Why gaming's latest take on war is so offensive to Russians

Polygon: "Company of Heroes 2 found broad favor with the media, gaining an 80 percent average on Metacritic. But there's one group of people who really don't like the game."

[Godlovesgamers]

I actually won't play BF3, MoH, nor will I purchase any new CoD games because I think it's terribly offensive that these games mirror current on-going wars in which we are actually portrayed as the "good guys", when anyone with half a brain and some critical thinking skills knows damn well that our wars are illegal and we are tearing this peoples countries and lives apart just so we can occupy them for their resources because of our economic interests. Our wars are for the corporations, not freedom or our country.

Sorry about that rant...

With that said, I would much rather a sci-fi or made-up countries/factions setting for games based around wars that way no one's feelings are hurt, no one's feathers ruffled. This is part of the reason why I prefer Resistance and Killzone more.

[NioRide]

Go take your political agenda somewhere else.

[zerocrossing]

Wow, so much for freedom of speech huh?

The guy makes a valid point, there's just too much Russian hating going on, well in COD at least.

[Ezz2013]

but he do have a point

i do notice that alot of games try wayyyy to hard to show Americans as heroes and the rest of the world is as evil as it gets
not just Russians

[NioRide]

zero A bit hypocritical aren't you.

"freedom of speech"

And you believe their is to much hate, doesn't mean they can't do what they want. its the "freedom" to do as they please.

But here's something that might come as a surprise.

"freedom" isn't the standard.

[zerocrossing]

@NioRide

Me hypocritical? Not at all. My "freedom of speech "remark was aimed at you attempting to dismiss a point of view that conflicts with your own.

Activision can do what they want, but Godlovesgamers isn't the first person to suggest there's a possible hidden agenda in COD games and I'm sure he won't be the last.

As for my stance? I don't have one, American politics isn't of great concern to me, but I do find it kind of funny how Russia is painted as the villain even if in the games it's due to the elaborate design of another faction.

[NioRide]

zero, I didn't say it conflicted, I didn't say there was anything wrong with it.

But this is a video game news website, Not CNN/BBC/FOX/NHK.

Not some place to spew crap that has nothing to actually do with the industry.

[Godlovesgamers]

@NioRide

Go take your bitterness and negativity somewhere else.

[ThePreface]

I agree 100%. Bubs for you

[fossilfern]

I think people need to realise that its a game, meaning its not real. And why bring some political agenda into this?.

[Anthotis]

The topic at hand is political in nature. He is also correct in his assessment of western governments.

[fossilfern]

@Anthotis So France shouldn't of bothered going into Mali because it could be seen as a political agenda?

[Anthotis]

The ruling authority in Mali asked for the French to assist.

The reason they asked the French(of all countries) for help is because Mali is a former French colony, and is in turmoil because of the imperialist actions of the French which left the country in the state it is in now.

France would've looked worse by not coming to their aid.

[Foxgod]

If the Americans didnt wage war there, there would have been a war in those country's anyway, or worse, Genocide.

[Brasi1989]

I concur look at what happened in Bosnia.

[Hicken]

I don't usually agree with you, but I'm behind you 100% on this.

Things like Rwanda should never have happened. Unfortunately, there are MANY countries who will do NOTHING when such situations do arise. It gets us in a lot of trouble- for some odd reason- but we're usually the only ones willing to get involved.

[whamlollypop7]

All govts are the same bro, we just happen to be on top right now. Don't worry it won't last.

[3-4-5]

Got post this on the CNN forums or Faux news were more people care about this BS.

[Foxgod]

Its not offensive to Russians at all, its only Offensive to butthurt Soviets that long for the old days.

Thats like saying WW2 games are offensive to Germans, because of the Nazi's.

[zerocrossing]

Well I guess it could be viewed as offensive, I mean Russia and America aren't honestly on the best of terms even to this day, so games like COD could be viewed by some as a politically fuelled statement with a hidden agenda such as attempting to rally a countries populous against another through painting them as the villain.

Then again it could just be harmless.

[whamlollypop7]

This is what we are complaining about really? Whats next the French and Germans are going to be out raged about the next Rome Total War?

[dcj0524]

Is it bad that I want to play as a U.S squad that realizes the U.S is doing something evip and stops while betraying their country at the same time? That woupd be a epic story.

[MiasmaDodo]

COD is made by Americans for Americans (straight up)

if you people on here (an American gaming site) do not like America, or think its military people are not Heroes...

kinda odd to be complaining about "western ways" whilst using an Avatar discussing western video games on a western website (N4g = american site).

[Einhert]

The soviets were as bad as the nazis.

I wonder if they would still view it as unpatriotic if they included the parts about the soviets killing mass amounts of people and burying them in mass graves then blaming it on the nazis.