Medal of Honor game goes on sale amid controversy

Medal of Honor has gone on sale despite calls by the UK defence secretary to ban it.

In case you haven't head the uproar, the game follows the exploits of Special Forces troops battling insurgents in Afghanistan and in August, Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox called for the game to be banned after it emerged that users could fight as The Taliban.

Dr Fox described the game as “un-British” and said it was “shocking that someone would think it acceptable to recreate the acts of the Taliban against British soldiers”.

But it wasn't just us Brits kicking up a fuss. The Canadian and Danish Defence Ministers also criticised the game.

In the end EA eventually renamed The Taliban “The Opposition”. But the controversy still lingers despite the name-change and the game is banned from sale on military bases, although rather farcically troops can purchase it elsewhere and play it on station but God knows who would want to effectively come home from work and then play a virtual version of work.

The game itself has received mostly positive reviews, scoring an average of 75% according to Metacritic. Computer and Video Games Magazine described it as “an accomplished, confident online shooter”.

In my opinion though slightly insensitive of EA (and probably a publicity stunt), the use of the Taliban isn't as awful as people are making out. Is it really any different to playing as a Nazi on vintage C.O.D? It would be more dangerous for the government to start  censoring and controlling the game industry.

What are your views on the game?

Source: BBCNEWS