A former U.S Marine has shared his disgust for the level of realism Call of Duty Modern Warfare is going for. Developer Infinity Ward is trying to put us in the shoes of marines and show us what it’s like being on the ground in the middle of battle.
However, not everyone is a fan of too much realism in video games. Former U.S Marine who goes by “Dr. John Respectful, M.D” on Twitter shared his views about Call of Duty Modern Warfare and what Infinity Ward discussed at the E3 Collesium. In the lengthy thread, John shared his experience and his take on realism which sparked a conversation about how “real” a game should be and what effects it can have on people who actually suffered through those events.
So, I want to talk about the #ModernWarfare panel at E3 and some of what was said. Because it's a perfect example of every problem I have with videogames that attempt to depict "realism" in combat.
Content warning.
I will be vivid.
I will be graphic.
Because I need to be.
— Dr. John Respectful, M.D. (@mistermegative) June 12, 2019
The following quote is in regards to accidentally shooting a baby being held by a woman civilian: "“If you comport yourself in a way not befitting a soldier, the game will fail you”. What does that even mean? Can you actually shoot a fucking baby? Will the game end?
— Dr. John Respectful, M.D. (@mistermegative) June 12, 2019
”The game will try to figure out if you shot that baby on purpose or accidentally." And then what? Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher committed murder and war crimes IRL. Will your character be apprehended and put on trial? I fucking doubt it. Why is this even an option?
— Dr. John Respectful, M.D. (@mistermegative) June 12, 2019
"But if you’re really trying to do your job and you’re just like, ‘Oh God damn it, I made a mistake and I feel really bad about that,’ we want you to feel that. We want you to really sit with that.”@InfinityWard, let me tell you about what it feels like to "sit with that".
— Dr. John Respectful, M.D. (@mistermegative) June 12, 2019
There isn't a day that goes by I don't think about Iraq. Not one day. I have been sitting in THAT chair for 15 years now, and I'll sit in it the rest of my life. "oh crap I made a mistake and I feel bad" doesn't fucking begin to describe what we feel when we fuck up in combat.
— Dr. John Respectful, M.D. (@mistermegative) June 12, 2019
"Part of the reality of war is that there are people who face unpleasant events……..but what we don’t want to shy away from is the realities that some people face in war"
Oh boy. OH FUCKIN BOY. Let's talk about the fucking reality of war, @InfinityWard.
— Dr. John Respectful, M.D. (@mistermegative) June 12, 2019
We used to see suicide bombers strap explosives to their chests and mainline fistfuls of meth and adrenaline before they ran screaming at us, unable to feel the rounds impacting their bodies as Marines desperately tried to stop them.
— Dr. John Respectful, M.D. (@mistermegative) June 12, 2019
We used to have detainees look us in the eye and say "don't ever free us. Because we won't hurt you. We're going to find your families at home, and we're going to torture them to death on video and post them on the internet"
— Dr. John Respectful, M.D. (@mistermegative) June 12, 2019
The reality of war is your unit abandoning the Iraqi/Afghan interpreters who risked their lives to help you, despite your pleas otherwise, knowing what would happen to them when you left. Knowing what would happen to their families.
— Dr. John Respectful, M.D. (@mistermegative) June 12, 2019
The reality of war is your GySgt (with a wife and two very young kids) getting reduced to ash after moving a HMMWV to protect his Marines. It's having a rushed memorial service as the mortars and rockets are raining down.
— Dr. John Respectful, M.D. (@mistermegative) June 12, 2019
The reality of war is having to watch an IR feed of a drone strike someone ordered hitting it's target, knowing that kids and civilians were probably caught in the blast. Having to watch that as a new father to an infant son whose blanket you carry in your rucksack.
— Dr. John Respectful, M.D. (@mistermegative) June 12, 2019
The reality of war is hearing about a young man you knew and admired blowing his head off years later because his PTSD was too much for him, leaving behind young kids and a wife. It's ruined marriages, years of therapy, spontaneous crying, and solemn regret.
— Dr. John Respectful, M.D. (@mistermegative) June 12, 2019
It's swerving on the highway to avoid that box that might be an IED. It's the weird looks you get after diving on the pavement when a car backfires. It's your mother walking in on you sobbing uncontrollably into your hands.
— Dr. John Respectful, M.D. (@mistermegative) June 12, 2019
The reality of war is being forced to watch videos you find of unspeakable atrocities being inflicted upon screaming, pleading men begging for their lives. Slow beheadings while someone is still alive, people being lit on fire. The sounds. They fucking stay with you.
— Dr. John Respectful, M.D. (@mistermegative) June 12, 2019
The reality of war is a Marine you served with huddled under his kitchen table with a rifle because he has absolutely no idea where he is, and thinks he's still in Ramadi hunkered down in some crater.
— Dr. John Respectful, M.D. (@mistermegative) June 12, 2019
The reality of war is living every day in hell. There's nothing fucking poetic or glorious or badass about being in a war. It's mostly scared teenagers and older NCOs/officers trying to pretend they AREN'T scared.
— Dr. John Respectful, M.D. (@mistermegative) June 12, 2019
The reality of war is 15 years of considering how close I came to death. The constant thought that I was two feet away from not being here to tell you all this. My son almost never existed. I almost never met the love of my life. I was almost a memory. Ash and blood on the wind.
— Dr. John Respectful, M.D. (@mistermegative) June 12, 2019
The reality of war is a lifetime…..a LIFETIME…..of disabilities, mental health issues, loss, regret, pain, tears, lost limbs, nightmares, broken homes, widows, widowers, orphaned children, and memories that are chained to your psyche forever.
— Dr. John Respectful, M.D. (@mistermegative) June 12, 2019
That……THAT……is the reality of war. It's not something that can be captured by a videogame. You can't digitize that and slap it on a disc. You can't make someone understand through a controller. You can't explain it through tutorials.
— Dr. John Respectful, M.D. (@mistermegative) June 12, 2019
So, developers: the next time you claim to capture "unpleasant events" or depict the "realities" of war, consider your words and intent VERY carefully. This isn't a game for us.
THIS is OUR reality. I pray you never live it.
— Dr. John Respectful, M.D. (@mistermegative) June 12, 2019
What Do We Think?
I think too much realism and certain events in video games can trigger PTSD, especially in soldiers who actually faced similar situations. The developers want to invoke real emotions in players and arguments can be made both in favor and against it. Standing in a soldier’s shoes and seeing such realism can end up causing mental health issues, however, the general western audience isn’t aware of these events, they do not know the horrors people face during war and if they know, they can’t really feel strong emotions toward the situation unless they are shown these events, unless they are put in that situation. One of Infinity Ward’s goal is to spread awareness and that is important as it can spark a discussion. This is a sensitive topic that needs to be handled with respect.
Modern Warfare series is one of the few that managed to handle such events well and we expect the same from Modern Warfare 2019. Sadly, other installments in the Call of Duty franchise and EA’s Battlefield have done nothing but glorify war.
While I respect John’s point of view I must disagree and support Infinity Ward’s push for realism in Call of Duty Modern Warfare. There are no heroes of war, there are only survivors. War is a gray area and people need more awareness and video games are one of the best ways to communicate the horrors of war.
