Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Posted on April 6th, 2010 by
I’m still getting mail on this game and the message board is REALLY interesting so I’m reposting it: Should CoD: MW 2 be rated M? The release of this game marks a turning point in my life. An alarming amount of my mail, and a few of my questions on radio and at What They Play.com, concerned Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Now I get to give the same, or similar, answers for this one. Do you think your kids are ready to handle an M-rated game featuring not only a new instantly infamous controversy but all the old controversies from last time too? Is it harmful to a teenager? 13+? Lets talk about it.
This article is for parents. Teens should use it when they want to lobby mom and dad – or Santa – to play this game. As kids know, this is more than just a game. It’s an event. It’s already outsold similar games that have been around for years. Lets face it, through the lack of effort from most parents and the joy of having uncles or older siblings, a lot of the copies sold are in the hands of teens.So, lets get the controversies out of the way.
SPOILERS
CoD 4: Modern Warfare was controversial for the amount of violence (this is war), the questionable taste of releasing a Modern Warfare game while our own soldiers are locked into two bloody modern warfares. The accurate use of satellite imagery – and bombing – to kill hapless enemies disturbed some because it looked exactly like the real thing. Oh, there was also a scene where the player character gets slowly radiation poisoned and fried at the base of a mushroom cloud.
CoD: Modern Warfare 2 has much of what you’d find above and then goes it further with a scene where the player portrays a CIA Agent who has infiltrated a Russian Terrorist group and is expected to gun down innocent travelers in an airport. The player doesn’t have to, he can opt not to, but how many kids will do that? (Interesting test perhaps?) Oh and America gets invaded by the Russkies, Red Dawn style (where have you gone Patrick Swayze?)
SPOILERS END
Add to this my belief that video game violence cannot in and by itself cause violent behavior, that games might be cathartic (lots of in-danger soldiers are playing this game right now – I can imagine playing this is if I had a brother over there. I can also imagine that being difficult to bear). If you disagree with me about virtual violence – harm, that’s fine. Make your decision based on that. But remember, I’ve studied gaming for 30 years, written about them for 11 years and been a child advocacy expert regarding games for 6 years. FWIW.
Ok, so knowing the controversy, maybe a look at some gameplay footage at YouTube – remember parents you can always check the game out at YouTube! – and now you can make an informed decision.
For my part, I can see letting my own 13 year old play this (when he gets there and provided he’s mature enough). I can imagine the conversations it’d lead to and I like the game’s non-black and white tone. War and its consequences are presented with depth and the game is of high quality and sure to be remembered as an event. War is hell, Modern Warfare 2 does nothing to sugarcoat that. The trouble for some parents is that in gaming, war is fun. Some parents are uncomfortable with that, those parents should go with their instinct. Another way of looking at it: Is it preferable for kids to play a shooter that makes violence over-the-top, wild and wacky… or one that takes the stakes and the reality more seriously?
For the rest? Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a chilling thrill ride into how hellish war is today. Thankfully this is virtual.
November 30th, 2009 at 7:48 am
I didn’t think the content was too bad until the ending. The knife to the face and the F word were surprising to me, considering it didnt even get strong language by the ESRB.
November 30th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
iv’e played this at my friend’s house and i’m 11 btw iv’e got straight a’s and i’m really mature i play halo, cod2, bf: bad company, etc. i played the level where you are flying in on helis and sniping guys and finding price. and i mean the whole level. my mom doesn’t care about language or shooting. iv’e been trying to get cod4 but that is a diff. story. any advice? =)
November 30th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
That knife kill was pretty brutal, but IMO it’s really not worse than some of the other stuff in the campaign.
(SPOILERS) I thought Shepherd executing Ghost and Roach was actually the worst. The controversy over the terrorist scene is greatly overstated. (END SPOILERS)
December 1st, 2009 at 11:01 am
@yogurt
This game is even worse then CoD4, and you’re definitely too young for it.
And what the heck does that have to do with your grades?!
December 1st, 2009 at 5:43 pm
I found the airport scene to be disturbing and uncomfortable, which is probably what the designers were trying to achieve. My kid is only 7, so this game is a moot point at this time. I could see letting a mature 13 year old play it, but it would really depend on how mature.
Another way of looking at it: Is it preferable for kids to play a shooter that makes violence over-the-top, wild and wacky… or one that takes the stakes and the reality more seriously?
I don’t know if it really makes a difference. I tend to agree with your assertion that games really don’t cause real world violence. I also fail to see how highly realistic games would be any better for a child, since it is still just a game and it is hard to realistically depict real world consequences.
December 1st, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Steve, I agree. My point was more limited. Obviously we can’t – and shouldn’t? – realistically portray real world consequences in a game. At best a game might be able to make a player feel how dangerous a situation is. Personally, I like these games – and Rainbow 6 for example – because when I read war non-fiction these games help me imagine what the people I’m reading about are doing. What the equipment is like, how some of the tactics works. (This is why I’m getting such a kick from WWI simming – it is literally history come to life – only without real world consequences, the lack of real-world consequences in a game is a crucial component to my enjoyment.)
Is it valuable for a kid to learn that stuff? It can be. But is it with COD: MW2? No. But is it realistic compared to Halo? Yes. Some parents feel that games with more depth, are more worthwhile. And some feel they are more harmful, The depth argument is more obvious in the case of turn-based wargames vs. Command & Conquer or between an arcade flight sim and a real simulation – but with shooters? Yeah, but to a smaller extent. COD MW2 is best described as a game, not a sim.
And thanks, this is pretty much the argument I’m trying to provoke.
December 1st, 2009 at 10:00 pm
I think that realistic games are better than the over-the-top games. This is from a teenager who doe not have children, but, for what it’s worth, I would not have any trouble letting a kid play Call of Duty, but I would never, in a million years, let him play God of War or Dead Rising. The mutilation and perversion of the human form that one sees in these sort of games is absolutely disgusting, as compared to violence that is depicted realistically versus maximum gore.
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:42 pm
@wampaking
i’m not affected by like intense blood and gore if thats what ur saying
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:44 pm
or launguage i’m not affected by launguage
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:45 pm
and i thought the graphics were kinda bad compared to halo
December 2nd, 2009 at 9:48 pm
Good points all around, GD. I am somewhat of a history buff, so I like the games set in past conflicts. While not always realistic, it can be interesting to play through parts of Operation Market Garden and similar battles
As for MW2, it does a fairly decent job simulating some of the weapons. I have some of the real semi-auto versions and the company does a pretty good job making everything look real.
December 6th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Hey everyone, just trying to get some help here to convince my parents to let me enjoy this landmark video game. I am a sophomore in highschool. Maturity is a non issue. The problem is, is my dad was in the Army, and has seen some combat. He has told me time and time again that the military is somewhere where I dont want to be. I guess he doesn’t like the realistic look of the game. I am not a violent person, and I own Halo 3… The two are comparably the same in the violence scale, just CoD 4: MW2 is with humans, not aliens =P Help would be immensely appreciated.
December 6th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
Don’t tell me whether you THINK that gaming violence effects our children, give me cold hard facts. I want to see some scientific research that is valid, reliable and proves that these graphic, true to life games absolutely do NOT negatively impact children (13 year olds are children!) and only then will I allow it to be played in my house.
December 6th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
So should younger kids be able to play this game?
December 7th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
I will grant you there is no hard line “evidence” virtual violence lead to real-time violence. I do believe in the truth “whatever you sow you reap” and that has yet to be denied. It will affect oneself to one degree or another. A child may not grow into the next serial killer but the child may grow calloused and de-sensitized to “real-world” violence to the point hearing of the deaths of civilians or soldiers may not cause him or her to be saddened or grief stricken.The issue here is casual nature of these games. Sure soldiers play them, and some are sued as training sims. I would say fine if you are a soldier and are instructed through sims to learn manuevers and techniques.
Let’s be real. No teenager is profoundly taught life lessons regarding the horrors of war they are just trying to shoot the targets and get as many head shots and acheivements as possible. The plots of these may hold a brief tie but fall to the wayside as horde or special ops insanity prevails. I have played through and beat just about every recent shooter including this one and have immersed myself into multiplayer madness. A thirteen year old can be instructed in a much more profound and historically accurate way about the horrors of terrorism, war and injustice than through a frag fest of bragging rights with friends over kill to death ratios(whihc is what these so-called “life lessons” really are.
Now good kids may play these and appear unaffected but that isnt the litmus we should be seeking. We should be asking “Why should he be playing this and enjoying the frag fest and bragging as it usually devolves into one?and I dont know many people who play these as lessons with a serious attitude to learn about evil. Can you and your 13 year old watch Band of Brothers and learn far more than one of these gratuitous “games”? We as parents should exercise more discernment and raise the bar for our children. Iam no pacifist or against just wars, nor am I ignorant of the cost of freedom and the sacrifices our troops make. But to justify these because kids wont be killers or they will learn life lessons from them seems like one is not taking all things into consideration. I will not pass judgment on what you do with your children but remember they are your children and we should put them first.
December 7th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
@Mother who refuses to have the game
There are no hard facts. this is the case for just about anything related to parenting. For example home school v.s public school there are many success stories of home school kids and there are many success stories for public school kids. On the other hand there are many stories of kids/parents/teachers in both home school and public school that are absolutely terrible. In my opinion what matters is not weather one home schools or sends there kids to a public/privet school (or in this case allows video games in the house or not), but how one parents. in some cases home schooling is better that public school, it really depends on the kid, the parent, and the time/location/maturity level of the kid and the parent.
In a nut shell there is no one answer. If not having games in the house works for you than who am I to tell you that it is wrong. I don’t know the reasons behind that decision therefore I cannot judge one way or another. choose what works best for your family and even if your kids end up playing a game you don’t like remember that games in and of themselves cannot ruin a child if you, the parent, make a point of laying down the foundation for them to decipher between what is write and wrong.
I really hope that helps, and when in doubt don’t disregard your instincts. ~Gadfly Jim
December 7th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
@Mother who refuses to have the game
have them play it while you watch it if its too gruesome for them, they’ll let you know, and if it affects their behavior, take it away.
December 7th, 2009 at 6:27 pm
@ Mother who refuses to have the game
While I can’t cite anything right off the top of my head, there is a book called Grand Theft Childhood currently on the market just for people like you who are skeptical of video games. I’ve not read it yet, but it’s supposed to be pretty good. Check it out.
December 10th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Hey IM 13 and my parents won’t let me get any m games they think that
since it says m that it’s the same as grand theft auto
or man hunt etc. They won’t listen to me and all my friends
have m games and two of them have mod2.
I get straight As and Bs and I strive to be as mature as possible.
Please help thanks
Joey
December 11th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
This game shows what war is about. My son told me that he would never go to war or even pick up a real gun. this game isn’t to graphic. I would say its a tiny bit worse than halo 3 though.
December 13th, 2009 at 9:12 pm
I am an ESRB board member, and I think we seriously screwed up on the rating of Call of Duty 5 and Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare Reflex for Wii. First of all, my son has the game, and I only picked three bad words in the whole story mode. On multiplayer for Wii, there is no chat, so all parents can rest safe knowing that their children play without profanity. I have a 12 year old, and personally, the game seems good to me. Only 2 instances of drunkenness and as I said, 3 bad words in the whole story mode. Should be rated “T” for Teen.
December 14th, 2009 at 9:18 am
Mr. Lester, I find your comments the most helpful of any in my decision making process. I have a 10 yr old and was convinced to let him start playing the CD games by a group of co-workers that were involved with creating “serious games” for use in training for our military forces. One of the reasons they cited was the historical lessons. Now with MW2 am I to beleive this is like a lesson in current events? The fact that the swearing is minimal and the glorification of alcohol minimal as well is encouraging. I think that the kids get focused on beating the game and the violence sparks discussions that we might not otherwise have. The first MW and the shooting of attack dogs has opened a conversation about choices in the face of attack that I equate to bullies. We teach our son that fighting is wrong and is to be avoided but there comes a time when you have to make a decision about your personal safety. Long term what seems to stick with the kids from these games are “cool” phrases and attitudes.So having them not pick up on a new use of the F word is important to me. We don’t drink in our home as such my son is incredulous if not appalled by people drinking in any form. I don’t think that him seeing people drunk in a video game is going to cancel out the lesons learned from the example we set. Actually, I think that is the basic thing to remember, as long as we are setting the right examples for our children of how to live as responsible, compassionate individuals, a video game isn’t going to override those long term life lessons.
I am curious however if your observations on the Wii version hold true for XBox 360.
Thanks for weighing in.
December 14th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
Well i have a mom that only lets me play the halo series and im ok with that cause she loves me and kid with straight a’s and b’s you dont sound like it cause how can u have all a’s and all b’s and i played this game at a friends house and it was very disturding to think that is what our soldiers are doing for our country btw im 13
e-mail me at davidhardesty13@gmail.com
December 14th, 2009 at 10:05 pm
i didnt mean killing innocient people i mean like having maybe having one of the soldiers die in front of you cause its hard on them i had a neighbor that was in veitnom (idk how to spell it) and he couldnt even watch some fireworks cause all the firing in the war
December 15th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
I find it odd and depressing that some and slightly in this article suggest that playing a game about realistic horrors could some how be beneficial to a child. I say who cares if a game isn’t “black and white” or that it shows the realism of war or games equally violent?
Do you really think a kid is going to walk away from a game like that and feel profoundly enlightened? Or walk away and say, “hmm, that was deep, I guess real war is terrible, I should probably be more appreciative of peace”? Nah, they beat it, let the story (if any good) sink in and trade it. I have three boys and have been a gamer all my life and have first handed watched certain games affect children in how they act or treat others. While the behavior cannot be linked directly to video game violence the shoe sure as heck fits.
Of course, I’d have to agree, maturity is a major key here in deciding what to let your children play, but I don’t believe letting them get several hours and hours of headshots, decapitations and other serious violent scenes is of any benefit–or any more so than simply talking to them about these things–if it indeed is a educational/enlightenment of real warfare you wish them to understand. It can be done academically rather than through a “fun game.” I garantee you, if you ask most kids that have played games like these, they aren’t going to mention anything profound about it, you’re going to hear how fun it was to gun down “bad guys” and what their achievements were. Listen to them talk to their friends, and you’ll know exactly what they aren’t telling you.
December 15th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
@GHP
I don’t think that gamerdad wanted it to sound like this game would be “beneficial to a child”, and while a kid is probably not going to “walk away and say, “hmm, that was deep, I guess real war is terrible, I should probably be more appreciative of peace”” that does not mean that this game could open up opportunity for the parent to start conversations. as far as linking video game violence to behavior sure it will effect it somewhat, just like watching a movie will effect the way someone. what makes a difference, however, is how they are brought up. I don’t personally see anything wrong with a teen talking with his friend about “how fun it was to gun down “bad guys” and what their achievements were.” it is the same thing that playing cops and robbers, or cowboys and Indians. granted this cops and robbers has language and more violence but the basic boy fantasy is still the same and, from what I can see, is not a bad thing in and of itself. gamerdad never said that the “hours and hours of headshots, decapitations” were beneficial. however, from what I understood, he said that because of the “non-black and white tone” and the fact that “War and its consequences are presented with depth” he could imagine the conversations it’d lead to.
You are more than welcome to your opinion I just don’t think anyone really meant to claim that playing this game is beneficial to kids no questions asked.
December 15th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
*the way someone (acts or behaves).
December 16th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
MY MUM WONT LET ME BUY IT AND IM 13, I HAV CALL OF DUTY 4 AND CALL OF DUTY 5 AND MERCENARIES 2. SHE DOESNT LIKE ME HAVING THEM BUT SHE LETS ME. CALL OF DUTY 6 IS DIFFERENT THOUGH BECAUSE OF THE ‘CIVILIAN LEVEL’ MY MUM WATCHED IT ON YOUTUBE AND SAID ITS HORRIBLE YOURE NOT HAVING IT. I HAVE BEEN ARGUING WITH HER ABOUT IT FOR OVER A MONTH NOW AND SHE STILL WONT GIVE IN. I HAVE TOLD HER THAT YOU CAN SKIP THE BAD LEVELS, I HAVE TOLD HER THAT ITS ONLY AN 18 BECAUSE OF THE BAD LEVELS THAT YOU CAN SKIP. I REALLY NEED HELP AS ALL MY FRIENDS BUT ONE HAVE IT. I HAVE 9 FRIENDS. PLEASE HELP ME!!!!! I ALSO LISTEN TO VERY HEAVY MUSIC WITH A LOT OF SWEARING. I HAVE ALSO SEEN SEVERAL 18 FILMS AND LOADS OF 15S. THEY ALSO HAVE A LOT OF SWEARING IN.
December 16th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
I hear you tibbs, i have the same problem, I’m the son of “Mother who refuses to have the game” She has been quite skeptical about video games all the time, i recently convinced her to let me get halo 3 which she reluctantly gave into because you were killing aliens in the campaign, but the first time I asked her to have this game, she said “No” right away because it was a Call Of Duty game. She is a phycologist and takes her work very seriously, apparently she has seen first hand how violence affects teenagers. I’m 14 and in grade 9, I am considered the most mature guy in my class, but when I tell my mom this, she replies with, “Not playing this game makes you even more mature than everyone else” She even says how mature I am, I think her biggest problem with this game is the fact that you’re killing other humans. Pretty much every single one of my friends have it, or is getting it for Christmas. I would like some advice to this post, I’ve been trying for about a month now, but my mom says the more I talk about it, the more resistant she is going to be. I go over to my friend’s houses all the time to play this game, and if she could she would lock me up in the house and have me home schooled just to keep me away from all of the violence in the world. She also says that if we bring the game into our house, we will be supporting violence in the world, but it’s only a recreational thing, a pastime. Oh and tibbs, I’ll say this and I can find a lot of people that will agree that Call Of Duty: World At War is worse than Modern Warfare 2 for violence, blood and language.
December 16th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
The Son, just ask yourself, “Is it really such a big deal?” Maybe to you it looks like she is being unreasonable, but maybe to her it seems just as unreasonable for you to keep asking. After all, it’s not like she doesn’t let you play any cool games at all right? I would think unreasonable on her part would be her taking away your privilege to play *any* game. But she hasn’t done that and as long as you stop badgering her and show how mature you are, she might lighten up eventually.
December 16th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
@Gadfly Jim
If I took some implications wrong then fine. However I tend to see more of a *no* benefit at all in games like these than an benefit to a child. After all, a “child” is still developing, even up to age 23ish or so–on the side of reasoning faculties. Why impede them with necessary glorified violence? And I am not saying the game or story itself “glorifies” it but the End User, the child *does* in most cases. As my example clearly illustrates.
December 16th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
*unnecessary*
December 17th, 2009 at 7:24 pm
BS, i played this game and it was awesome. But i played it at my moms boyfriends house and it was really cool/AND IM ONLY ELEVEN.i ALSO HAVE XBOX LIVE AND PLAY HALO 3, BT.BAD COMPANY,HALO 3 ODST
December 17th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
After discussing the topic of a “call of duty” game with my dad, it appeared that he was steadfast on the point that a video game that includes terrorist and hostage situations is not fit to be any sort of game. I must say that I agree with this to a point, (though I’d never admit it to mah buds) I mean, unlike past call of duty games (all but 4, that is) where the combat is in a previous period and can be compared to popular war movies. (band of brothers, saving private ryan, etc.) A game centering on a current era is different. There are people dying in countries like Iraq every day, and more that come back with post-traumatic stress disorders. To play a game where you can run into a room, try to “eliminate” terrorists before they execute hostages, die in the process, and laugh, seems to all but parody the real world.
On the other hand, no teen will tell you that the game is bad and not fun, and I am one of those “no teens”. I’ll be honest, the game rocks. It really does. As far as a kid is concerned, the past time is perfectly fine. You have the multiplayer, where you gun down opponents all over the globe for points, and spec ops where you pull of james bond-type mission. The campaign is a different story, but the “skip questionable content” is always available. Again, if I’m being honest, most teens wouldn’t use that feature because they’re afraid they’d miss something, or not be able to justify the decision to their buds.
After all this, the game *is* on my Christmas list, and I hope to get it. There are some pretty big things that parents should be aware of prior to purchase, and that’s why GamerDaddy is so cool.
December 18th, 2009 at 1:04 am
It will be interesting to see how this ‘event’ will work on home since the party system for COD MW2 is broke. (yeah, didn’t see that one coming). I tried a little bit ago to launch a MW2 game from home with a friend and it wouldn’t work.
cartucho r4i
December 19th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Thanks for the article! I’d been hoping to get a game like this or Halo 3 with the 360 I’m getting at Christmas but my parents have a strict view on M rated games. I have to say though that with games like GTA out there I can’t really blame them. After reading this they allowed me to get it as long as I was mature, and my mom really appreciated how you try to look at the game from a parent’s perspective who’s worried about what their children see. It’s a nice break from the usual fanboy screaming who great the game is and that you’re a nobody until you have it.
December 20th, 2009 at 9:06 am
ok we all know there has been lots of violence in this world and so what better way is to explain it my answer call of duty. I mean parents do you really think your child is going to go out and start throwing knifes at peoples head well if you teach em well then you wouldnt have to worry. if I told you my age you would ignore me so Im just simply not going to tall you that piece of information
December 24th, 2009 at 9:57 am
This review served absolutely no purpose. There was no real description on content and more of a review on your thought regarding warfare games.
If you insist on calling yourself an expert in the field, then please list your credentials.
Sloppy reviewing.
December 24th, 2009 at 11:38 am
@wowwhatareview
I think you misunderstood the purpose of gamerdad’s reviews they are not supposed to be in depth reviews on the gameplay mechanics and content like what IGN and 1UP do, the purpose of gamerdad is to help parents, who have already read reviews describing weather or not the game is fun to play, and let them know weather or not they want to let there kids play the game based off of its violence language…etc. gamerdad’s reviews serve a huge purpose, however, that purpose is not to tell you weather or not the game is fun too play, but weather or not parents want to let their kids play the game by letting them know what level of violence/language/sexuality the game has.
cheers, Gadfly Jim
December 24th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
There are literally 6 years of posts about what makes me an expert and why I think video games aren’t harmful – I’ll let you do some digging – and I don’t generally do critical reviews here anymore. Instead I try and write a blog post about a game and present the argument in terms that let people decide for themselves.
How can I please everyone? The GAMERS want technical facts. The PARENTS just want a thumbs up/down. The TEENS just want me to say “parents it’s okay!” – I just want to get people talking and, noting this thread:. Mission accomplished.
–
If video games caused violence we’d be experience the worst crime decade on record. Crime should be increasing in alarming ways. Instead we still get a handful of terrible stories (stories no different from the time before games) about bad people and video games are blamed for it.
Video games don’t desensitize anyone to real violence. It does for fake violence. A game can no more inspire a teen to shoot someone then watching a slasher film would make you blase about a dismembered corpse in the room.
Real is real. Play is play. And Kids over 5 know the difference. Oddly, it’s the parents who sometimes fail to see it.
December 26th, 2009 at 4:13 am
if your mum or dad says no then you will have to deal with it it there house and if they dont want you having its there choice. why should they spend money on there son if they think it will mess with there head
December 26th, 2009 at 10:48 am
Regarding the “reap what you sew” argument. Perhaps, and it seems like common sense to think so. The other school of thought is that these games are cathartic – meaning they help express and purge violent emotion. I’ve always thought so and my heart attack recovery proved there’s some truth to this.
The Child’s Play charity is based on this idea.
In this way, a traumatized person does themselves harm by not seeking out vicarious danger and violence. I think this is why the video game era doesn’t seem to be creating monsters.
January 3rd, 2010 at 11:36 pm
Gamerdad, I see you as the best of the best at what you do, your arguments are 100% legit and real in the eyes of a parent suchas myself. Any criticism you may recieve should be imediately disregarded as they are worthless comments no benefit to anybody. Continue to do what you do best and keep everyone updated on the facts of the gaming world.
January 3rd, 2010 at 11:40 pm
P.S.
Congratulations on 7 years of hard V.G. Facts and help.
January 9th, 2010 at 4:48 pm
Hey, Im 11 and really bad want Call 0f Duty 6. Im almost 12. My dad restrictes M games. He lets me play some M games like the Halo Series. He’s debating on letting me have the game. All of my friends have the game. I think it just isn’t fair!! Do you think I should get the game or have a chance of getting the game. If not how about Call of Duty 4.
Thanks Guys
January 13th, 2010 at 8:58 am
Greetings all,
I am a 35+ old school gamer. I have played them all. I just played through the questionable airport scene last night and just wanted to post a few comments.
I would start by saying that the introduction of moral dilemmas in video games has added a fascinating new element to this form of entertainment. Farcry2, Fallout 3, and Condemned 2 are good examples of what I am speaking about. It adds replay value to a game to be able to play it though as a “good guy” and then to replay the game as a “bad guy”, especially when those actions have direct consequences in the game.
First and foremost I will say that even as a hardcore gamer I was a bit taken aback by the sheer number of civilians involved in the scene. It is one thing to gun down a cop or a soldier that is shooting at you when you are playing a “bad guy”. Much like Jack Nicholson’s line in the movie The Departed – “When you are staring down the barrel of a gun, what’s the difference?” But there is the important distinction; none of these people are pointing a gun at you. They run, they scream, they crawl around bleeding all over the floor, begging for their lives, doing anything they can to get away…..from you. Many parts of the scene are in an almost slow motion type of game play, you want it to end but it takes forever, as you get through one room of civilians and think it may be over, you turn a corner to find yet more civilians to gun down.
This first time a played this scene through, I thought I would outsmart the game. I shot between the civilians, putting hundreds of rounds harmlessly past their heads. When forced to shoot at police, I shot them in the leg. Upon reaching the end of the scene, when the terrorists are making their escape, the lead guy turns and shoots me in the head. I was discovered as a undercover agent for not helping them enough. Therefore the only way to successfully complete this scene in the game is to aid them and do your job as a terrorist.
I am mature enough to handle this dilemma. I will replay the game and mow the folks in the airport down. Hell, after a 2 hour commute home I’ll probably enjoy it. It is, after all, just a game.
However, it is also a simulation of what some very sick people out there dream of doing. If those two a-holes out in Columbine had their hands on this game, I can GUARENTEE you they would have replayed that scene a thousand times. Probably more. After all practice makes perfect. Even out own armed forces use computer simulation to practice various things. I must point out that I do not believe that violent video games cause kids to become something they are not, but I do believe they can feed into a confused or angry mind just as well as any other source can, probably better.
I guess my point here is this….there are always going to be an element of games that cross lines we as a society draw in the sand. You cannot stop these games from being created any more that you can shut down the porn industry. Rape games, Murder games, you name it, it’s out there. And take my word for it…you haven’t seen anything yet, the technology is growing so fast, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
If you are a parent who is readings this, at least you care enough to go looking for the information.
Remember: YOU are the line that the game makers must cross to get to your kids.
Is it ok for a 10 or 11 year old to simulate the graphic, bloody, killing of 200 innocent civilians in an airport before bedtime?
You tell me.
-A
January 13th, 2010 at 10:56 am
@ Adam
I totally understand, but Modern Warfare 2 is not a rape nor muder game. It is a miltary shooter. But, none of it is real. You have to think of the line of realtiy and fiction. Some things may be a little over the top, or they could be like Manhunt. What would you rather have your child having if you were a parent or as a parent?
And as for the sick people out there who dream of doing that junk, youb don’t know what caused. It could be there family, a gang, or even sonething that happened in their lif, but I doubt that it would be because of a video game.
January 13th, 2010 at 10:58 am
P.S.
I am 13 and am restricted from Modern Warfare 2. Please help!
January 15th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
NOTE: I did replay that Airport level and did exactly what the Lead Terrorist wanted and they still shot me anyway, so I guess it does not matter how you play it. Them wasting you is part of the story line.
I just wanted parents to understand that the video game industry has evolved to entertain at a level that was not designed for young children. I think it is the parents job to understand what it is their kids are playing. I’m mean we are not talking about Donkey Kong here. As a parent, it is solely up to you what you let your kids play, and I would not purpose to tell you what is right and what is wrong.
Just be involved!
January 15th, 2010 at 8:04 pm
i am 13 and want this really bad. my dad wont let me have but my mom is totallyokay with it. my dad says it is overly violent. we had just finshed watching man on fire and he was okay with that but he still wont let me have it. all of my friends have it and i thnik it aint fair. he also said it was like a porn game but then i told him it was call of duty and he still said no. PLAESE HELP!!!
January 16th, 2010 at 6:12 am
my dad seems to be making his mind up but i wanna know if u can skip the bad lvls cause i dont wanna kill civilians
as every one eles says all my friends have it but my dad cant make up his mind..
help
January 20th, 2010 at 11:06 pm
I’m 15 years old and my dad is making a huge deal about me playing this game. He even took it away after just a couple of weeks of playing it. I honestly (and i’m not leaving out any details) do not understand why. My grades are higher than ever, I was more positive than ever, I was consistently doing other things and COD was definitely never the first thing on my mind. Now that it’s gone, I’ve asked my dad for it several times and he tells me that these games are addictive and nothing more than mindless killing. I try to tell him that all my friends play it, that I don’t play 1/4 as much as others do, that I always complete my work before playing anyway, that my attitude has not changed, yet he refuses to budge. I know this is because my dad is a psychiatrist and he deals with people who have addictions to this everyday. He sees people who are addicted to this game and believes that I am one of them, when I certainly am not. Whenever i’m at my home now, I feel incredibly bored. I have many, many extracurricular activities and all i want is a little bit of fun when I come home from them. I’m at a loss and I can’t figure out how to convince him to give it back. Can someone please help me with my dilemma?
January 24th, 2010 at 3:32 am
modern warfare 2 was only rated 18 in america, the PEGI scheme of rating rated mw 2 a 16+ i am 12 my birthday is in 14 days, i am alowed games like halo 3 ODST however i am also in possesion of call of duty 5-and have played mw2 in my friends house-i personally think waw is much more violent for reasons listed below:
.WAW-decapitation, loss of limbs, blood
mw2,no loss of limbs, no blood-(blood is replaced by money),a lot less graphic,a lot less language
as you can see i personally think if you are a parent who has allowed thier child to play waw,or halo 3 mw 2 is nothing more as graphic
January 24th, 2010 at 3:36 am
also the only reason that mw is rated 18 in america is because of one level in particular it is titled “no russian” and to be honest is about terrorism-but can be skipped at the viewers disposal, but again i still think not even this level is extremely violent
and lastly as ratded by PEGI
WAW=18+
MW 2=16+
need i say more?
January 31st, 2010 at 3:57 pm
I am one of those “Kids” that can play video games like “Halo”, i get good grades, and pretty much am a nice guy, and yet, my Father restricts all other M games, and even Some “T”
Games like “Bad Company”, which i know has strong language. And yet i can’t play Modern Warfare 2, which i understand. Because Modern Warfare 2 has some “intense” scenes
which play out with you shooting civilians, which is of course, “intense”, which you CAN skip.
I know NOTHING i say is going to help my current situaition with Games that’re rated M.
I know Modern Warfare is a HUGE success at the moment. Am i crying about the fact that i can’t play it? No. So for those of you who wants Modern Warfare 2, i suggest you wait it out, and find something else to play, besides, by the time your old enough to play “M” games, their going to be even more advanced, and probably even bigger than Modern Warfare 2
So just wait, your time will come
January 31st, 2010 at 4:08 pm
In other words, Modern Warfare should be rated “M”, and for a good reason, the intense violence in the game is what makes this game an “M” title. If those weren’t even in the game, the game itself might still be rated “M” because the ESRB rates mostly every shooter “M”
So even taking those Civilian-killing levels out might not even help the rating.
February 4th, 2010 at 3:38 pm
So, I’m 13 and not allowed to play M rated games. To the most part this does not bother me, but, seeing how most of my friends are constantly over a network with each other, It makes talking about games at school a little akward. Let’s get down to the point. If MW2 left out the controversial airport level, would it still be a rated m game? I know its a difficult question so a rough guess would be alright.
thanks
February 4th, 2010 at 3:40 pm
oh nevermind my question was already answered in a comment above
sorry about that. lol
February 7th, 2010 at 4:37 pm
Can the parents not read MATURE 17+. I’m 31, me and the wife enjoy sitting down and playing this game. Now when it comes to our kids 6 and 9 I won’t even consider it. The game itself ROCKS! but why are parents allowing their children to play with such a rating. Are kids under 18 allowed to buy cigarettes, under 21 alcohol. No, and if they do or someone else buys them they get in trouble. Not saying the game is that extreme, but parents should really consider what they are buying them. Oh yeah and buy the way online the mouth on these little teenagers is beyond my belief. PAR
February 8th, 2010 at 2:29 pm
shame really-i bady want this game
February 9th, 2010 at 7:17 pm
i am a 13 year old and my dad is contemplating whether to get me MW2 but he ONLY looks at the ratings NOT the CONTENT. Alll my friends have it and i get good grades and dont get me wrong, im a good kid i follow rules but im begging dad to get Me the Game
PLEASE HELP,
-Mcsquishy
February 10th, 2010 at 11:29 am
I know many kids have said this before, but my parents will not let me get this game. I am 15 but neither of my parents really like the violence. I have tried everything to convince them to let me get this game.
I am actually trying to get modern warfare reflex for the wii, which I believe isn’t as bad as mw2. I play mw2 at my friends house every weekend and my parents know it. I’v tried everything to convince them but nothing has worked. I said the game was rated 15+ by multiple reviewers and I told them that violent video games wont make the player more violent. Also, I suggested that I could rent the game and they could watch me play it. I’ve showed them some videos on youtube of the game showing how there is not much blood. When you kill somebody its just like they fall down.
I know many teens have this problem, and if any of you have successfully convinced your parents can you give me ideas how to convince mine. Thanks
February 12th, 2010 at 12:51 pm
ok look all of you parents. my dad has the game on 360 and i’ve played it im only 12 now listen the game is not that bad as you think the “no russian” mission is pretty graphic but you can freakin’ skip the level. and when the cover says gore when you play it the is no gore just blood. also don’t say no because it is m watch the game with your child if it is to graphic for him and you the don’t get it. i mean my 9 year old brother has call of duty for his psp. last its not no GTA with sex and crap so calm
February 14th, 2010 at 9:55 am
@kid who has the game
Yes it’s not GTA, but there are some parents that consider that Modern war is to horrifying and graphic to be experienced by their Children, my Dad thinks the same way, and i agree with him, have you experienced REAL war? When your dead, your dead, in REAL war. It can be very heartbreaking, to see soldiers die on the battlefield, and honestly, i think Modern Warfare 2 captures it, in grim detail. WHY most parents let their Children get this game tends to evade me, If you were a parent, and your Child was playing already playing Violent Shooters, would you draw the line at Modern Warfare Shooters? I would. So, this game is to Violent for people under 16 in my Opinion. So parents, WAIT, to buy your Children Violent games. As for the other Kids and Teenagers here, WAIT, Modern Warfare 2′s Hype will eventually Go over to some other game, and if your old to play that game, play it.
February 16th, 2010 at 5:19 pm
@Dexter I see what you are saying but I was trying to say is that not every m rated is for mature. If I was a parent I wouldn’t care as long as he or she is 10 or over and not to AO (Adults Only).
February 18th, 2010 at 4:45 pm
@kid who has the game
Well, i can accept that, the ESRB has made some Odd decisions about Ratings.
For example, Rating all FPS’s “M”, odd isn’t it? NEVER judge a game by the way it’s played.
10 or Over? I guess so, honestly. I would let them start Playing the Halo series at Age 12, it’s not to Gory and such (Except when the Flood appears :/)
So yes, some games aren’t, or shouldn’t be rated M.
As for the AO rating, that’s very rare, and most Game companies won’t accept an AO rating
So, i can Agree with what you’re saying. But be careful with Games that have Strong Language, Intense Violence etc.,
February 19th, 2010 at 4:30 pm
@ Adam
I just wanted to let you know that you weren’t penalized for not killing civilians. It is part of the plot. Why do you think that there was to be “no russian” and they spoke english instead? The head guy isn’t that stupid. He can tell you’re American. He just let you tag along until the end, killing you and leaving you behind, an American at the scene of the crime, where only english was spoken. It was to make the Russian’s declare war on the US.
February 23rd, 2010 at 8:10 pm
Anyone who says that they aren’t effected by what they view in media, including gaming, is ignorant or fooling themselves. Advertisers know. They pay hundreds of billions of dollars a year to get your viewing time. The money devoted, year after year, to getting in front of your eyes is proof enough that what people see, hear and experience effects their behavior. Parents who buy this stuff for their kids are poor excuses for parents. They should be engaging them in activities that promote their development in a constructive way. They have no regrets though… they are too ignorant to recognize it and lack the morals to guide them
February 25th, 2010 at 5:41 am
@ john
i get what you are saying about people getting affected by stuff and i know it’s true. but you dont see the people who played mortal kombat when they were a kid with a spear with a rope attached to, sticking it in someones chest and yelling “get over here” only to beat the crap out of them. sure it will affect them but that doesn’t mean it is going to fataly damge or scar them forever. if you want to be scarred go to a murder scen and then look that. that would actualy be real. what if you wanted to join the military. you’re going to see some pretty graphic and REAL stuff. its just a game.
March 2nd, 2010 at 3:17 am
@John poor excuse for a parent what crap does make. the parents could of got the game for a number of reasons such as theyer legal age or don’t care i mean daang
March 13th, 2010 at 10:23 am
hi my parents won’t let me get the game.. im the smartest in my grade by far, have straight a’s, and ALL my friends have this, cod 4 or cod 5. i have 10 friends! plz help!!!!!
March 15th, 2010 at 3:11 pm
same!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 22nd, 2010 at 6:24 pm
to all of the kids around 13, and all of your friends have it, its not a big deal. it is fun, the offensive mission is skippable, but i am 99% sure all of your buddies are addicted to it. dont ask me why, ask gamerdad maybe, but every kid under highschool is on it CONSTANTLY. play at your friends house, no big deal if you dont own it. Halos split screen online is such an amazing edition anyway if you have halo. if you dont, ask. it is much friendlier, and a lot of fun. but trust me, all your 12or 13 year old buddies are probably on it right after school, then homework, then back on again. use that timeto do something productive othr than a time sink and you wont regret it.
March 22nd, 2010 at 6:28 pm
@ mcsquishy-
exactly- begging for the game. any kid im gonna say under 15 begging for the game should definitely not get it. begging for a video game shows little self control, and you will get addicted to it. it is very easy to get addicted to so if you own it your job is to limit yourself. if you are begging for it you obviously cant control yourself. you will get addicted, so dont bother.
March 22nd, 2010 at 6:32 pm
@ curious teen-
you sound mature enough. your friends are constantly on the network, because so many people are addicted to it. if you ever get it, hold yourself back. you would get addicted to it. thats the problem i think. kids around 13 can handle the content, but they will be on it nonstop. they cant control themselves. and yes it would still be m rated there is a significant amount of blood, and outside of no russian you can still kill civilians. your not supposed to, but it happens.
March 22nd, 2010 at 6:34 pm
@ james o nator-
yes there is still a ton of blood trust me
March 22nd, 2010 at 6:35 pm
so many 13 year olds- to all of you- you will get addicted like all of your friends. to the people that own this you know this right? all the middle schoolers in my neighbborhood go over to eachothers houses everyday to play with eachother.
March 23rd, 2010 at 1:57 pm
Okay, my mom is sort-of an “activist”, and she thinks it sends bad messages; desensitization to violence, flag waving, good-guy/bad-guy establishment (USA and Britain vs. Terrorists and Russians) , etc.
I try to convince her that I don’t think what the U.S. Army is doing is right, that I haven’t been desensitized to violence, and that I live in a very Liberal community where these ideas like the wars on terror are shunned.
My mom also made a huge deal about how in the trailer they show an American Flag. I think she’s just nitpicking.
I’ll admit it’s violent (she isn’t concerned about language), but seeing violence doesn’t necessarily mean that I will preform violent behavior (And it seems like you agree with me on that).
But my mom is a research professor at Harvard School of Public Health, and so she starts blabbing about how the correlation between exposure to violence and violent behavior is second only in closeness to the correlation between smoking and lung cancer.
I think actual violence and violence in video games are completely different. What about you?
March 23rd, 2010 at 4:16 pm
Also, in case I show my parents what you said, is it possible you could give me a sort-of “bottom-line”, based on who you think this game should be played by?
BTW: my email: waffleperson5678@gmail.com
Thanks,
Josh
March 29th, 2010 at 12:49 am
I am 13 years old and my parents are about to get me xbox live. when they do get it for me i am going to ask them for theis game. Personally I do have some conflicting natures about the airport mission. I would skip it even if I do get laughed at bacause I belive it is morally wrong. I am going to tell them about the level anyways because if you don’t tell them about and that find out they will probably take it away. Anyways I would only play the multiplayer and not even bother with the campaign. As for all of the people who want help here it is.
First start doing things on your own. Keep your room clean, get all As, don’t annoy siblings and just prove your mature enough to have the game. Follow my advice about the airport level. If they let you watch war movies then just ask them if you can watch the movies then why can’t you hav a controllable movie. Also affor to buy it with your own money and be polite that helps alot. Be respectful to your teachers and all adults ( yes even the president even though almost nobody likes him). Show you have pride in your nation and you know war is a horrible thing and if they ask younabout the airport level tell them you can skip it and you would never burnt a person in reallife unless they are attacking you or abusing you in some way shape or form. Asfpr the kid who posted in all caps if you go online and post for help In all caps that probably just proves your not mature enough for this game. As for any offense this game might cause to any Vets. I apologised and I actually am thinking about joining tha military later when I get older then geta degree in computer engineering. I am going to stop this insanley long post becuse it is 2:49 am on a school. night and i really need to go to bed and sorry for any typing errors I’m typing this on my I touch.
April 3rd, 2010 at 9:52 pm
@Kid who wants the game
Well, if your mother is worried that the game will compromise a liberal system of moral beliefs that she has instilled in you, tell her not to worry. I am a liberal as well, and I’ve played through the story and retained my liberal values just the same.
April 6th, 2010 at 8:16 pm
@kid who wants the game
Tell your mom that if she is really a liberal, she should be open to all belief systems, not just those that fit into her own limited world view. She shouldn’t be afraid of something challenging her beliefs if her beliefs are correct. Politics are no reason not to get a game for non-bigots
April 9th, 2010 at 3:11 pm
I, for one, think that the level of violence in Modern Warfare 2 is blown out of proportions, or rather how graphic this is (I think it can be debated if the level of graphic content, or just the situation itself is more offensive, I, for one, think that games that show off killing as something clean should be considered more offensive than games that actually display the brutal truth; that killing is far from clean). There is neither any post-mortem damage, nor any dismemberment in Modern Warfare 2, so I just thought that I’d add those facts to the table.
April 10th, 2010 at 11:36 am
My parents have not gotten me the game, and I have tried everything. I now have no friends because I don’t have this, apparently I am too ” uncool” because I do not have the game. Help please. I have no phone or gaming system, because I did not make the A honor roll, and I am still the smartest in the grade. I only used to have a pc , please help
April 11th, 2010 at 12:52 pm
One other thing that I’d add that struck me about the terrorist scene is that there are only like five different character models for civilians. It was shocking at first to just see people being mowed down, but once I realized that my team had was mowing down the same people over and over, it took away a lot of the impact. It felt like shooting up a gallery of mannequins, almost.
April 12th, 2010 at 11:43 am
@ROLFCopter I don’t own the game myself (I’ve only played the game at a friend’s house), but your comment made me somewhat curious. Do they recycle the same models with different textures, or do they simply recycle the same models without changing the textures to make the civilians seem somewhat different?
April 13th, 2010 at 7:23 pm
I now need rly bad help. People beat me up at school, swear at me, and rub the fact they have this game in my face. Every day, when I go home I go to my room and cry. My parents don’t care, and I hate myself PLEASE HELP!
April 13th, 2010 at 7:46 pm
@Anonymous teenager from Scandinavia I posted that off the top of my head, but I went back and watched a video of it on Youtube just now. It appears that they might change hair color or clothing slightly, but there are definitely some completely identical models. It’s especially apparent at one point when you descend a stairway and there’s a pile of bodies that your companions already mowed down; there are like 15 to 20 people but I only picked out maybe 5 different character models in there.
April 18th, 2010 at 3:45 am
@ROFLCopter That seems kind of lazy on Infinity Ward’s part.
April 19th, 2010 at 6:19 pm
I’m 14 and I got this game this weekend after a short debate with my mother about if it was appropriate, and although the multiplayer is not really worse than my prior multiplayer title of choice, Uncharted 2, there were 2 scenes in the singleplayer that I was thankful that my mother doesn’t watch me play games for.
1: The scene where you first gain control of your soldier in South America and your driver is shot by the man you observe disarm and kill 2 men, when your driver gets shot by this man, a large amount of very believable blood gets splattered across the dashboard of the car, it was probably the most over the top moment of the game for me, though I didn’t find it bothering.
(spoiler ahead!)
And 2: The scene where you are playing as Soap at the end of the game and you pull the knife Shepard has stabbed you with out of your body and throw it at his face, its at about 3/4ths of the way through this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsEQyijXqPI&feature=related
I personally skipped the No Russian level, as I had minimal interest in seeing it, I’ll probably play it when I revisit the games single player,
Anyone who wants to play me online my psn id is Redug, Im not horrible but I’m hardly good, and I can only play on the weekends until summer, but Ill gladly play with anybody during those time slots.
April 22nd, 2010 at 10:04 pm
Why do kids think that the more games that they have the more mature they are!?
April 23rd, 2010 at 8:45 am
@confused gamer
I think its less they think they’re more mature, and more, they’ve been exposed to more content and think they are less likely to be effected by games.
April 23rd, 2010 at 9:58 am
Hi. I’m 13 and when I found out about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Reflex Edition for Wii, I WAS TOTALLY FREAKED! My dad didn’t find out about the M rating until I tried to watch a video about it on the Nintendo Channel, and we have parental controls so you probably know what happened. I WAS TOTALLY LET DOWN! Since then, I’ve been wanting to get it still, but he still says no. My mom said that if I get done with online school by the time public school gets out, she will let me get something (an incentive), and I brought up maybe getting an M game IF I WAS REALLY MATURE (but I don’t think she gave in).
Now I see this, and I was going to show my dad, but I feel like he wont give in. Any suggestions? (P.S. I read your comment Mike Lester and I think that might help. Once I feel confident he might make a deal I’ll post again)
April 23rd, 2010 at 10:00 am
oh and by the way im almost 14 just saying
April 23rd, 2010 at 10:44 am
Also Smart 13 y old I’m gonna try that idea. I do the complete opposite (except with grades) so maybe if I change they will think about it. Thanks!
April 26th, 2010 at 12:50 am
It’s great to read threads like this. I’m a father of 5 kids and appreciate the guidance.
On this thread my paraphrase of what I am reading from “13-year-old kids who want M games” is: I’m smart so I should get what I want. My friends all have this game and I’m an outcast if I don’t have it. I want it. And I’m oblivious to both graphical violence and moral thought. Its more important THAT you I am playing with friends rather than WHAT I am playing with them.
Really, these are very weak arguments that really make you look like a child younger than you probably are. What’s the best way to show you are “mature”? Act like you are mature! A baby says, “everyone else has it, I want it.” But someone with responsibility (and maturity) considers which things they and others should do and should not and why that is the case.
So you have to think of what rules you would impose if you were the parent on your kids. How would you want your kids to grow and develop? What characteristics of games would lead them to success and happiness in life and what habits might develop that might hinder their lives. If you think doing everything is ok and can’t relate actions to consequences, it is probably a sign that you are very young and not even close to the maturity one would need for an “M” game. And if you can’t understand that a parent’s role is to provide some protective limits for children, you don’t really have any chance of playing an “M” game.
The parents on this site are a real variety, and what I like about GamerDad is that he promotes discussion over thumbs up or down (absolutes), and recognizes families may come to different answers. This has made me really think about what rules I want.
I came up with a family video game policy. It is more in depth than this, but there are three main points for games I restrict my kids from playing:
1) No foul language in the game. This includes not playing online with players that swear. Its a moral choice for me and my family. Lots of websites will teach you why morally and practically foul language isn’t a great habit. I find it hard to argue that using foul language is a helpful habit to garner in children, and by extension, limiting exposure to foul language likely limits how strong of habit using foul language becomes.
2) No nudity or sexual solicitation in the game.
3) No excessively unnecessary graphical violence. I guess imbedded in this idea is the concept of not explicitly promoting immoral behaviour. It is debatable whether killing and violence are even immoral (religion seems to be responsible for as much violence as it prevents). But an explicit game theme of requiring theft, cold-blooded murder, rape, torture and so on isn’t really a necessary part of my children’s development. Virtually every game is about the elimination of an opponent or opponent’s pieces. Therefore, I think if you are a gamer, you don’t really see the elimination of an opponent’s pieces or resources as violence – just part of the game. There has to be some colour on the experience to try to make the gaming experience more fun and realistic as well. However, there is a subjective line when the game seems to be about graphics and violence rather than about being a game. I don’t want to give money to developers who focus on the graphical detail of death rather than providing better intracacies of deep entertaining gameplay. I’m still kind of subjective on this one.
Gaming is one of the best things about my life and will always be a big part of my life. I’ve played a lot of great games, but to be honest I’ve been slowly moving back to boardgames, pen & paper role playing games and card games because there has been a renaissance of new ideas and very interesting non-videogames (www.boardgamegeek.com for examples). Unfortunately, video games seem to be developing “eye candy” with less intellectual depth and collaborative player development compared to progress in non-video games. Still love both, but when will they improve the game play and strategy on a war theme video game rather than simply enhancing the resolution and foul language? And it seems like development of AI has gone out the window now that multi-player online gaming is popular. The game companies seem to be saying “why bother developing computer-based strategy when we can save time and just let people play each other?” People are great to play against, but I would have thought AI would have improved more.
I hope video games get another round of enlightenment and don’t just become about graphics. One of the top current board games is called Puerto Rico which takes 60-120 minutes to play face to face. Online, I could play a game with experienced players every 20 minutes on the Brettspielwelt site. This is a great example of when a top-ranked boardgame gets the advantages of computer power. No so for most first person shooters. Most are really just remakes of the 25-year-old “Wolvenstein” first-person shooter, but with higher resolution. Big deal. Reward the developers that get your brain working, not just your eyes! Otherwise, for a great first-person shooter experience – just go for a round of outdoor paintball – hard to beat real-life graphics.
May 17th, 2010 at 10:43 am
I decided that I won’t ask for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Reflex, because after a discussion on War with my dad, he said that he wants people, especially children when they are old enough, to understand that, well, war is hell, and see videos (like Band of Brothers) that show what war is really like. On the other hand, he doesn’t want children under 18 to play video games that simulate war, because they don’t show every single concept AND experiencing WWII by playing a game (i.e. Call of Duty: World At War) just because it will probably make kids want to join up in the Armed Forces when they get old enough, and go to Afghanistan and shoot somebody and be scarred (not scared) for life.
He barely agrees on letting me play war games that are rated T (I own Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 for Wii and Battlefield 2: Complete Collection for PC, a few DS shooters, and The Conduit will be arriving in the mail soon), going so far as putting a Time Restriction on the Computer for Battlefield 2 at the time (until 1. I finish school for this year, and 2. Show I am more Mature.), and not letting my 6 year old sister watch me play Medal of Honor and not letting her play Multiplayer on Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.
There are no video games on the market right now that show war to its fullest. It doesn’t show people getting blown in the gut and holding their intestines in, it doesn’t show people how soldiers really react when their comrade gets their head blown off, and it doesn’t show what people are like when they get home.
I now understand my dad’s view of war games, and have decided not to beg for Bad Company 2 or Call of Duty 4. I hope all of you that are under the age of 18 view the same way as I do.
May 17th, 2010 at 10:47 am
Also, I forgot to mention something in my previous comment. There are a ton of other great games out there. I like to play Mario and Solitaire, and there are a few great shooters that are T rated and are a lot better to play than M games. Try those out, and see what it’s like! It can be fun to play Call of Duty Multiplayer every once in a while, but what’s really fun about video games is that there are very fun games that do not involve war, blood and lots of violence.
May 18th, 2010 at 9:49 am
Also, for those who HAVE to get a rated M Call of Duty game over their addictions, you have 3 options:
1. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
2. Call of Duty: World at War
3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
I’m pretty sure that between a choice of Modern Warfare 1 and 2, almost everyone will pick MW2. However, when it comes to World at War and MW2, it might be a hard decision.
If you only have a Wii, I’m assuming that you will choose Modern Warfare Reflex. But, besides that, World at War should not be your pick if you don’t want your mother to ban M games from your home. World at War has dismemberment, and a lot of it. There is one scene where a soldier gets half of his head blown off, exposing what’s left over his skull and brains. There is also a lot of gore. Way more than any Call of Duty game to date (No Russian is as close as you’ll get to World at War).
However, I’m assuming that even without this post, people would have still picked MW2 UNLESS they love seeing their enemies fly in pieces.
So, I think World at War is the greater of 2 evils (3 if you count MW1), so unless if you have a Wii (the Wii version of World at War has an option to take off blood and gore, or at least most of it), you should avoid WaW (World at War) if you have at least a mother in the household. If you’re 18+ and live outside the house with your friends in an apartment, WaW will probably show them how tough you are if you NEVER, EVER, look away from the screen.
May 18th, 2010 at 9:50 am
@ Anonymous: If you think MW2 has a lot of violence, read my comment above. What do you think now?
August 22nd, 2010 at 3:02 pm
Dear gamerdad, i am only 12 and my birthday is comming up, i really want this game and only for online play, is it any different than killing civilians in an airport? Like more tame then campaign? i kno there is still swearing and blood but is there a diffrence?
August 26th, 2010 at 6:04 am
hi im 12 going to be 13 this october and i was wondering should i be allowed to get this game. i have good grades and i think im mature, i dont get into fights argue with my parents etc.my parents are fairly comfortable with me playing the game,but i have a 10 year old brother. he has good grades and doesnt get into trouble at school (as far as i know).he watches me play all the time and he has played metal gear solid 4 although he got a bit scared at some points.Do you think i should be able to get the game (bearing in mind i probalbly wont play the campain just multiplayer and ill mute everyone from what ive heard the mw2 community are not the friendliest bunch).please can you answer my question if you have time to.thanks.
September 2nd, 2010 at 8:22 pm
@ master dc
I beg to differ that no games show war how it really is. Not that I have been to war before but call of duty 5 world at war does a “great” job at showing the gore and horror of real soldiers. It shows graphic scenes and most AIs arms legs and head may be blown off. Along with strong language and other unpleaseantries. 6 months ago I was that 13 year old kid wanting this game to but I those six months I learned a lot. The kids who played it constantly were getting bigger and bigger and stopped playing sports and other activities. Just like anything to much is harmful. Every once and a while I’ll play a few rounds with my friends on spsplit screen but I’ve found some good t games as well: blacklight tango down, battlefield 1943 and soon to be released force unleashed 2
September 2nd, 2010 at 8:24 pm
Oh and honestly I never got the game and I don’t have any m games and don’t expect to anytime soon. There is pluses for being your age and negatives as well.
September 22nd, 2010 at 3:00 pm
I really want to get this game, but my parents wount let me. All of my friends have M games, and even though I am 15, they won’t let me. They hate video games already, and have no real reply to my questions. What do I do?
October 7th, 2010 at 7:08 pm
Very nice site! is it yours too
October 18th, 2010 at 3:31 pm
hi gamerdad!
im 11 and i know that is young but i am mature, have good grades, and have r rated movies like kick ass were they blow some1 up in a microwave i have played cod 3,james bond quantum of solace and other t rated shooters like bf bad company 1 gold. i would like to play halo or cod mw2 (i am not the kind of person to kill civilians in an airport) i have played these games at friends houses and my parents know i have and seem to be ok with it. but say no to our house.my parents also dont like to talk about the subject but it seems like they dont like the subjject of violence against humans but i kill humans all the time on quantum of solace. i have no other m rated games. do you have advice or are they right and at my age with my background should i be allowed to play those games?
October 18th, 2010 at 6:42 pm
plz email if u have answer
October 19th, 2010 at 6:38 pm
@
dexter no game has officially been rated ao and actually published
January 27th, 2011 at 12:07 pm
I am 13 and very mature to my teachers standards, along with my parents standards. I believe that I am mature enough to have this game. I showed my father the gameplay on the demo and he said he was fine with me getting it, with the only person in my way being my mother. What should i tell her?
March 19th, 2011 at 3:34 pm
If Halo is a 1 and GTA IV is a 10, where would you put CoD based on content?
June 16th, 2011 at 8:55 pm
My mom let’s me play any game that I want except “M” games. I try to tell her you can skip the airport mission and that I won’t play the campaign if she doesn’t want me to. She just says it’s rated “M” for a reason so why should I let you play it? I am 12 and she let’s me play “T” games so I say the same reason you let me “T” games. Then she just says “uh huh” and walks away or I something like I told you no. Sometimes she even threatens to take away all my video games and I try to show her gameplay but before I show her the video she goes “I told you, you can’t play the game.” I am kind of confused on what tondo could you help me out?