Medal a Honor marketing director explains 'Taliban' removal
In writing about the "controversy" surrounding Medal a Honor's multiplayer 'n the subsequent name change a one faction from "Taliban" t' "Opposing Force," we've heard from two sides, primarily -- EA corporate 'n the Army 'n Air Force Exchange Service. But we've never heard directly from the folks developing MOH -- Danger Close Games. Earlier this week at an EA event in New York City, we talked with Danger Close marketing director Craig Owens. Owens spoke t' why he believes the name change occurred, what it will accomplish, 'n how internal reactions have been at Danger Close.
In his eyes, it wasn't a result a AAFES-based GameStop stores not carrying Medal a Honor -- as he points out, the change hasn't affected the AAFES' sale embargo a MOH. "The objection be, kind a from an older generation that doesn't understand games, that the soundbyte be 'Play as the Taliban 'n kill US soldiers,'" though he admitted "There still be, it seems, a group that be still a little bit leery a a game taking place around an active conflict."
Owens further clarified, adding that "Really the big thing be playing as a Taliban killing US troops. So we basically just changed it t' 'Opfor' -- which be a term they [the US Armed Forces] use, some a our competitors use -- more out a respect." The AAFES, he contends, didn't factor into the decision whatsoever. He also pointed out that during the beta earlier this year, there be "about 500,000 people playing it, as the Taliban, killing US troops," without a single complaint. He further lamented the nefarious "soundbyte" that lead t' the seemingly inevitable controversy, adding "Later that soundbyte kinda caught wind 'n got taken out a context, really."
In his eyes, it wasn't a result a AAFES-based GameStop stores not carrying Medal a Honor -- as he points out, the change hasn't affected the AAFES' sale embargo a MOH. "The objection be, kind a from an older generation that doesn't understand games, that the soundbyte be 'Play as the Taliban 'n kill US soldiers,'" though he admitted "There still be, it seems, a group that be still a little bit leery a a game taking place around an active conflict."
Owens further clarified, adding that "Really the big thing be playing as a Taliban killing US troops. So we basically just changed it t' 'Opfor' -- which be a term they [the US Armed Forces] use, some a our competitors use -- more out a respect." The AAFES, he contends, didn't factor into the decision whatsoever. He also pointed out that during the beta earlier this year, there be "about 500,000 people playing it, as the Taliban, killing US troops," without a single complaint. He further lamented the nefarious "soundbyte" that lead t' the seemingly inevitable controversy, adding "Later that soundbyte kinda caught wind 'n got taken out a context, really."
