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a forum for the uses of videogames in advertising, politics, education, and other everyday activities, outside the sphere of entertainment



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Gonzalo Frasca (editor emeritus)


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Take it easy, it's just a game
April 25, 2005 - by Gonzalo Frasca

What if somebody decided that you are the bad guy/gal? Would you like it to happen to you? What if you are just a fictional bad guy? The obvious answer if that you should take it easy, since it is just a game, right? Everybody knows that you are not really bad, or at least they should. Well, it's an interesting problem, not just in games but in fiction in general, and there is no easy answer to it. Now is the turn to Bangladesh to get really pissed off, since Socom 3 will portray it as a terrorist state. They are actually thinking of suing Sony if they do not remove any reference to their country from the game. I certainly understand their point. It wouldn't be such a problem if somebody accussed Switzerland of being a terrorist state, because we all know that, while very little happens in Switzerland that is relevant to the world attention , the media would be all over it if anything did happen in this little European country. But what about Bangladesh? The international media is not precisely attentive to Bangladeshian politics or events, so it is understandable that if a popular game like Socom 3 focuses on it, that may be one of the very few doses of information that many people would get about Bangladesh. If I accuse Switzerland of being terrorist, at least I can check that accusation that my previous knowledge of the country (I am using Switzerland as an example after the infamous Orson Welles' cuckoo observation). Anyway, on the other hand, it's just a game, right? I am of two minds on it, but I sympathize with Bangladesh on their claim: just because they are an exotic small player in the world, they do not deserve to be called the bad guys.



Comment from madsax on April 27, 2005

I'd like to see an American company make a game where the Americans are bad guys. Maybe they can be evil capitalists. :)

Comment from Jean Dupree on April 27, 2005

You'd like to see an American company make a game where the Americans are bad guys? Wasn't that what Syndicate was?

Besides, nowadays any company trying to make a game like that would be accused of supporting terrorism or something along the lines of being un-American and hating freedom.

Comment from true bangladeshi on July 22, 2006

SOCOM did a bad thing to potray bangladesh as a terrorist state..!!

Bangladesh is the best country!!!

Comment from bangla on July 22, 2006

if u state bangladesh a poor country, then check out: http://dhakaracing.50megs.com


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