negative influence that evenetually we grow out of. Perhaps i'm being to naive in saying that we will grow out of this "phase", but we're still young, many of us have a lot to learn. It's good that you posted this, and I think it's great that you're getting people to think about this topic.
Cheers to you and CoD
Posted by: shup up | Nov 17, 2009 4:18:22 AM
It's a freakin game, they obviously aren't meaning to offend anybody! Do you really think offending people is part of their marketing plan? If u do you're an ancient and annoying moron. Guess how people start thinking about this? Guess how people start feeling like maybe it is offensive when really it isn't? When some moron writes an article like this to stir people up so he can get paid...GO AWAY PLEASE! GAME ON
Posted by: STOP | Nov 17, 2009 4:27:49 AM
Oh..and read what NB Bourassa SSM said, or Freekee who's husband is a soldier. These people and and many others on here make the point that it's just a game (not to mention their comments are a little nicer than mine ;) ), and the same people who pretend to find it offensive probably care as much or less about rememberance day themselves...they just need someone to point the finger at to feel better about themselves. Oh...and don't tell me cuz you wore a poppy and bowed your head for a moment you deeply care. If you know a veteran or made a point of seeking out a veteran in your community and thanked him personally for what he did...you deeply care.
Posted by: perfect | Nov 17, 2009 4:35:15 AM
I agree, it's a game, just a game, nothing else but entertainment. And ya this guy is a moron writing an article like this and mentioning the five year old, the damn game has an M on it for mature, or maybe for that guy it means M FOR MORON. I read most of the responses, I love how all the soldiers completely agree that it's just a fun game and the date isn't offensive at all, YOU CAN'T ARGUE WITH THEM, THEY'VE BEEN THERE!
Posted by: VoiceofReason | Nov 17, 2009 7:37:12 AM
I don't understand what the beef is here. Coming out with COD on November 10th has nothing to do with Rememberance DAY at all. I mean, once you extend rememberance day to the day before or after, who is to say that you can't extend it further? Some might have an issue with the WEEK of rememberance day. Some might feel that November is a time to reflect on our military sacrifices and that bringing out a game like that is horrible during that month.
When did we get to be such pansies? Seriously? Are you really telling me that we have the balls to go fight overseas, to single handedly launch one of the biggest conflicts of this age, but we don't have the cojones to launch A VIDEO GAME before REMEMBERANCE DAY? Seriously?
The equivalent of this is like launching a Nascar game on February 17th. Dale Earnhardt wouldn't have given a shit, so I see no reason why we should be tiptoeing around dates of the year. And it makes no sense to me how most people are saying that this videogame does not represent combat AT ALL, yet somehow, armed forces would be MAD at this? That's like saying the military would be angry at people who play gears of war because you don't chainsaw people in the real army. That'd be because it's a videogame.
Also, you might WANT to let your "5" year old play that game when he reaches a certain age. Otherwise, he's going to grow up maladjusted and wondering why his dad keeps buying him games that HE wants him to play, rather than what all the other kids are playing. If 1 million people play a violent videogame, and one person doesn't, and out of that 1 million and 1 population, there has to be a criminal, guess who it's going to be?
Right.
Posted by: Steve S | Nov 17, 2009 7:58:40 AM
If we banned violent video games we could learn to be as peaceful as the people who don't use video games (the Taliban, Child soldiers in Central Africa hacking each other to bits, etc).
Instead we have violent video games and one of the lowest youth death/injury rates in the world.
Lets take away the games & get the kids out there hacking each other to bits like they did in the 'good old days' before video games.
Posted by: Ryan | Nov 17, 2009 8:26:43 AM
Just wanna say good story in all but the game is Rated M for mature which means the game is for 18+ so ur kids shouldnt be playing it neways. Also people should be able to tell the difference between a video game and real life im 19 years old and ive played video games my whole life. Blood, gore, drug related all types of games but i kno its just a game so i dont see why people compare these games too real life.
Posted by: diggler | Nov 17, 2009 8:46:54 AM
If Remembrance Day isn't about calling to mind what it looks and feels like to pump a round of 40 calibre ammo into your nearest enemy, then what IS it about??
you've gotta think, these games give those who have no idea what war is like a glimse into the stark reality of battle. (the story of this game does not pull any punches - loss of friends, harsh environments, unrelenting enemies...) games like this let civilians entertain the idea that they have in some tiny, albeit almost insignificant way, fought for the preservation of their liberties.
If Remembrance day ISN'T about calling to mind hard-fought battles by soldiers (even in a fictional, virtual setting) then I dont want to observe it. Think of this game as an homage if nothing else.
Sidenote: I always find it interesting when people denounce games as brain candy, or mindless. Im in school to learn how to makes video games - im turning a hobby, no, a passion into a career. Make no mistake, video games are the highest grossing form of media today. (this game was projected to make half a billion dollars U.S. the first week.) and if they had no intellectual value, soldiers themselves wouldn't be using them for training purposes, whould they?
Posted by: sleets88 | Nov 17, 2009 9:07:45 AM
i think Danny Bradbury, should use his time to write better articles, than about the release date over a video game.
man people can get paid to do anything now a days. lol
get a life.
Posted by: 50andproud | Nov 17, 2009 9:08:29 AM
Nobody understands anything. As a player of these kind of games and owning both CoD4 and MW2, I say get over it. It is ONLY some video games trying to entertain people. Stop getting bent out of shape for stuff like this. GEEEZ!
Posted by: Jen | Nov 17, 2009 9:11:22 AM
Most the people that play this game are of teenage age and haven't the slightest clue about war and any of the politics, economics, and consequences of it. Sure, there are educated people on here that have experienced these things, but the point of the matter is the majority of people that are playing this game remain ignorant. This is where the problem arises with the release of the game because most people were not at Rememberance Day services instead they sat on the couch role playing war.
Video games as usual are not the problem, but it's the ignorance of society and failure to educate people. The release date of this game, while certainly a great marketing tactic, was, I feel, disrespectful.
You can never win an argument against video games because their players are of such different backgrounds that we will have people claiming the game is good for society and some claiming the game is bad.
Posted by: Kyle | Nov 17, 2009 9:28:10 AM
Hey Dan, your article is about a year late! Last year Cod 5: World at War which was based on WWII was released on remembrance day. How about doing a little research before you go writing an article about a war game being released a day before. I find it sad how MSN pay people to write about useless garbage like you just did. If you want to show your kid the sacrifices our grandfathers have made for our freedoms, show him the history channel not some game that you are so easily resembles war. I play the games and know the difference between a game and real life sacrifices my grandfathers have made. I hope our children don't need to see real war.
Posted by: TamAlthor | Nov 17, 2009 9:46:42 AM
Before you put down Activision’s $1,000,000.00 donation, take a look at your own charity work. Just like the rest of us, Activision was under no obligation to donate. How much is your salary and how much do you donate to veterans? Do you support the troops on days other than remembrance day? War is hell and that is one thing I get from playing COD. No game, even this one, is not even close to what war is really like. In real life there are no resets, floating cross hairs, check points, or retries. It is impossible for those of us at home to understand how horrible war really is, and to compare real war with a video game is trite. It is a game. Like mouse trap. Or hungry hungry hippos.
Having said that, you have to give it up for the troops on both sides. They are willing to fight to preserve and promote whatever they see as freedom. They all sacrifice so much.
I’m curious, if you were to conduct a poll of how many CoD gamers donate to veterans funds what sort of percentage you would see? Then compare it to players of non war games like The Sims. I’m curious to see.
Back to your blog; How does not buying this game support the troops? Stop a war? Make war less horrible? How many vets from the current conflicts play CoD? I have no idea, but if they do, does that mean they don’t remember their fallen comrades?
I think you asked an interesting social question, however they way it was presented is bordering on aggressive toward the gamers and Activision. It creates an atmosphere of hostility rather than one of openness where people feel free to discuss their opinions in a civilized manner. If you’re going to promote peace man than do it diplomaticly.
Posted by: Leah | Nov 17, 2009 9:58:10 AM
This comment is for Voice of Reason. That was the biggest crock of shit I have ever heard. I have a degree in psychology and rest assured not doing what the in crowd is doing does not make a criminal. In fact, playing violent video games is much more likely to desensitize a child and lead them to violent behaviour in the future. No child should be playing this game, or anything like it. Kids do stupid things, its up to the parents to monitor them and make sure they make safe, healthy choices. The fact is these games shouldn't be popular in any circle of children, but parents have become too lazy or careless to actually pay attention to what their kids are doing and care about it.
As for the date, it was purposely released the day before Remembrance Day. That is marketing. I think it is very insensitive but the majority of marketing is done without any consideration for sensitivity, or society at large. I worry less about the date and the actual content.
As for the person that said it is representative of what soldiers face, give me a break. A video game where you can't actually feel pain, or see the grief of families on both sides, or experience the psychological repercussions of committing murder that you can't totally justifiy to yourself does not represent what war really is. War isn't about good vs evil, because most soldiers don't know what they are facing when they are deployed and in some countries men don't have the choice, they have to fight or risk death in another way and possible threat to their family. The soldiers on the other side are human too, with families of their own, who have been taught to believe things a different way. They are not evil. Did you know during WWI on one of the Christmases both sides stopped fighting on one of the trenches and played a game together? The problem with our society is when we aren't in the front lines it easy to forget we are fighting against other human beings. Video games capitalize on that by perpetuating how easy it is to kill an "enemy".
Posted by: Kevin | Nov 17, 2009 10:11:39 AM
As much as I agree with the sentiment that this game was poorly timed, and that we must never trivialize what men at war experience, something is off here too. Danny writes how he doesn't want his five year old growing up play this game. Well, no kidding. But Surely he noticed the "M for Mature" rating on the box? This game is not targeted to five year olds, and quite frankly is not intended to be played by anyone under 17.
So while I support whole heartedly that idea that we need to be more mindful of the sacrifice of our veterans, I also think people need to take some responsibility for what their children are doing.
Posted by: Karie Lewin | Nov 17, 2009 10:14:20 AM
With all that is going on in the world....this is what we have to spend our time thinking about??? Like seriously get over it!!!! It's a video game!!! They also played unrealistic war movies on TV...did you write all the stations about that??? We were one of the people who got the game the first day it was out, my husband who is in the military play's it constantly and I must admit I enjoy it as well. On rememberance day, we did go to a memorial service and took our 18 month old son and we did pay our respects to the fallen in the proper way like everyone else in the world. And we did this all by ourselves....without the influence of a video game!!!! Could the timing have been better? Perhaps....but let's just leave it at that and not get into comparing a video game to real life!!!!
Posted by: Matt | Nov 17, 2009 10:15:19 AM
Get over it War is always going to Be a way of life, Not for us canadians but for Americans there will always be an enemy someone to fight and bomb and steal from. Putting this game out on Nov 10th was never an isssue, if you look back every time activision has released a call of duty its been on that date so why start saying its demorlaizing now? I personally stand behind my troops no matter what their doing and if you dont stand behind yours you should go stand in front of them
Posted by: Ecko | Nov 17, 2009 10:18:50 AM
Your 5-year old shouldn't be playing this game anyway. It's rated M for mature. Meaning its target audience has an understanding and appreciation of the game's deeper aspect than just shooting and killing. Of course a 5 year-old wouldn't understand...He's only 5!
Posted by: Joji | Nov 17, 2009 10:33:17 AM
It's too bad Call of Duty never put Canadian soldiers in it. This is epic fail.
Only COD3 has some Canadian scenes in it.
Canada kicks ass in those wars. We were the ones who toke action first, not US.
Though, nice story there. But do you think the peer pressure from your son's friends would want him to let you buy COD games in the future? Like everyone loves COD, 90% of my friends already have Modern Warfare 2.
~Joji~
Posted by: os | Nov 17, 2009 11:06:38 AM
@ evilpeon. do you know the days of remeberance is the same around the world for november? or are you not educated enough to realize that novemeber 11th around the world is remeberance day.
but to all those that are trashing a game that sold the day before stfu. if it sold on the 11th as well stfu. kids no nothing of the importance of nov. 11 cause their parents do not educate them on it, nor does the schooling system.
i remember as i was growing up nov. 11 was a big day to celebrate the soldiers that past and that were/are still present with us. hell in school our canadian history was more extensive than it is now.
@steve you do know irl there is no respawn time and you really dont run faster with a knife or pistal right? man get ur head out of the video games get out of your parents basement and go outside you hermit.
Posted by: Jeff | Nov 17, 2009 11:13:50 AM
IT'S A VIDEO GAME!!!! Anyone who is whining about the release date or content within the game needs to get a life and focus the time they wasted commenting on here and direct it to something useful. Seriously. Also, why would ANY child under the age of 16 know what this game looks like unless the parents are negligent.
Posted by: Jess | Nov 17, 2009 11:29:23 AM
I am a huge fan of COD4 and MW2. When i play these games it makes me think of all of the soldiers out there and it makes me think of their respect for our Countries, to go out there and risk their lives for freedom, for our safety ect.
To somewhat "witness" what a solder goes through is better than hearing a story. Why dont you go pick up a copy of MW2 and see what they have accomplished? Its not just a video game. Its tactics, warfare, blood and gore, its 'solders lives at stake.' I sure as hell would not be as brave as them to stand there with a gun pointed at some man I will never know. I would not be able to shoot that man knowing that he may have a wife and children at home worried sick. You all support the war and pray for your men/brothers/sons to come home. What are they fighting for? Who are they fighting for? Who are they killing?
Posted by: Brian | Nov 17, 2009 12:11:55 PM
You guys are reading way to far into this stuff, it's just a game and if the company wants to release it a day before remembrance day then thats up to them. Everyone's going to have an opinion no matter what day they release these types of games. Someone will always say ther to violent or to graphic, who cares, if your offended by the suiff then stay away from it. Nobodys telling you you have to watch or play it, but theres lots of people out there who want to so stop being so uptight and get on with your lives I'm sure there's other stuff you can devote your time to besides complaning about Call of Duty.......
Posted by: Shane Milne | Nov 17, 2009 1:06:54 PM
I am so touched that someone from the community of tech-savvy people of this Brave New digital world had the courage and the integrity to speak out against an idiotic move by Activison/Blizzard to release a video game putting the spotlight on high definition brutalized killing in the name of entertainment, THE DAY BEFORE REMEMBRANCE DAY! It is ironic that these same publishers and developpers could know everything there is to know about what it would feel like to be in a firefight in the Second World War( as shown in the original CALL OF DUTY) yet be entirely unaware of the day the First World War ended, which was supposed to end all wars. Somehow they were able to bring us back to the battlefield in WWII with incredibly realistic combat, while today we find them to be completely ignorant of every subject of the brutal wars of our history except for the actual combat.
It's not that I don't like the video game or wouldn't want to play it, but it's untimely release date almost enrages me to the point of going out and boycotting the game. I'm sorry, but donating a miillion dollars, a small portion of their profit as was mentioned in the article, to an organization for unemployed military veterans is not good enough when Activision simple could've delayed the release of the game until next month-a move which would've cost them a cent. Either they are completely ignorant of the history of warfare, having no knowledge of what day falls on the 11th of November or Activision knew the date and insensitively released their game anyway. Perhaps they were advised by their financial or marketing executives that they would lose profit if they released the game too late. These are the only rational reasons that I can come up with as to why Activision/Blizzard chose to release Call of Duty: Modern Warfare on such a poorly chosen date.
Unfortunately I think this is a systemic problem as entrertainment software companies put so much attention and care into details like design, graphics and gameplay while never giving a passing thought as to the impact these products will have on their consumers (mostly impressionable young testosterone driven males) or society as a whole. Does anyone remember EIDOS Interactive releasing "Hitman 2" a game where you go to the Golden Temple of Amritsar, in the Punjab province of Northern India and mow down Sikh people in turbans, alluding to the shameful massacre of innocent civilians that took place there in the mid 1940's?
The bottom line is that Activision/Blizzard Software owes a public apology to everyone whom Remembrance day actually means something as opposed to another day of product sales profit. God
Bless you Mr. Bradbury for sounding off against such abismal lack of respect and understanding of the most tragic phenomena of human existence. I'm sure your son will grow up to be a fine young man, the way you're raising him!
Peace