A Very Divisive Topic That Has Nothing to Do with Game Quality
Here in the West, there are games that trash Russia. In Soviet Russia, Russia trashes game. Just as the first Modern Warfare series framed Russian forces as the villains, so too does the new Modern Warfare. This time, however, things get a little too real and a little unfair to Russian fans of Call of Duty, which has resulted in a new case of Modern Warfare review bombing. There is an event in the game that takes after a real event in history and changes it pretty drastically. [Mild spoilers below]
In 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait. In February 1991, Iraqi military forces were retreating from Kuwait along route that came to be known as Highway of Death. During their retreat, American, British, Canadian, and French forces attacked the Iraqi forces in an American-led offensive. This was a very controversial act because it was said to have violated the Third Geneva Convention, Common Article 3, which basically says that you can’t attack soldiers that are not in combat, such as the ones who were retreating, which were all of them. It was also reported that there were hostages and civilian refugees among those attacked.
In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, a strikingly similar event takes place, also referred to Highway of Death. The difference in the game is that the attack was perpetrated by Russia, who had no involvement in the historical event. So, we have an American-made game taking a real event which is in many cases considered a war crime that the United States is responsible for, and retelling it as an act done by one of America’s current adversaries. That is why the game is being review bombed. It also may be why it is not being sold on the PlayStation Store in Russia. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is out now on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
What is your take on this whole situation? Let us know in the comments below.
Source: MetaCritic