Leaked Modern Warfare 2 Footage Causes Outrage

eldavojohn writes "Game Politics makes note of criticism over leaked footage from the upcoming Modern Warfare 2 release. (Spoiler warning.) Footage shows the player engaged in killing civilians with terrorists (relevant video begins at about 1:50, second source in case of DMCA). Several game sites are asking if this is taking things too far. Probably just advertising at work, but the footage is indeed controversial — the question remains whether or not it is out of context."

Heads Up and Activision Statement

[eldavojohn]

This stuff seems to be going down faster than it's getting replicated--indicating it probably is real footage. As the submitter, there were a number of sites I was able to reach this morning that had a lot more footage and has apparently been taken down. From CNN's iReport to China's 56.com and youku.com video hosting sites.

For an official statement, G4TV [g4tv.com] quotes Activision (when asked about the footage being in the game) as saying:

Yes it is. The scene establishes the depth of evil and the cold bloodedness of a rogue Russian villain and his unit. By establishing that evil, it adds to the urgency of the player’s mission to stop them.

Players have the option of skipping over the scene. At the beginning of the game, there are two ‘checkpoints’ where the player is advised that some people may find an upcoming segment disturbing. These checkpoints can’t be disabled.

Modern Warfare 2 is a fantasy action game designed for intense, realistic game play that mirrors real life conflicts, much like epic, action movies. It is appropriately rated 18 for violent scenes, which means it is intended for those who are 18 and older.

Sure to raise controversy, sure to garner eyeballs and sure to sell copies it looks like. Just the right amount of controversy I guess.

Re:anonymous

[kylemonger]

Death Race [wikipedia.org] got there first.

Re:Heads Up and Activision Statement

[Knara]

I'm confused.

This (from TFA and Activision):

The scene establishes the depth of evil and the cold bloodedness of a rogue Russian villain and his unit. By establishing that evil, it adds to the urgency of the player's mission to stop them.

Does not equal this (from TFS):

Footage shows the player engaged in killing civilians with terrorists

Which one is it (or is it both somehow)? This sounds like a bunch of uproar over a cutscene nobody understands the context of.

The player, presumably, has the choice of participating as a member of said rogue unit. It's not uncommon in these sorts of games to switch between roles amongst different actors in the storyline. CoD: Modern Warfare 1 had 5-6 different characters that the player assumed the role of during the course of the game.

Re:Heads Up and Activision Statement

[quantumplacet]

it appears to be both. from the video, it looks like you are a CIA operative undercover in a terrorist cell, and you join in with them on a terrorist operation. unclear whether you HAVE to kill the civilians with them, or just CAN.

Re:WOW

[thinsoldier]

hmm... I'm pretty sure I've killed 5 or 6 times more civilians than that in just the first 2 hours of playing Prototype. And once you've leveled up enough to pick up a bus you can just hold it sideways and literally "mow" down the sidewalks full of people. Like cutting grass, screaming, blood-soaked grass.

Re:Pray tell, what does it "mean" ?

[runyonave]

Most Indians are vegeterians because, as you mentioned, due to their religious beliefs in Hinduism. But Middle Easterners are not vegeterian, as they eat meat. They just don't eat pork because it is against the religious beliefs of Islam. like Judaism.

Re:Probably intentional.

[Brian Gordon]

Did you watch the video? It's a squad walking around a shopping mall slaughtering everything that moves. A crowd of people just standing around, someone trying to pull a friend to safety, screaming bystanders trying to run away..

Anyway TFA says that the scene depicts some evil russian squad, not the "good guys". You're supposed to be horrified at the carnage and then want to stop them, which is apparently the objective of the single player campaign.

Re:Or perhaps not even the bad guy

[pete-classic]

Didja watch the video? You play some sort of paramilitary guy that walks into an airport with his squad and just starts shooting people who appear to be waiting for a plane.

I'm not sure how that fits in to what you were saying.

Having said all that, I've had a great time running over old ladies in a stolen garbage truck in GTAIII.

-Peter

Not confusing me

[Sibko]

I'm confused.

This (from TFA and Activision):

The scene establishes the depth of evil and the cold bloodedness of a rogue Russian villain and his unit. By establishing that evil, it adds to the urgency of the player's mission to stop them.

Does not equal this (from TFS):

Footage shows the player engaged in killing civilians with terrorists

Which one is it (or is it both somehow)? This sounds like a bunch of uproar over a cutscene nobody understands the context of.

It seems pretty simple: You play as a terrorist for one mission, and then the next mission you play as a counter terrorist.

I saw this leaked video even before there was much commentary or controversy on it, and this point was still exceedingly clear. You seem to be trying to imply that Infinity Ward is pulling a fast one, when they clearly are not.

Re:Probably intentional.

[commodore64_love]

I wouldn't care if the game had the player go-around killing kittens and little girls in pink dresses.

The key is not to suppress free expression, but instead simply vote with your dollar or euro (don't buy the game).

Re:Modern Warfare

[Artifakt]

We don't allow real Irony here, this is Slashdot.

Re:Probably intentional.

[gullevek]

Better choose Carmaggedon where the killing of pedestrians was sort of necessary to boost your time.

And man that was fun.