It’s a pity, actually, since Medal of Honor looks to be a spectacular game. Yes, you read it right. Medal of Honor has been banned in the States by the US military. This ban will have effect in the PXs located on Army and Air Force bases worldwide and all GameStop store in the US, says the commanding general of the Army and Air Force Exchange Services.
49 GameStop stores have already agreed to not selling Electronic Arts’ upcoming FPS, Medal of Honor, an AAFES representative told Kotaku. GameStop emailed all it’s employs, telling them not to ‘carry Medal of Honor in any of our AAFES based stores…out of respect for our past and present men and women in uniform.’
This is what the email reads: ‘GameStop has agreed out of respect for our past and present men and women in uniform we will not carry Medal of Honor in any of our AAFES based stores. As such, GameStop agreed to have all marketing material pulled by noon today and to stop taking reservations. Customers who enter our AAFES stores and wish to reserve Medal of Honor can and should be directed to the nearest GameStop location off base.’
GameStop also made it very clear that the game will not be stocked due to the fact that one team in the multiplayer mode will assume the role of a Taliban team. ‘GameStop fully supports AAFES in this endeavor and is sensitive to the fact that in multiplayer mode one side will assume the role of Taliban fighter.’
The game was about to be banned in UK for the very same reasonm, but wasn’t since the The Department of Media, Culture And Sport feels ‘he game in question is rated 18 so should only be sold to, and played by, adults. There is a clear choice for consumers which they can exercise when making decisions about purchasing video games.’ Check out the full story here.
Ea have made it pretty clear that they are very disappointed with these controversies. They feel there are several books and movies featuring terrorist groups, ‘or set in Afghanistan’, and yet ‘they don’t get flask, yet games do.’
EA should be feeling betrayed right now, since they “partnered with the US military, and the Medal of Honor Society as well. We’ve gone out of our way to produce the best story for the game.”
Sad… good games shouldn’t be penalized for such stupid reasons. What are your thoughts?
