I’m not sure why the below live-action trailer for Call of Duty: Black Ops has stuck with me ever since I saw it during last week’s The Walking Dead. I’m guessing many of you saw it too.
There’s something about this trailer that seriously bothers me. And I’m not one to hate on live-action depictions of videogames—I thought the Halo: ODST trailers were pretty rad. And I’ve even liked some of the fan films that Nex has pointed me towards. So what is it about this one? Is it the teenage girl firing a shotgun? Is it the subversive praise of escapism? Is it Kobe?
More thoughts and your chance to tell me why you may or may not like this trailer, after the jump…
Now you’ll have to forgive me, Blogtown, I’m not much of a gaming dude. I try to keep up with what the kids are playing these days, but I rarely get a chance to actually play the games. I am, however, interested in (A) how games are marketed, as well as (B) the impact that videogame culture on the general population, and (C) how videogames are received, and perhaps even censored by, said general population. here’s been some controversial talk about Call of Duty’s Modern Warfare franchise, as well as EA’s Medal of Honor series, and I can’t help but wonder what the overall perceptions of these games are. Apparently Call of Duty: Black Ops is the fastest-selling videogame of all time, and I wonder how this ad helped in those sales. And of course, I’m wondering why I’m so darn troubled by the damn thing.
I suppose I’m a bit offended by the presumption that “There’s a solider in all of us,” and the leap that the trailer makes in encouraging us to explore this inner soldier through a videogame. But then again, if the sales numbers are indeed reflective of a general population that wants to play this game, then I suppose the 7,000,000 people who bought it on the first day are in agreement with Kobe Bryant and Jimmy Kimmel and want to tap in and get some.
I also might not like how this ad glorifies violence. The argument against that, I suppose, would be the fact that we don’t see anyone actually get shot or killed in the spot, and that the tongue-in-cheek tone is enough to make the muzzle flashes and grand explosions moot. I mean, is the glorification of violence even something being debated in the videogame world anymore?
So what else is there? Well, I’m a Blazer fan. And the image of Kobe firing a grenade launcher is certainly sticking with me, much like our recent loss to the Lakers has haunted me since Sunday… so that must be it. It’s gotta be Kobe.
In either case, help me out here, Blogtown. Why don’t I like this? Or why do you like this, and why am suddenly standing on a soap box? Comment much?
I was kinda wigged out by that add too. I think the reason I can justify an activity that involves simulations of people getting shot in the face is that I’m participating in a work of fiction. I mean, I don’t think PETA should get on my case because I read Moby Dick. They should get on my case because I hunt whales for sport. But that’s a separate issue.
The imagery of office workers running around shooting shooting at other office workers because they like playing video games is not really a work of fiction I’d like engage in. That shit’s just creepy.
I LOVE THIS AD! This game will rule by Colbert’s law of “the market has spoken” you can’t spend this much on celebrities for your commercial and have a shitty game!
I think it’s funny. It’s normal people put into movie-style cartoonish war zones. Jimmy Kimmel falling on his ass after firing a SAM is pretty great.
Playing a video game is nothing like being a soldier, and I think anyone who plays understands this. Video games don’t glorify violence, they make a spectacle of it. It’s hard for me to find a sentiment like that compelling after growing up playing video games and ending up a totally normal dude who likes to play video games sometimes. Advertisements have to get people’s attention, and portraying regular people in the situation their video game avatars are in is a novel representation of gaming.
It too closely equates video gaming with the acts depicted therein.
For a long time gamers have had to defend themselves against arguments like “the Columbine shooters played Doom, therefore Doom creates murderers”. Most sensible people know this isn’t true but the fact remains that video games, comics, porn, movies, and Hostess products are all easy blame targets when a crime is committed. This only reinforces that notion.
But hey, what do I know? — off to another game of America’s Army.
All I know is that if I ever see a Murloc in real life, that mother fucker is dead.