So, you might’ve seen the news regarding a controversial name change in Electronic Arts’ upcoming Medal of Honor reboot, set to hit stores next week. Instead of facing off against the Taliban, based on a real terrorist group, you will instead be facing…the “Opposing Force”. Now, will this make any difference in terms of gameplay? No, we don’t really think so, as it’ll still pack enough excitement and run-and-gun action to keep fans of first-person shooters coming back for more. But, still, it’s a little worrisome when a game that is supposed to be based on a real tier of soldier – Tier 1 operatives, to be exact – and yet the enemies they face aren’t so realistically named. That’s not to say they won’t react like a real terrorist would. You’ll run into several dire situations where the “Opposing Force” rains gunfire down on you or blows up one of your transport choppers right there in front of you. So obviously they’ll still act like a real threat. Seriously, though, what’s in a name? Is Electronic Arts afraid of courting the same kind of controversial reality that many military families and specialists frown upon? This is a war-based game, after all, and one set aside for mature audiences (the game carries an ESRB-issued M rating), and not something that, say, little Joey will pick up – unless his parents lack the responsibility to keep an eye on him, mind you.
This isn’t the first time that a game developer has flirted with controversy regarding a real military set-up. Atomic Games began work on a title picked up by Konami titled Six Days In Fallujah, based on a real Iraq war experience where soldiers from the 3rd Battalion 1st Marines were stuck in a vital, realistic war situation spanning six days. Controversial complaints from all directions led Konami to drop the title from its development stages, though Atomic states that it’s still in production and coming out soon. Under who developer or on what date, however, is yet to be seen. That’s not all. Last year, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, amidst big holiday sales and controversy regarding a rift between Infinity Ward and Activision, ran into bigger trouble. Before the game was released, a leaked video showed a mission where the player took control of a soldier on an undercover mission, joining a terrorist faction as they gunned down innocent people in an airport. Again, many concerned parents and military types complained about the stage, though Infinity Ward later stated that the stage was optional to play, and skipping through it wouldn’t cost gamers precious Trophies or Achievements. Still, its inclusion remained a huge problem for some, although most gamers didn’t mind going through it or, given the option, skipping past it.
Now we’re onto Medal of Honor, with the Taliban being removed entirely in mention in favor of “Opposing Force”. Not only that, but certain Gamestop locations near a military base are refusing to carry the title, despite the fact that games like Modern Warfare 2 and the like are still in reach. C’mon, these soldiers see this kind of action every day, what’s the big deal if they get to do it in video games, too? Are you afraid they’ll get too stressed out on their time off? If anything, soldiers might learn a thing or two from the Tier 1 mantra. Sigh. There’s just no getting around controversy. The name change has happened and there’s no reversing it, but that doesn’t make the game any less effective when it comes to its swift combat and thrilling gameplay. We’ll review the game further when it hits stores next week, and let you know if it affects the experience as a whole. Hey, if people are getting mad about it, that probably means the realism is on the level where it should be. Good to see a few feathers getting ruffled, even if it’s done by an “Opposing Force”.
We reached out to Electronic Arts for an official comment on this story, regarding the removal of Taliban from Medal of Honor, and have heard nothing back; silence is golden in the world of public relations.
