Top Video Game Controversies and Disputes
GTA IV
Video Games are improving generation by generation, offering a deeper storyline and more freedom than ever before. Granting the player the ability to make what they want out of the game, choosing the role of being the good guy or the bad guy, or maybe just a guy who does what he needs to do achieve his goals. With all of these improvements, controversies and public disputes follow closely behind, especially with many AAA titles that are sure to push the envelope in one way or another, whether it be through controversy or innovation.
One game that you may have guessed, and that is repeatedly scorned with every release by the media, is Grand Theft Auto IV by Rockstar Games. Taking your role as an immigrant in the United States trying to grasp the opportunity offered to many of the citizens, trying to start a new and looking for “that special someone”. You are granted, arguably, more freedom than any other game has managed to give thus far. You are able to kill pedestrians, cops, prostitutes or you can even be the vigilante and kill criminals. This sense of freedom that allows you to kill cops and prostitutes in particular, however, repeatedly receives flak from the media because this game supposedly supports the action. One thing that the media fails to do is actually play the game before making a critique, and another thing is actually questioning the morals of the actual gamer who chooses to do it, opposed to the developer who just gives you the freedom to. These actions happen in movies and books all the time, which remain remarkably unhindered by comments or critiques by the public.
A fairly new game that has caused a bit of a controversy is Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 by Infinity Ward. There is a level, that is called “No Russian” I believe, where you are an undercover agent walking throughout an air port with 3 or 4 Russians, one being the new enemy of the game. You walk throughout the level killing countless “innocent” civilians in a hail of bullets, throwing grenades, spraying into crowds, and stabbing them. You have the option to walk throughout the level without firing a bullet, or you can aid in the mayhem and help kill them. Regardless, this level understandably was scorned by the media for depicting such a sinister and evil scene. But the game warns you twice before playing the level, and you do not even have to fire a bullet, so I guess Infinity Ward dodged the bullet there by allowing that.
The dispute between the media and video games is one that I can not see ending any time soon. Video Games are improving rapidly, and the more freedom given to the player, the worse their actions become in-game and the unhappier the media gets. The reason movies and books can be given so much freedom to depict harsh actions is merely because you, the reader/watcher are not actually causing the events to happen, or even partaking in them. But in a video game, you are the character, and you are committing the action being done, which I suppose makes it worse. There are many other controversies and disputes to be made, and many more to be resolvecausd.
