Usually when we talk about console wars, we mean a bunch of nerds whining about the platform they like best, but according to a report from activist group Toward Freedom, the PlayStation 2 may have caused an actual war in the Congo.
The decade long war in Africa is called "The PlayStation War" by some, because it came about partially because of insatiable Western demand for a rare black ore called coltan that is used in the PS2 as well as other electronic equipment. Evidence shows that hundreds of millions of dollars worth of coltan were stolen from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the most active thieves were reportedly the Rwandan military, fueling tensions between the two nations.
Not only that, but apparently the Rwandans were using slave and child labor to mine the elements needed for you to play Katamari Damacy. "Kids in Congo were being sent down mines to die so that kids in Europe and America could kill imaginary aliens in their living rooms," said British politician Oona King, who was a Member of Parliament from 1997 to 2005.
The entire saga is depressing and disheartening look at the consequences of global capitalism. Sorry for the buzzkill, man.
Toward Freedom: Inside Africa’s PlayStation War
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