MW3’s “No Russian” Equivalent – Not Pleasant

TSA Staff 101 Comments

Warning, MW3 spoilers below.

Modern Warfare 2 baited the tabloids with the infamous No Russian scene, but this year’s game takes things a little further.  Too far?

Don’t watch if you’re easily offended, and also want to avoid any spoilers.  We’re assuming this will sit behind a similar question to the one that skipped over the scene in MW2.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhhpeLUyjbQ

The section involves a terrorist attack on London, an exploding van and the release of toxic gas.  And, in dramatic fashion, the death of a family.

Via CVG, Kotaku.

Update: the video has been removed by Activision

Update: There’s another video but expect Activision to have this one removed soon too.

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101 Comments

  1. The idea of how bad it could be was far worse than what was actually contained within the video. As other people have commented, there’s much worse to be seen elsewhere, I guess it comes down to press-coverage generation. The publisher feels they need a repeat of the “No Russian” public awareness hit from MW2, so come up with another sequence for the same effect. I don’t blame them, it’s all about the money at the end of the day, controversy be damned!

  2. No Russian was an essential part of the MW2 story in my opinion – that was the reason Russia invaded the US.

    It was just a 9/11 reversal, one country commits an act of terrorism against another – that country then retaliates by invasion in an effort to stop it happening again…

  3. Too much, IMO. As a father of a toddler, this strikes home much more than the No Russian scene. It’s not necessary, it’s overly nasty and – as far as I can see – not required.

    Anyone saying ‘just pixels’ is missing the point – everything on your screen is pixels. Think about it.

    Not happy, won’t be buying game as I don’t support this.

    • I have a toddler and I will be buying the game. Activision aren’t saying I, or anyone else should kill my child, nor are they “supporting” it. They aren’t making it fun to kill a child, nor are you controlling it. Perhaps it is necessary – in terms of making the players’ experience more emotive as it may make people realise the extent of what some have endured due to a terrorist act.

      • Cool, that’s your choice, as it is mine. I don’t buy things that show the murder of kids.

      • I’m not saying your choice is wrong, just the reasons why. Do you not think some of my points are valid, I’d be interested to hear your views?

      • Of course they’re valid, I just don’t agree. :)

        I do also feel like this is in there to grab some headlines rather than contribute to the plot, but having not played it I can’t comment.

        But no, I won’t be buying this. There are better ways to push boundaries IMO.

      • I guess we have to agree to disagree, I don’t think it pushes boundaries, and as you say we haven’t played the game so don’t know how necessary it is. I can’t see that Acti have released this themselves as a PR stunt, it’s profile is raised by the outcry’s of people/journalists.

        I don’t think it was done in a nasty way, the camera points away, and they’re just laying on the ground. To me it’s just to show how ruthless terrorists are, they’ll kill men, women and child, no exceptions. To beleive the story you’ve got to beleive you’re fighting terrorists. It’s appropriately rated 18 and you can chooose to avoid this content, an option you don’t get in films.

      • Well, yes, this is true. I can’t imagine they highlight what the scene is at the beginning if there’s that option to skip, mind, so you’d still be unsure until it happened.

        Still, respect for your opinion – I’d suspect I’m overreacting slightly and I’ll maybe watch it again in a few hours and see if I feel the same way.

      • Yep, I feel like I’ve overreacted, having now watched it again. I don’t plan on changing my decision, but appreciate that I might have jumped in with two feet with my comments.

      • It’s reassuring to know there are people here mature enough to admit an over-reaction, and take on other people’s points of view.

        Once I play the game, if I deem the scene unecessary, I will be the first to say that it wasn’t necessary. And whilst I can apprecaite peoples’ reasons, since I’m not easily offended, it won’t make me think bad of Activision.

      • anyone own blood diamond on dvd? that shows murder of kids? anyone pay to see mimic? that showed murdered kids. pans labyrinth anyone?

      • come to think of it, look what they did in slumdog millionaire!? did anyone in this discussion pay to see that? or purchase it?

    • Not buying the game is the perfect remedy :)

  4. It is not real, it is a game. It is not a real person or a real child.
    It is a product made by adults for adults. People should know what to expect from games like this now. If people don’t like it, then don’t watch or buy it.

  5. That’s horrid IMO.

    There’s just no need for that other than to create controversy. There’s a line of what’s acceptable to show and for me No Russian didn’t cross it. This does.

    Whatever about killing people in an airport, blowing a child up and poisoning people, by your own hand or not, is unacceptable and pretty sickening.

  6. I don’t find that terribly shocking, apart from the scripting.
    It wasn’t gory, and none of the characters were shown to be suffering before they died.
    No doubt the daily mail will run with a story about videogames degrading society, which will be the exact response activision will be hoping for.

  7. not meaning to sounds like a d*** or cause offence to anyone, but i dont get the big deal. its a game, they arent really blowing a kid up or releasing gas. and whats the difference between a child dying and an adult dying in the game? yes i know there is a tendency to feel worse or more guilty if a child dies but its still taking a life away, so why make an issue out of the child/familly? they are only pixels after all

    again, not meaning to cause offence lol so dont have a go at me lol

  8. I’m not disgusted at the at being in a computer game. i’m disgusted they are using it as a PR stunt again to grab attention they don’t need

    • Well it’s sites like this that put it out there and run with it – they didn’t release it as their latest teaser. And you can’t say for certain that it’s a PR stunt – since it’s not released yet, we don’t know it’s not integral to the story.

      • its not realeased yet but the game comes out very very soon. nice bit of headline space in the couple weeks until we see it ourselfs. Its clearly part of the story. I was never a huge fan of Activison but i know people who’ve died in terrorist attacks and memebers of my own family who’ve survived them. I’ve lived in Lockerbie my whole life and the whole town still remembers the bombings very well. For me its too far using an attack this way. If the game showed how people delt with the aftermath or looked into the reasons for the attack i’d understand why its there. But knowing Cod its so they can up the anti and give you another reasons to shoot russians and people from the middle east

      • I’d like to give Acti the benefit of the doubt. I’ve seen a lot of footage of 911, and yet not matter what I think of it, I know for a fact I cannot comprehend it in the slightest nor can I even get close to imagining what it must have been like for victims and their families. However, if some people use gaming as a media to try and comprehend such vicious acts, then I don’t see a problem with this, so long as it’s not too graphic or glorified, which in this instant I don’t think it is.

  9. I actually think the scene at the beginning of Homefront is worse than this, when you are on the bus being driven through the streets, and you are stopped at a point and see a couple shot dead in front of their young child. The emotions stirred up by that one scene are incredible. I’ve seen a lot of not too pleasant things in videogames but this is one that will always stick with me. Oh, and not a dickie-bird was said about that.

    • thats because it was for emotional response in homefront. you were meant to feel something. Its a different situation they are portraying and for different reasons

      • I think they are trying to go for the same thing, the try and make the player be emotionally affected by the act, but because of MW2’s No Russian mission and because it is Call Of Duty it hasn’t worked in the same way and is instantly taken by the press as a PR stunt/controversy. Had this been in a different, non-established franchise, would this have had the same press reaction?

  10. That’s a bit much in my opinion. It’s quite disturbing to watch. I know people are saying that films can depict horrible scenes as well, but if I saw this in a film I would be equally shocked. The other argument I have seen is that this is to make it hit home and to show what could happen. Lets be honest though, it’s not been put in for that reason and who ever thinks that is being rather naive. It’s been put in to create a fuss and generate controversy around the game in the media. This also won’t help win over the hearts and minds of the people who are against gaming, this will only fuel their anger. This is a step too far.

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