MW2 causing ratings grief for the do-gooders

jumphonner · Oct 29, 2009

MW2 causing ratings grief for the do-gooders

http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/...players-massacre-civilians-20091029-hmey.html

A prominent children's lobby group is calling on the Government to review its decision to classify as suitable for 15-year-olds an upcoming video game that allows players to assume the role of a terrorist and shoot innocent civilians in an airport.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, a highly realistic shooter title due for release on November 10, is one of the most anticipated games of the year, having already won a slew of awards and having received an average rating of 94 per cent from critics.

But the game has sparked controversy after leaked footage revealed that, in one of the missions, players can join a group of Russian ultranationalist terrorists and massacre civilians with assault weapons in an airport.

The mission effectively simulates a terrorist attack from a first-person view.
Even gaming publications have expressed concern, with GameSpot saying the scene is "reminiscent of last year's mass killings in Mumbai".

The Classification Board gave the game - available on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC - an MA15+ rating this month. Australia is one of the only Western democracies without an adult (R18+) rating for video games.
Jane Roberts, president of the Australian Council on Children and the Media, called on the Classification Board to review its rating decision.

She said even if the game maintained an MA15+ rating it would still be easily accessible by people under 15.

"The consequences of terrorism are just abhorrent in our community and yet here we are with a product that's meant to be passed off as a leisure time activity, actually promoting what most world leaders speak out publicly against," said Roberts, who is also the principal policy officer in Western Australia's Department of Premier and Cabinet [JH comments: no conflict of interest there is there?].

"We understand that it's a game but ... we're not far off when you look at the images that you could actually put it on a Channel Nine news report and you'd think maybe that is real. [JH comments: so if I watch the channel 9 news and "witness" an illegal act I am going to go out and conduct the same legal act?]

"If that material was on the internet about how to become a terrorist, how to join a group and how to wipe out people - that would be removed because it would not be acceptable." [JH comments: but it isn't. It is a GAME, a fantasy, make believe, fiction]

One of Australia's most ardent campaigners against violent video games and the main reason this country lacks an R18+ rating, South Australian Attorney-General Michael Atkinson, said: "Expecting game designers to be responsible by not glorifying terrorism will always lead to disappointment."

Activision, the game's publisher, and its lawyers, have been working frantically to remove all traces of the footage from the web, arguing that it was released illegally before the game had come out. But the company has confirmed the footage is authentic and that the mission is part of the game.

In the report accompanying its decision to give the game an MA15+ rating, the Classification Board said that in the scene: "Several civilians are shot with blood burst bullet wounds; civilian corpses are strewn across the airport floor, often in stylised pools of blood; injured civilians crawl away with lengthy blood trails behind them." [JH comments; just like the movies hey?]

But the Board noted that no post mortem damage can be inflicted on victims and, in other missions in the game, killing a civilian results in mission failure.

Activision said in a statement that the footage was "not representative of the overall gameplay experience". It said players could choose not to play the scene if they found it too confronting.

"Infinity Ward'sModern Warfare 2 features a deep and gripping storyline in which players face off against a terrorist threat dedicated to bringing the world to the brink of collapse," Activision said.

"The game includes a plot involving a mission carried out by a Russian villain who wants to trigger a global war. In order to defeat him, the player infiltrates his inner circle. The scene is designed to evoke the atrocities of terrorism."

Nicholas Suzor, spokesman for the lobby group Electronic Frontiers Australia, said the incident highlighted the need for an R18+ rating for video games. [JH comments: agree 100%]

But he did not believe a video game could breed terrorism. He said previous games such as Counter-Strike have allowed players to assume the role of terrorists.

"Films often show the villain's perspective and, by doing that, they get across the character's story and the heinous nature of people who carry out atrocities. Games, too, are becoming more expressive, and are telling more involved stories," Suzor said.

"We may make an argument that these sorts of topics are not suitable for children, but I don't at all accept that it is unsuitable for adults."

The Classification Board would not comment on whether or not it will review its rating decision following this week's controversy.

Oh well. Lucky IW shot themselves in the foot and that few Aussie PC gamers will be buying the game due to the lack of dedicated servers. Got to save ourselves from ourselves.

Hansuke · Oct 29, 2009

"Activision said in a statement that the footage was "not representative of the overall gameplay experience". It said players could choose not to play the scene if they found it too confronting."

Like a teenager is going to make THAT decision!

I don't care for censorship, and I know its a slippery slope, but in the case of Activision, in this instance, for MW2; Ban it!

WhaCk · Oct 30, 2009

They are all barking mad the lot of them ...they give it a 15+ rating as its fairly real and bloody and L4D2 they say no and effectively ban it ffs...these womble headed dickwads couldn't find there collective arses with both hands.

Hossy! · Oct 30, 2009

ban it! no need for that terrorism shite!

CFodder · Oct 30, 2009

Yeah, just ban it coz it's got no ded server, fuck 'em .

Ozbrat · Oct 30, 2009

Atkinson glories in Modern Warfare 2 media bloodbath
http://games.on.net/article/7287/Atkinson_glories_in_Modern_Warfare_2_media_bloodbath

The fallout continues from the revelation that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will include a level where you get to play as a terrorist.

Jane Roberts, WA bureaucrat and president of the 'Australian Council on Children and the Media' is appalled: "The consequences of terrorism are just abhorrent in our community and yet here we are with a product that's meant to be passed off as a leisure time activity, actually promoting what most world leaders speak out publicly against."

Likewise, SA Attorney-General Michael Atkinson is unimpressed: "Expecting game designers to be responsible by not glorifying terrorism will always lead to disappointment."

It would be safe to assume that this is just the beginning, and that more disingenuous analysis from our self-styled moral guardians will flow like blood from a gaping wound...

medicated · Oct 30, 2009

Banning this title is going to do no good, as those who want to play it will pirate it or import it. Banning games, especially in this country, should be frowned upon.

What they need to do is create an R18+ classification and then reclassify the game. It is about time they realized that adults don't need to be shoved into the teenager nursery. Parents need to be held accountable for the content that their children view and not the government.

It really cheeses me off that they do not have this rating and just ban games because of it, forcing developers to censor their products. I like to play games, terrorist or not, as they were intended to be viewed. The more I see this, the more it makes me want to move back to the US.

It may be shitty over their, government , economy, general idiot population, but at least I can shoot some civvies or decapitate zombies without fear of a non game playing knob sitting in a political seat telling me what I can and can not look at.

Cheers,
Med

CFodder · Oct 30, 2009

Take a short short over to NZ bud, we have 18+ classification here bud LOL ... actually, nah, best you get back to the good 'ol US of a

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MW2 causing ratings grief for the do-gooders

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