EA Stands Firm On Medal Of Honor Controversy [EA President Says That Despite Media Pressure On Taliban, They Won't "Compromise" Their Creative Visions]

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As we’ve covered previously, Electronic Arts, one of the largest game developers and publishers in the world has come under some severe criticism the past few weeks. Their upcoming game, Medal of Honor, will allow players to play as the Taliban in the multiplayer modes. Now, EA says that despite pressure, they’re not backing down.

EA Games President Frank Gibeau told Develop (a developer’s trade website) that he anticipated a controversy around allowing players to play as the Taliban, and called the game a “creative risk”. Not only does the game allow players to play as the Taliban, but it even allows use of IEDs (improvised explosive devices) against other players playing as United States soldiers.

Gibeau said:

At EA we passionately believe games are an artform, and I don’t know why films and books set in Afghanistan don’t get flack, yet [games] do. Whether it’s Red Badge Of Courage or The Hurt Locker, the media of its time can be a platform for the people who wish to tell their stories. Games are becoming that platform.

Mainstream media has been all over the story, with the Fox News Channel leading the charge by interviewing angry mothers of soldiers lost in Iraq and Afghanistan. As we reported a few days ago, the British government is against it. English Defense Minister Liam Fox called the game “un-British” and called for British retailers to boycott the game.

Remember that last year’s best selling super-game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, also had some controversy as one level had players slaughtering innocent civilians in an international airport.

Most ‘hardcore’ gamers seem to have a positive reaction to the decision to use the actual Taliban in MoH, as opposed to most games which’ll use the names “Terrorists” or “Insurgents” in such situations.