"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" community manager Robert Bowling wasn't kidding when he said this week might be a good time for players to look away from the Internet if they want "a spoiler free and pure 'Modern Warfare 2' experience." A leaked video involving what are ostensibly terrorist operations from the game has stirred up plenty of controversy, and voices in Australia, a worldwide leader in game censorship, are on the front lines. [Warning: Potential game spoilers after the jump.]
"Expecting game designers to be responsible by not glorifying terrorism will always lead to disappointment," South Australian Attorney-General Michael Atkinson said, according to The Age.
In rundown over on GamePolitics.com, several Australian sources issue grievances with the game for allowing players to presumably act as terrorists in "Modern Warfare 2," at least one of whom expects video game content to be evaluated as a "leisure activity" instead of an entertainment medium or artform on par with films or novels.
"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," Australian Council on Children and the Media president Jane Roberts told the Australian publication.
Activision, meanwhile, defended the game, calling its content appropriate for adults, and compared it to an adult-rated action movie.
“'Modern Warfare 2' is a fantasy action game designed for intense, realistic game play that mirrors real life conflicts, much like epic, action movies," the company sad in a statement relayed on vg247.com. "It is appropriately rated 18 for violent scenes, which means it is intended for those who are 18 and older.”
Do you think video games should be evaluated as a leisure activity instead of an entertainment medium like movies or music? Do you think the game goes too far by putting players in a position to carry out potentially terrorist-like attacks? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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