Medal Of Honor Targeted: The Karen Meredith Story

Recently, over in the United States, a proud and caring mother to the name of Karen Meredith whose son was sadly killed in action in the war zone of Iraq had then decided to appear on Fox news to voice her opinion over the upcoming reboot of the first-person shooter series, Medal Of Honor. She proceeded to criticize the game still in development as “disrespectful” and felt that it would be a justified choice if it were to be pulled off the shelves and unable to fall into the hands of the public.

Much controversy has fallen upon the game as the story concept is taken from Operation Enduring Freedom, therefore meaning that the majority of players involved in any given multiplayer match would be controlling the antagonists rather than the protagonists of the story, the antagonists in this case being the Taliban. The developers of the game have responding by stating that the true nature of the game necessitated it. Amanda Taggart, senior PR manager for EA, gave AOL News this statement in defence:

“Most of us having been doing this since we were 7 — if someone’s the cop, someone’s got to be the robber, someone’s got to be the pirate and someone’s got to be the alien”,

“In Medal of Honor multiplayer, someone’s got to be the Taliban.”

Since the interview had concluded, Karen Meredith’s strong words have had a significant effect and impact on the locations of where the game will not be stocked and sold. On September 3rd, the Army & Air Service (AAFES) announced that they would not be choosing to support the game and consequently would not be stocking the revival of the Medal Of Honor series on any Army or Air Force base, and with their sudden immediate request, GameStop would follow suit. Explaining their reasoning for banning the game, Maj. Gen. Bruce Casella gave this statement:

“Well-documented reports of depictions of Taliban fighters engaging American troops” in the game and, “out of respect to those we serve.”

Ms. Meredith, the individual responsible for such events occurring highlighting the controversy of the game gave her thoughts in regards to her victory. She stands her ground and maintains her position that Medal Of Honor holds no honor to those fighting on the real battlefield, against real targets, but mere disrespect.

“Medal of Honor disrespects the troops and the families that have been left behind, and is also a concern to Blue Star families whose loved ones are or will be in harm’s way in Afghanistan and who will be the virtual targets of this game.”

Whilst applauding the immediate action taken by Maj. Gen. Bruce Casella, due to his sensitivity of the issues at hand. Ms. Meredith once again slated EA and took shots at the company ridiculing them as:

“A bunch of wannabe members of the military, who see war as a very profitable game for them and one to be “played” from the comfort and safety of someone’s home.  Faced with real military service, I’m not sure how many of them have the fortitude or courage to serve, let alone survive a combat situation.”

At the core of this argument lies Ms. Meredith looking for a sense of empathy from her audience, other mothers she can perhaps engage with. Despite this, she makes no real effort in hiding her hatred and prejudice against video games. What would we be able to reclaim from this story? In present times, games are falling more and more frequently under the spotlight due to the heated stories of controversy, but as certain games move in the direction of a more adult audience, this can be perceived as an inevitable factor. What side of the fence are you on? Let us know by voicing your opinion in the comments section below.