Spoiler Alert: Leaked Modern Warfare 2 Sequence Sparks Controversy In Australia

36 Comments Posted October 30, 2009 - By Jake Gaskill

Modern Warfare 2 Cryptic Teaser »

A recently leaked scene from Infinity Ward’s upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 depicting players (SPOILER ALERT) playing as terrorists has sparked some rather heated discussions since it appeared earlier in the week. (The above video was the original teaser trailer for the game, and it clearly features the audio portion of the scene in question.) Shockingly, the Australian Council on Children have called for the game’s MA-15+ rating to be re-reviewed, Game Politics reports.

“The consequences of terrorism are just abhorrent in our community,” the groups’ president Jane Roberts told The Age, “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. 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.”

Australia’s most open-minded attorney general, Michael Atkinson (who has single-handedly held back the approval of a R18+ for video games in the country), astutely and reasonably observed, “Expecting game designers to be responsible by not glorifying terrorism will always lead to disappointment.”

On the non-loony side of the coin is spokesman for the lobby group Electronic Frontiers Australia, Nicholas Suzor, said, “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.”

What’s interesting about all of this is that if the board stands by its R15+ rating for the game, that means either it sees no issue with the controversial scene, or the board didn’t see the scene before it made its decision about the rating. Either way, as a Classification Board spokesman explained, the board isn’t able to review its own decision, so a formal application to Board will be required if a re-review were to occur.

Even more fascinating is that one of the main reasons the Australian ratings board forced Valve to make significant cuts to Left 4 Dead 2 in order to avoid the game being banned was that the zombies looked too human. So apparently, (SPOILER ALERT) mowing down 100 percent human civilians in MW2 is fine, but mowing down zombified humans is too disturbing? Here’s a new slogan I’m trying out: Australia’s stance on creative expression - Not Making Sense Since Ever.

Thoughts?

Source

Tags: PC Gaming, PlayStation 3, Videogames, Xbox 360

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LarcenousLaugh

I think it's hilarious that Australia gets MW2 but doesn't get L4D2. Like what the hell. In one, we mow down helpless civilains in an airport (which, if I were a terrorist [i'm not, though I guess that's what a terrorist would say] is exactly the kind of mindless terror I would plan on unleashing), and that gets a pass cause it's trying to tell a story. In the other, we are mowing down zombies (not so helpless) who are trying to bring about the end of mankind for no better reason then the hunger for flesh. Hrmm. Yeah, I'd choose the terrorists too... BAAAW!

Posted: October 30, 2009 10:03 AM | Reply | Report

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Tango626

I think that its perfectly ok to see the game through the eyes of the games villian even if that villian happens to be scum sucking terrorists. We all know that Australia will do anything to make sure a violent game wont come out in their country so this doesn't really shock me at all.

Posted: October 30, 2009 10:11 AM | Reply | Report

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zimmy91

Australia gets a fail on there makings of sense.

Posted: October 30, 2009 10:16 AM | Reply | Report

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Not_FAT

To think that i once thought australia was cool

Posted: October 30, 2009 10:19 AM | Reply | Report

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Yourwarlord

so wait people raise a tiff about you doing all the killing to civilians, yet in CoD4: MW does no one remember the scene where you cant do anything, you watch from a car, executions, only to lead up to....OH WAIT you get shot yourself. Where was all this media coverage then. So its ok to have a scene with you being a PoW and get killed, but the moment that its you killing people, not that you cant kill innocent people in other games, But the moment we use the term TERROIST people's sphincters tighten up. wtf. seriously would people still react the same if it where say, russian special ops. How about use the term...bond villians. IDK but why is it a label we worry about. if you wanna be technical a terrorist is can be a kid in a highschool defacing public property by ohh graffiti. seriously....think people think.

Posted: October 30, 2009 10:23 AM | Reply | Report

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FuzzyHammer

good slogan, lol

Posted: October 30, 2009 10:24 AM | Reply | Report

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z26mb4027

i think people should grow a pair. This type of stuff isn't going to go away anytime soon. If anything its educating a younger generation about how terrorism is heinous and that its something that must be stopped. The think the idea of sheltering younger children will soon backfire, and i guess we will see very very soon.

Posted: October 30, 2009 10:33 AM | Reply | Report

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magneto9

Our world is never going to get better until people realize how slim the threat of "terrorism" is. Run the numbers and do some actual thinking. More people die every year from murder, colds, diseases, etc than "terrorism". We also have to remember "terrorism" is a very broad term that can be used to encompass anything if a government would like to deem it as such.

Currently "terrorism" is used as an excuse to do horrible things to others, to strip away rights and kill innocents across the world. Until people wake up and realize this, things will only get worse. The more we try to suppress it, the more extremists we help create. People need to get over themselves. Especially when it comes to a game. GTA is more shocking. More people die from gang wars and urban violence than terrorism in developed nations.

Posted: October 30, 2009 10:35 AM | Reply | Report

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superlongshlong

"the Australian Council on Children have called for the game s MA-15+ rating to be re-reviewed"

Hmmm seems this game isn't for children why are they sticking their noses in it? In England its an 18 so its not for children so why are they getting involved?

Is that just Australia?

Posted: October 30, 2009 10:36 AM | Reply | Report

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ProjektX13

Please this is one of the most ridiculous "scandals" that I have ever heard since Konami backed out of Six Days in Falujah. Games a starting to show so much of what is going around the world and I give props to Infinity Ward for tackling those scenes and giving them life. Lets face it we are tired of the fantasy world element that plagues every game. We want something that is happening right now something real that we can sink our teeth and enjoy. For instances Director Larry Clark has made some of the most fascinating movies ever such as Kids, Ken Park, Bully, and Wassup Rockers. And he was kicked to the curb because of making such bold moves by getting into topics such as teen sex, underage drinking, drug use, rape, parental issues, etc...

Posted: October 30, 2009 10:38 AM | Reply | Report

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Slasher327

Why dont they just make Australian-versions of games so that they dont suffer the crappy bans or R-18!? BTW wtf is wrong with that country anyway?

Posted: October 30, 2009 10:41 AM | Reply | Report

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NsRhea

"So apparently, mowing down 100 percent human civilians in MW2 is fine, but mowing down zombified humans is too disturbing?"

You obviously have never played a call of duty game. Pieces of their head and misc. limbs don't fall off. When someone in CoD dies their body doesn't exploding throwing guts in every direction. They just ragdoll.

Posted: October 30, 2009 10:44 AM | Reply | Report

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kampfer_sama

People have been making (offensive) games about terrorism for years, but have been ignored for their lack of dramatic impact despite the fact that the games would often involve civilian casualties for comedic effect. Now that a game that offers a realistic, dramatic presentation of terrorists as individuals to be vilified, the game comes under attack.

I'm going to play the game, and I expect it to have an emotional effect on me. I still don't expect to be too shaken up by it, though, since I've spent so much time running around Liberty City.

Posted: October 30, 2009 11:28 AM | Reply | Report

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splashTDub

Well thanks Australia ruining another game, if i recall the same thing happened with fallout 3 (making them change the name of the drugs), but surely a country founded by convicts would have a more wide open stance on VIDEO GAMES,

these bloody people that think "oh the world is so evil i need to protect my children from everything and then they will grow up to be model citizens" Wrong, they are only gonna grow up, emotionally cripple, thinking their word is law and having a strange attraction to their parents.

look it is no problem for an American or British character to blow away a tonne of middle eastern people but for one of them to fight back.....that is just blasphemy.

so grow up Australia, get out of the dark ages and stop trying to change the world by ruining our video games, why not target something worth while like your countries over fascination with glorifying your countries serial killers, or the overwhelming amount of teens that openly use ecstasy.

"Australia where the bloody hell are ya"

Posted: October 30, 2009 11:29 AM | Reply | Report

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JPizzle151

I agree with a lot of the posts on here. There are far worse things that could be depicted. Let's keep in mind that the majority of people playing games do understand the difference for right and wrong. I would imagine for more people than not games are a way to escape and relieve stress (I know it is for me). Let's be honest if the game started with another 80's story line involving stealing some sort of nuclear material, a lot of fans would be upset.

Posted: October 30, 2009 11:32 AM | Reply | Report

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GreedyMcNasty

I look at it the same way as when the German's starts freaking out about blood and violence in video games. Don't sell it in there country!!!! The true hardcore fans that really want the game will import it some way. I say make the game as bloody and filled with terror as possible. The nations that ban it can have there people revolt and cry out in pain. Besides what are you losing out on 12,000 sales? OH NO! No one wants there crappy connections over here anyways.

Posted: October 30, 2009 12:06 PM | Reply | Report

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poker909

Controversy in Australia?

They ban EVERYTHING there!

Posted: October 30, 2009 12:14 PM | Reply | Report

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Purplehasiso

The difference between L4D 60% Human and CODMW2 100% human is gallons of blood, brains and bones with appendages being torn and shot off. COD has always been a relatively realistic but clean shooter whereas L4D has extremely depictive violence. Its really not that big of an issue and is redundant to compare the two games.

Posted: October 30, 2009 1:40 PM | Reply | Report

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sukTHEfacc

no matter what ppl think, it's free speech. tv shows and movies do stuff like this all time, for the sake of drama, so wtf is so different about video games?

facists bastards controlling what u can and cant watch. this worl is sick. maybe if there was no terrorism in the first place, scenes like this wouldnt be made.

Posted: October 30, 2009 2:47 PM | Reply | Report

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Yatzee1000

Don't you get shot in the face after playing as the terrorist? I don't think that getting executed for acting like a dick glorifies terrorism but I'm sadly not the one in power.

Posted: October 30, 2009 5:08 PM | Reply | Report

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