Electronic Arts began the WWII shooter genre with its Medal of Honor franchise. The series first started with PS1 titles but it really came into its own with the acclaimed 2002 PC game Medal of Honor: Allied Assault. Since then, the series had has a number of addition games on a wide variety of platforms. However it has also taken a back seat to the games in Activision's Call of Duty franchise (developed by Infinity Ward, who originally helped to develop Allied Assault). The Medal of Honor series has never strayed from its WWII war theater but that may change according to a rumor in the latest Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine (and referenced at 1Up.com).

According to the story, EA plans to release a new Medal of Honor game in 2009 but instead of hitting the beaches in Normandy or storming the Pacific islands, the franchise will switch to a modern day setting taking place in Afghanistan. This topical switch, if true, will likely raise more than a few highbrows. We wonder if the game will deal directly with the search for 9/11 terrorist Osama Bin Laden. If so, expect to see more than a few critics of the game in the mainstream press.