Video game violence has been thrust back into the spotlight by the recent release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - and it's not just gamers and the usual critics arguing over the game.

BBC One's The Big Questions, a weekly philosophical and religious debate programme which enjoys a popular Sunday morning slot, opened its 15th of November episode with the topic of game violence, using Modern Warfare 2 as an example. The discussion revolved around the infamous airport scene from the game, in which the player is given the option to perpetuate a terrorist attack. Subtopics included whether the game - given an 18 rating and therefore illegal to sell to anyone below that age - was fine for the adults it was rated for. Guests included the former Bishop of Hulme, a World of Warcraft fan.

UK viewers can see the episode on the iPlayer.

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  • 0
    Daweii Nov 16, 09
    I watched this and watched it again on iPlayer just then. Some of the points were valid but it was all nonsense to be honest. This game if we can call it that considering some of the scenes within the media, is for adults, it was made for adults and the content is in league with anything else in media.

    I am not religious though I still take the bible as a literary work that sums up it's era. Whether or not the bible is a holy scripture or not I will not get into that but the stories of Cain and Abel(referenced in an MW2 trailer). The atrocities that befell Jesus and his Crucifixion, I mean come on real or not. This book contains violence of a graphic nature going on thousands of years before movies and video games.

    You go through past even recent history. Hitler and the Holocaust what set him off to murder 6 million Jews? Chess? Come on if we are blaming games here what set off the Rwandan Genocide in 1994? Doom? Seriously this gaming blame game has really gone too far. Violence and serious crime has been around since year dot, ever since the Earth was formed of life there has been violence and it doesn't just pertain to the Human Race. Violence is an instinct in all walks of life. If someone or something wants to hurt, mame or kill someone or something they will regardless of the media they are into.

    Personally I don't think Infinity Ward did anything wrong with Modern Warfare 2. If anything I think they were testing the waters with the infamous Airport scene. I can see them going further in the follow up to this title as this is only the beginning. Though I say good for them, I may put on a persona that the level was awesome and that it was a blast(literally). Though it did perturb me I was playing it through and I wasn't sure what to shoot or not, It was a unique scenario and evoked a unique response. If only for one person, it worked on me.

    So yes I see nothing wrong here. The content is adult media in an adult rated game. I played the scene and I don't want to find the sign up sheet for Al-Qaeda nor do I want to murder something or kick a dog. The scene did nothing other than make me rationalise what I was actually doing. Yes there are some psychos out there but they would kill people with or without the GTAs, the MW2s and the Manhunts. That is a fact.
  • 0
    Play ISDF Nov 16, 09
    Games, this century's favourite scapegoats for idiots. Why not go attack movies again for once. I'm sick of hearing about games did this and "Oh are games good?" and blah blah blah.
    • 0
      McClubbin Nov 16, 09
      Movies were already done when they were popular. What's the point in scapegoating them again after they've been accepted? The video game industry is currently growing and becoming increasingly influential. Obviously it's not going to escape public scrutiny. It's just a phase that we'll have to live through.
      • 0
        Play ISDF Nov 16, 09
        I only mentioned movies because the things in a lot of games don't even compare to the stuff in movies.

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