British defence secretary Liam Fox has hit out at Electronic Arts’ forthcoming Medal of Honor reboot, branding the Afghanistan-based shooter as “tasteless” and calling for UK retailers not to stock the game upon its release this autumn.
Specifically, Fox’s comments appear to have been provoked by the fact the title allows players to assume the role of Taliban soldiers in the game’s multiplayer component.
“It’s shocking that someone would think it acceptable to recreate the acts of the Taliban,” commented Fox. “At the hands of the Taliban, children have lost fathers and wives have lost husbands.
“I am disgusted and angry. It’s hard to believe any citizen of our country would wish to buy such a thoroughly un-British game. I would urge retailers to show their support for our armed forces and ban this tasteless product.”
EA has since responded to Fox’s outburst, telling the Sunday Times: “The format of the new Medal of Honor game merely reflects the fact that every conflict has two sides.
“We give gamers the opportunity to play both sides. Most of us have been doing this since we were seven: someone plays the cop, someone must be robber. In Medal of Honor multiplayer, someone’s got to be the Taliban.”
Medal of Honor is scheduled for release on October 15.