Stars and Stripes, the foremost independent publication covering the United States military, examined the Army and Air Force's recent decision to forbid Medal of Honor from being sold in their exchanges. One enlisted man blasted the decision as shortsighted.
Marine Cpl. Aaron Hostutler, described as an "avid gamer" is the only service member quoted in the article. Medal of Honor, of course, was banned from base exchanges and later changed the name of Afghan fighters in its multiplayer mode to Opposing Force, or "OPFOR" after outcry over the fact the Taliban were playable and could kill U.S. troops. That change saved the Army's endorsement of the game - noted in its television marketing - but wasn't enough to put it back on PX shelves.
"In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 you can play as several different countries' forces and often you're playing against and killing Marines or our allies," Hostutler noted. "I don't understand how ‘Medal of Honor' is any different."
Hostutler added he believed the decision to ban the game's sale was made by "a commander who doesn't play video games and hasn't caught up with the times yet."
Medal of Honor, coming Tuesday from Electronic Arts, was made with the support of the Army, which granted developers access to soldiers, weapons, locations and vehicles to ensure its authenticity. Evidently they were unaware of the multiplayer mode, in which U.S. forces battled Taliban fighters, both controlled by users.
AAFES Shelves Lined With Plenty Of Violent Entertainment [Stars & Stripes via Game Politics]