Ghost Recon 2, Playing a Dangerous Game?

[SAS]

Ghost Recon 2 with its storyline set in the year 2007 on the PlayStation 2 and 2011 on the Xbox, features missions in a war wrecked North Korea.

Technically North Korea is still at war with the south and a game like Ghost Recon 2 has unsurprisingly caused annoyance.

South Korea have banned the game, while the North after seeing a preview at this years E3 commented:

"Through propaganda, entertainment and movies, [Americans] have shown everyone their hatred for us. This may be just a game to them now, but a war will not be a game for them later. In war, they will only face miserable defeat and gruesome deaths."

The full story can be read on here on Gamespot, but this raises an issue. Is it dangerous to base games on events that, could spiral out of control at any moment? Can games go to far? Or is there no limit to where a game could go with its content?

 

[nath]

Well, I don't believe in censorship but I think it'd be a little more tasteful to invent a couple of nations to base the game on. A bit like zekestahn in full spectrum warrior - except make it slightly less obvious which nation it's supposed to be.

 

[Clown]

Why does it matter? I know everyone brings it up, but is it not the same as World War 2 games? Apparently this happened in real life too.

 

[Tom]

I think you may have missed the point by about 65 years Clown.

 

[Clown]

Some of them are still alive, but so what? The ones that are dead were people too.

 

[kingcon]

I think it is a bit insensitive to of set the game in Korea when they can just as easily of made up the location whilst still essentially makeing a good game.
I mean.. look at Operation Flashpoint for an example, that was fantastic! and to my knowledge not many objected to that... although it was set in the past also.

It seems the trend these days though that people are taking a bash at video games and blaming them for acts of violence, (if you saw the tonight show with Trevor McDonald about Man hunt) and how they teach children to do bad things.

Back on topic.. i don’t think the North Koreans had any rite to respond to games like GR 2 by saying what they said, far too extreme and fundamentalist !

Wasnt the original GR full of made up countries and factions ? one could say GR2 is trying to make a name for itself with this Korean storyline? hmmm (correct me if im wrong)

 

[nath]

Some of them are still alive, but so what? The ones that are dead were people too.

I see what you're saying and I don't completely disagree - I'm not sure WW2 games are ok, and I'm not sure I'm on board with the recent splurge of vietnam based games. However I do think that time is an issue, and as such - the older the conflict the less offensive.

However don't ask me to defend that point too fervently - I'm not entirely convinced.

 

[kingcon]

yeah i agree nath there’s a fine line to tread, it could be argued that WW2 games are indeed good to an extent (obviously individual games may differ) in the fact they can be "educational" and keep fresh the memory of the men and women who gave their life’s for what they thought rite.

At the end of the day though its just a game and people should be sensible enough to take that into consideration. Tricky stuff really; its down to an individuals tastes and morals i suppose (such as that Kennedy assassination game.. in my opinion wayy too close to the bone).

 

[Doomy]

Im sick of this argument. Yeah you are running round shooting people in the face in Germany, Vietnam etc etc causing grevious bodily harm to blacks, whites and asians, mangling their dead corpses with your bayonet. I think the plus point in that is the fact that you arent really doing it so wherever it is or whenever its set is irelevant.

The loss of human life is an awful thought in any bloody era. And if a game chooses to depict violence and destruction in that particular place (Korea etc) so be it, it wouldnt be better off elsewhere.

 

[~Yuckfou~]

Some of them are still alive, but so what? The ones that are dead were people too.

I believe the point is that the game may be inflammatory, and therefore even go some way, however small towards causing a war.
Being inflammatory about WWII is irrelavant, what happened is fact, whether people choose to accept it or not.

 

[Whipped]

Can you imagine the publicity the publishers would get if their game caused a small war. Stupid imho. Although I agree with the South's banning of it. Wise move.

 

[Jonaldo]

I don't think it's anything to do with those who have died or the respect or lack of those people. It's more to do with political situations and how they are viewed.
Generally WWII is still seen as Good Vs Evil as far as the allies and Hitler goes and not many tend to disagree, Vietnam may touch a nerve with a few people but again most people know what happened out there and the outcome of it.

Making a game about the near future of a nation that the USA are a bit touchy with to say the least at the moment, and if they are represented as being the 'evil' side then I can see what their government may be upset about.

 

[Clown]

Don't get me wrong though. I'd still play WW2 games, Vietnam games, and I might play this game. I just don't see too much of a difference between the insensitivty of the matter.

 

[Jonaldo]

Don't get me wrong though. I'd still play WW2 games, Vietnam games, and I might play this game. I just don't see too much of a difference between the insensitivty of the matter.

Hitler isn't around to be pissed off about it. The current Korean government leaders are

 

[MrBlack]

In these situations I tend to ask myself how I would feel in a situation where a game is set in a riot-torn Oxford.

I'd think: "Coooooool, I get to massacre annoying bus drivers and hordes of French tourists! Bliss!"

Still, it probably didn't help the game's image among the Koreans that GR2 was plotted by an (allegedly) flag/gun waving, right-wing nutter.

 

[Konah]

Is it dangerous to base games on events that, could spiral out of control at any moment?

only when u have a war-mongering psychopath in the whitehouse.

...the american electorate, heh :worthy:

 

[Catsby]

only when u have a war-mongering psychopath in the whitehouse.

...the american electorate, heh :worthy:

Catsby is curious as to why the Americans are to blame. Catsby wonders if you have ever heard of Kim Jong-il?

 

[kingcon]

Catsby is curious as to why the Americans are to blame. Catsby wonders if you have ever heard of Kim Jong-il?

Yeah hehe i know what country id rather live in