Another military controversy is brewing, not on the battlefield, but on the television screen.
A brand new video game has been banned from military base shelves.
The new version of Medal of Honor allows you to play as Taliban fighters, and kill American soldiers.
That’s prompted the Army, Navy, and Air Force to take the game off their website and store shelves on base.
In a statement, Army and Air Force Commander Major General Bruce Casella said while he knows it’s an inconvienence to authorized shoppers, “We are optimistic that they will understand the sensitivity to the life and death scenarios this product presents as entertainment.”
That’s the Army’s version, but what about the soldiers themselves, are they offended?
“I was actually excited to play the game,” said Robert Lucente.
Robert Lucente is a soldier and an avid gamer. He spent time in Iraq, and now that’s he’s home, spends time in front of the TV. Taking on whatever foes he can find in the virtual military world. A world that he says includes shooting as the enemy.
“It’s like when you were a kid playing cowboys and indians,” said Lucente. “Sometimes you just want to be the bad guy. Experience that point of view. Its not about being a Taliban and killing American soldiers. Just to possibly experience what our soldiers ”
“He’s like, who cares,” explained Elizabeth Smith. “The company is making money”
That was Elizabeth Smith’s husband reaction. He’s deployed right now and plays military video games during his downtime.
“People are too sensitive,” said Smith. “It’s been 10 years and a lot of good things have happened over there. It’s a game. They are not out there in their gear, they are playing somebody. It’s all in the controls, it’s not something that will haunt them at night.”
“Soldiers are the ones who are buying and playing this game. Half the time I am online playing with soldiers,” said Lucente. “Someone with my point of view to where I’ve been overseas, I can differentiate between reality of a video game and reality of being over there and actually doing it.”
and if you don’t like the “reality of the situation? Lucente has some advice.
“It’s a video game. If you don’t like the game or what it entails, don’t play it don’t buy it.”
So far the Navy and Army say they haven’t heard any complaints about the ban.
Any reserve or preorders placed through shopmyexchange.com will be cancelled.
Preorders originally placed through GameStops on Army and Air Force installations will be transferred to the nearest GameStop off the Base or Post.
