games  anime  |  toys
Destructoid is gaming news, community, videos, and sometimes love. Take the tour or jump in with Facebook:

 


Modern Warfare 2 imagery already upsetting people photo

The latest trailer for Modern Warfare 2, depicting a Washington under siege, was only revealed this Sunday, but it's already raised the ire of crybabies/pot stirrers who can't handle the concept of a videogame trying something contemporary and unique with its plot.

The Christian Science Monitor does the predictable and easy thing -- invokes 9/11 like it was Godwin's Law and insinuating that no videogame should dare even think of touching that sacred and Holy event. The article stops short of accusing Infinity Ward of "trivializing" 9/11, but it does manage to throw in the obligatory Grand Theft Auto reference. It also displays ignorance of the subject by completely skipping the Fallout 3 post-nuke Washington imagery.

"And with what’s coming out of the gaming industry these days (Grand Theft Auto IV, anyone?) is this any worse? Maybe not," explains the writer. "But this is one of the first times such striking imagery has surfaced since 9/11, when the idea of widespread destruction on US soil was suddenly thrust into reality."

Interestingly, the author of the post claims that, "Some say the images of destruction on US soil are too much for a post-9/11 audience," yet it provides no evidence of these mysterious criticisms and instead seems to indicate that somebody's trying to invent a controversy. The article also implies that showing devastation in a videogame is perfectly fine, provided it's not American devastation. 

I am mainly posting about this because I doubt this is the last we'll hear of this issue, and I fully expect the usual unimaginative outlets to jump on this "shocking 9/11 imagery" as soon as they hear about it. I could go on a rant about how, almost ten years on, people need to grow a set and stop being hypersensitive little bitches and screaming "9/11" at everything, but I'll save that until this inevitable canned controversy kicks into overdrive.


Continue: More Xbox 360 stories





prev
next 50 comments

129 comments | showing # 1 to 50

Xhumation's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:33
Xhumation
Saw this coming a mile away.

Seriously why do people jump the gun like this?
prolifikstudio's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:35
prolifikstudio
This always happens.
Nightrain117's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:38
Nightrain117
I find it sort of interesting that the guy in the trailer was talking about this exact sort of thing - how the americans didn't mind spilling blood because it wasn't on their soil.
CelicaCrazed's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:39
CelicaCrazed
They got it wrong. Modern Warfare 2 is trivializing Fallout 3's trivialization of 9/11!! God people can be soo stupid sometimes.
Sonic9jct's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:40
Sonic9jct
That is a good point... they forgot about Fallout 3... about a year too late...
artha14's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:40
artha14
Argggggg!!!!! Movies comics and tv do this setting all the time! What makes videogames bad for attempting a plot that is edgy!? Sigh.... At las he get free media coverage. ^_^ idiots..........
kefkaesque's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:41
kefkaesque
I don't care that the battle ground is gonna be DC, but I'll be honest and admit that the whole "US Army soldiers are ignorant and evil" message pissed me off.
Kefka's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:41
Kefka
Bad move, but yeah, people are crybabies. I often wonder how much more backbone my countrymen would have had in the early post-revolutionary days.
Jon B's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:42
Jon B
I was actually waiting for this article to show up.

Seriously, 9/11 was ages ago. Plenty of films have represented US soil being destroyed. But of course, in a game where you fight to DEFEND it, you're criticised for wanting to. Makes perfect sense to me.

I don't remember there being a huge racket over the exploding UK landmarks in V for Vendetta, anyway.
10dvkz's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:42
10dvkz
These people don't know what else to do exept to talk about how videogames are violent or how they promote violence, in this case about how the game supposely talks about 9/11. They should get a life and talk about things that are more important like how the f*ck are our soldiers going to get back or something! Awesome trailer too the best one I've seen.
RIMoonlight's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:45
RIMoonlight
I don't seem to recall people crying foul over Fallout 3's (or Fallout in general) 'images of destruction on US soil'. Considering the lack of outcry, I'd assume that MW2 images would not 'too much for a post-9/11 audience'.
Besides, knowing CoD:MW2's action/spy movie style approach to it's single-player, you can expect everything to go okay.

Although I kinda wouldn't want that. Be pretty damn stereotypical. It'd be really ballsy if the final moments of the game, your efforts didn't go through as planned, and it ends with Russia firing a couple dozen nukes at America. Last moments involve trying to find cover, before a flash consumes you and it goes 'CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 2' or something.

Or something like that.
Lyger101's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:45
Lyger101
The reason why Fallout 3 wasn't attacked for having D.C. in ruins is because the graphics and imagery. Fallout had a nuked Washington nothing else going on...while MW2 has soldiers fighting to regain control of the white house while fires and bodies lay around. I was a bit shocked to see this but then thought how Inf.Ward was really pushing their story to be something real intriguing. Anyway this sh*t will blow over in a week or so... or maybe get worse once the game comes out and the whole thing is revealed.
Ghost Maker's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:45
Ghost Maker
The 'christian science' monitor? Isnt that an oxymoron...
Who told the christians about science?
Was it you jim?
See, this is why we can't have nice things.
RIMoonlight's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:46
RIMoonlight
Grammar fail, I meant 'would not be' not 'would not 'too much, ...'.
TheStripe's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:46
TheStripe
Hype machine go!!!
Los255's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:47
Los255
"The article also implies that showing devastation in a videogame is perfectly fine, provided it's not American devastation. "

Oh please. Give me a fucking break with that elitist nonsense.
Xzyliac's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:47
Xzyliac
We talked about this today in one of my classes (Peace Studies).

We were talking about advertising as a part of propaganda and somebody mentioned the whole Fallout 3 thing when a nuked DC caused a big uproar. It's interesting because the big moment in the Independence Day film was The White Hiuse getting blasted by a huge ass laser beam. Nobody bitched then. And in the movie 2012 there's a scene of DC being completely obliterated and no one called them out on it.

It's sad the prejudice so many still hold against video games and just new things in general be it music, movies, tv, anything. It doesn't even have a reason anymore. It used to be video games were training kid to kill. Now they're just bad in general without reason.
Jon B's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:47
Jon B
@RIMoonlight
Dear god, whatever the ending of MW2 is, unless it is what you described, I will no longer be able to enjoy it.
I think that IW would actually be ballsy enough to do it too. That nuke scene in MW1 seriously struck a nerve.
Oncomouse's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:47
Oncomouse
We fight them over there... in our video games so that we don't have to fight them here... in our video games.
Ace Flibble's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:48
Ace Flibble
"And with what’s coming out of the gaming industry these days (Grand Theft Auto IV, anyone?)" You would think the '4' in the game's title would tell these people that these games have not just begun coming out ''these days''.

Where were these people when GTA:London came out? Where were they when the first Modern Warfare took the fight to suspiciously-generic--unnamed-Middle-East-country? Where were these knights of morality when India, Mexico, Japan, China, Germany, France, Italy and Britain were featured in violent games?

When a (proper, non-flash) game comes out that has you hijacking planes and flying them into skyscrapers, then people can start crying. Gun play on the lawn of the White House? Get over it, it's nothing.
Andre Navarro's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:48
Andre Navarro
Xhumation: "Saw this coming a mile away.

Seriously why do people jump the gun like this?"

They like to cause trouble, feel like they're right and superior in their righteousness. Like they're fighting for a huge cause, in this case being: "9/11 should always be a pink elephant and we should always be scared of it rather than grow out of it."
artha14's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:49
artha14
It's soooo cool that we fight on other soil but we show what it's like for use to be invaded? "9/11! 9/11!". I mean how do these people believe we ameicans are invincable? Sigh......
Lyger101's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:52
Lyger101
Obama gonna fight by your side when you help back him up in the west wing.
HiddenAHB's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:52
HiddenAHB
If Bin Laden didn't blowed up the WTC they wouldn't have nothing to compare this to. Damn you Bin Laden!!
10BobMarleys's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:55
10BobMarleys
No problem with setting off a nuke in the middle east during COD4 though....
TheDirtyHobo's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:57
TheDirtyHobo
The only thing that pisses me off about it is that insurgent terrorists even managed to take lay siege to DC and the White House in their fictional-but-based-on-reality universe. Do they really think ragtag jyhadists that are barely defending their own country could somehow muster up a strike force large enough to overtake goddamn Washington DC, one of the most protected areas of the United States?

That's what makes me mad.
brainderailment's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:57
brainderailment


FUCK OFF!
Pacopaco's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:58
Pacopaco
@Ghost Maker
Not sure if that was a joke or not, but the Christian Science Monitor is actually a rather respected publication that does not preach religion in the way its name might imply.

Doesn't mean that this particular write-up is correct, but they do tend to have some excellent articles.
Necro BABS's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 21:59
Necro BABS
It must be a slow religious day for the christians.
brainderailment's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 22:01
brainderailment
You only propagate these images by complaining about them. It will be on Faux News and millions will watch.
Andre Navarro's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 22:01
Andre Navarro
Necro: "It must be a slow religious day for the christians."

Always is. Every day they wake up and see Jesus hasn't come back yet, so they need something to pass the time, really.
Dexter345's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 22:03
Dexter345
Ugh. I guess I could have expected this. But seriously, why is it okay for movies to depict the attack on the World Trade Center, Tom Clancy can write books about it, but games aren't allowed to even touch on a hypothetical like another attack on U.S. soil? It's a double standard and it doesn't make any sense.
shawn is boring's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 22:03
shawn is boring
We'll see just how many people are offended when this thing sells 80 bajillion copies.
Electrium's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 22:04
Electrium
I almost feel guilty for taking Activision's side, being that I hate them, but wow. This is exactly why people around the world think us Americans are bigoted idiots. I'm ashamed.

If people were never challenged, or never forced to see things that made them uncomfortable, we'd never move on or learn anything. It's pathetic how the people who get attention and mass media support (i.e. prime time news) are the people who are shoving their heads in the sand and pretending to live this perfect, sheltered life.
JamHandy's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 22:06
JamHandy
"But this is one of the first times such striking imagery has surfaced since 9/11"
Really? Because I could swear that in the last six months or so InFamous, ProtoType, and Bionic Commando each took place in a large American(-ish) city in the immediate aftermath of a far more 9/11-ish event than the full-scale invasion shown in that trailer.

Also, I think all further mention of recent media criticism of games should now include a completely context-free parenthetical of "(Christian Science Monitor, anyone?)"
msuvivi's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 22:06
msuvivi
im still not right from red dawn.
Ninja Cameraman's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 22:07
Ninja Cameraman
I love how Fallout 3 did worse to Washington and so did Turning Point: Fall of Liberty but the ''They're made-up'' excuses work. When Call of Duty does it in a world where A NUKE WENT OFF IN THE MIDDLE EAST it's ''Too real''
pascuz46's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 22:07
pascuz46
Bring on the destruction of Washington DC in video game form. A place like that so rich in symbolism and architecture would be a waste if it was destroyed in real life. Lets hope that never happens, but in the mean time, I like IW idea.
Super Drybones's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 22:10
Super Drybones
So it's perfectly alright for politicians to bring up 9/11 constantly, but the second a game makes something that can kinda be misinterpreted as 9/11ish, GOD IS PISSED!!
Aziel13's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 22:11
Aziel13
serisouly! ,are you Fecking kidding me.
Fecking ai!, people need to stop being over FECKING
sensitive grow a Fecking pair ((yes I say fecking trying to cut back on the cursing both on teh intwebz and in life))
Higgins's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 22:11
Higgins
My god. I think my BP went up about 80 points reading this. Of course this will receive mainstream media attention now, ala 'sexbox 360 and Mass Effect' nonsense. Just hope that this doesn't cause Activision to 'refine' the game before release. :P
Wootmeister's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 22:12
Wootmeister
I'm offended by other people being offended by this imagery! What now?!
TheDreadHawk's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 22:14
TheDreadHawk
So it's perfectly fine to show imagery of an airport in Russia being shot up by terrorists in suits, but it's bad to show some soldiers fighting to reclaim the nation's capital? Y'know, like they're supposed to do?

It would at least be slightly justified outcry if they brought up the airport massacre in the beginning of the trailer but they completely skip it because it's in another country. What the hell? this is just fucking silly.
Buga's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 22:14
Buga
9/11 happend 9 years ago, people gotta stop thinking any imagery of white house in destruction is propaganda against united states.
ndschroede23's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 22:14
ndschroede23
I'm glad the Christian Science Monitor is saying this. I was right behind them when they attacked CoD4 for trivializing the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Wait...

/SARCASM I WAS KIDDING EVERYONE
natetehgreat's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 22:15
natetehgreat
While I don't think Modern Warfare 1 was some shining example of depth or realism in videogames—Where were the civilians, for instance?—and I doubt MW2 will be much different, I do appreciate that designers are turning the lens towards us, towards America, rather than always pointing away at some foreign country that we're supposed to be at odds with. Even if it means DC has been ransacked by some foreign enemy, it's still refreshing to have an invasion of America, rather than America doing the invading.

Splinter Cell Conviction seems to be taking this even further, making the US government the enemy. I think everyone is fatigued with fighting Russians/Germans/Middle-Easterners while America is consistently presented as blameless.
Ninja Cameraman's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 22:15
Ninja Cameraman
@Higgins

20 bucks says the pull the non-descript location shit like when they tastefully had the first MW game happen in "Unspecifiedistan"

Just call it Mew Bashington or just "The Capitol" and voila
CjnLion's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 22:16
CjnLion
What I think would really raise some eyebrows is the scenery of airport devastation depicted in the trailer. Yet from what I gathered, that scene does not even take place in America - there is clearly a tricolour hanging from the wall, indicating it could be in France or the Netherlands.
turbbit's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 22:17
turbbit
Christian Science Monitor, huh? How bout we wait till someone important over reacts and throws a fit before we over react and throw a fit?
Corak's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/06/2009 22:17
Corak
What brainderailment said. Its not surprising when I think about it now, seeing those images from the trailer I didn't think much of it. But I should have known this would happen eventually. Also the people who say stuff like this are scared, they live in fear of the whole 911 event. If you live in fear to the point where no one can show or talk about DC on fire in a warzone then you have conceded victory to the terrorists.
prev next 50 comments

Comment with Facebook





Click connect and comment instantly!

Comment with Dtoid





New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds

Comments policy

Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?

Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!

 
New on Destructoid.TV play all videos

Loading
Loading Destructoid Videos


    Win this!
    Dive in! meetup+play for a chance to win a PC

    Dtoid Twitter    Got news?   tips@destructoid.com

    Reviews & Previews
    Echoes review
    Assassin's Creed 2 review
    Crossfire Remote Pistol review
    Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles review
    Left 4 Dead 2 review
    more reviews
    Driver
    Avatar
    GT Racing Motor Academy
    Bad Company 2 beta dishes out meaningful experiences
    Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks
    more previews


    - The Dtoid Army is 51163 strong -

    Showing Cblogs with 3+ faps   show all

    Call for entries: do the wrong thing

    New to Dtoid? Read the survival guide




     Originals
    Joseph Leray: Revisited: Gears of War 2, Pinocchio, and masculinity





















    More Destructoid Originals




     Popular now more
    Assassins CreedReview: Assassin's Creed 2
    591 comments + 41542 views
    Destructoid OriginalWhy No More Heroes HD could mean a Wii total victory
    152 comments + 30508 views
    FAILGirl smashes boyfriend's Xbox 360, films it
    160 comments + 16924 views
    BattlefieldBad Company 2 beta dishes out meaningful experiences
    43 comments + 16114 views
    Black FridayBlack Friday: Walmart going nuts with game sales
    31 comments + 16048 views
    Amazon.comBlack Friday: Amazon dropping deals all week long
    16 comments + 15004 views
    Amazon.comAmazon teases its Black Friday sales line-up
    18 comments + 14836 views
    Destructoid OriginalThe tragic history of the videogame turkey
    51 comments + 13276 views
    CapcomHot new SSFIV trailer shows Guy, Cody and Adon in action
    54 comments + 13222 views
    Call of DutyModern Warfare 2 DLC still planned for spring 2010
    27 comments + 12568 views


    Team Destructoid   tips@destructoid.com
    Nick Chester
    Editor-in-Chief
    Niero
    Founder, publisher
    Jim Sterling
    Reviews Editor
    Hamza Aziz
    Community Manager
    Dale North
    News Editor
    Rey Gutierrez
    Video editor & director
    Anthony Burch
    Features Editor
    Colette Bennett
    Tom Fronczak Brad Nicholson
    Ashley Davis Ben Perlee
    Conrad
    Zimmerman
    Chad Concelmo
    Jonathan Holmes Jonathan Ross
    Brad Rice Jordan Devore
    Will Maddock Matthew Razak
    Dyson Joseph Leray
    Topher Cantler Samit Sarkar
         
      Dexter
    Adam Dork
    Daniel Lingen
    Hollie Bennett
    Joe Burling
    Mikey
    Stella Wong

    Josh Tolentino




     

     
      get involved

    register or login
    post a blog
    post a forum
    enter a contest
    contribute a news tip
    suggest a feature
    be a guest editor
    support

    new member's guide
    login assistance
    tech support
    report abuse
    email our editors
    read our dev blog
    nuclear crisis?
    keep in touch

    RSS feed
    Twitter
    Facebook
    Myspace
    Flickr
    Game nights
    Meetup+play online
    seriously

    about Destructoid
    advertising
    terms of use
    privacy policy
    jobs at MM
    buy our crap
    our network

    Tomopop
    Japanator
    Despingation?




    Destructoid is an independently-run publication forged by our love of video games and the gaming community's need of accountable enthusiast press
    living the dream since March 16, 2006