Rumor: Leaked Modern Warfare 2 footage reveals new controversy

Posted Oct 27th 2009 9:00PM by John Callaham
Filed under: FPS, Video, Modern Warfare 2

Modern Warfare 2 is now less that two weeks from release but already leaked footage from the full game have hit the Interwebs. One video in particular seems to show a scene that could get more people upset than the recent reveal that Washington DC is a battleground in the game.

We don't like spoiling major plot points, so if you don't want to know what happens in this allegedly leaked footage, read no further. For the rest of you we will see you after the jump:

Gallery: Modern Warfare 2 Screenshots

The footage apparently shows your character and some AI teammates gunning down unarmed civilians at an airport for several minutes. It's been suggested by some who have seen the footage that your character is a deep undercover operative from the CIA that has found its way to a terrorist unit. It's still pretty disturbing even though the sequence was actually hinted at in the game's first teaser trailer.

We have seen the footage ourselves and can confirm that it does show what is descibed above. However it looks like publisher Activision is quickly taking steps to remove the footage from the Internet for copyright purposes. We've emailed them and Infinity Ward to get their comments.

Tags: activision, activision-blizzard, call-of-duty, call-of-duty-modern-warfare-2, infinity-ward, modern-warfare-2

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Does it really matter? This Modern Warfare will be rated mature just like the last one. Killing people is killing people. Sure, in real life, killing civilians would be MUCH, MUCH worse than killing a terrorist, but this is a videogame. I'm sure anyone who regularly plays mature rated games has killed a civilian before. From Grand Theft Auto, to Elder Scrolls Oblivion we've problably all killed someone who wasn't a bad guy.Posted at 9:42PM on Oct 27th 2009 by Redmist

At least their assets aren't being used by real life terrorists as propaganda (looking in your direction Falout 3/Bethesda).Posted at 9:47PM on Oct 27th 2009 by Jose

"Does it really matter? This Modern Warfare will be rated mature"

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=25819

"In the 11-17 year old boys bracket, Modern Warfare 2 was the most-wanted game with 46 percent."

I've defended GTA, Oblivion, Bioshock, and on and on and on. This MW2 sequence is utterly nauseating, in ways those games don't deream of approaching - by design.

People buying this game for their kids need to know that this isn't even the goofy shit of GTA or the rah-rah war games of MW1. This is a realistic simulation of a deliberate massacre of defenseless men, women, children. Shooting wounded people in the back as they scream over the bodies of other dead, or as they crawl away, or as they try to hide.

It is necessary to the story for this to take place. It's no worse than what's been depicted before in other media. But it is incredibly inappropriate to put this in front of a 12-year-old without there being a lot of discussion between parents and children about the context and ramifications of the characters' actions.

That's not going to happen with MW2, because this is a holiday blockbuster that kids are pestering their parents into buying because omg snowmobiles.

Hot Coffee, the GTA Haitians, Little Sisters, they didn't deserve the mainstream media uproar they got. This does. It's the only way blockheaded parents will ever know what they're getting their kids into.Posted at 12:29AM on Oct 28th 2009 by obo

Are you kidding me? IT'S. A. GAME. Chill out, having fun playing it, see if you can kill two wounded with one bullet. I bet it's an achievement! There's a reason it's Mature rated. And unfortunately, some parents are too dumb/lazy/irresponsible to think "Hey, maybe little Johnny shouldn't be playing this game...maybe we should get him go outside and play." I know that's what my parents would have said (Except it would have been more like "Get your lazy ass outside and stop watching TV").Posted at 3:02AM on Oct 28th 2009 by PirateTheWind

I should add that I really don't want these younger kids playing this game anyway. Not so much the whole 'zomg kill civilians' part (how many people actually play the single player?). It's more of the high pitched annoying voices over XBL. I know, I know, I can mute them, but that's not the point. Posted at 3:05AM on Oct 28th 2009 by PirateTheWind

The sad thing is I bet there are plenty of books that describe the same exact situation (pretty sure I've read a Tom Clancy book where something similar happened), or movies that show a similar situation, yet put it in a videogame and watch people like obo (comment 3) freak out about it.

Kids will always find a way to get their hands on something they shouldn't. It's not the end of the world. My Mom woulden't let me play violent games when I was a kid, but I just went over my friend's house to play Perfect Dark and Golden eye since I wasn't allowed to own them. I turned out fine.

We live in an age where if I had a kid, I'd rather let him play a mature rated game than watch CNN.Posted at 9:35AM on Oct 28th 2009 by Redmist

I've played thousands of games at this point. I have also been involved in many relationships where raising someone else's child became part of my responsibilities. My point is this: If you issue with this content in MW2 is because of children, then go to ur local outlet and complain. Go to a PTA meeting and complain. I'm a 26 year old who has every right to buy this game and anything contained. Kids will always want what the adults have the right to. Underage drinking, pornography, or cigarettes... all of these items are far more dangerous for a child to have. Yet, we listen to everyone cry "bloody murder" at a game. Come on folks, grow a spine already!Posted at 11:17AM on Oct 28th 2009 by twytch

Oh, bother. Another group of worried adults. Why not complain about Fable II? You sacrifice and kill people in that. You can commit adultry? Have sex? The point of MW2 is entertainment. It's been serving it's purpose for many games before this one. It will continue to do just as well without you overly-protective people buying it. "I'm boycotting!" Oh, really? We'll scratch you off of the list of oh, I don't know.. 500,000 people that have already preordered it? If not more? You're putting a big dent in their profit margin there, buddy.

If there is by chance a part in the actual game where you murder innocent civilians, then hey, it's what you have to do.

The game was made with the gamer in mind, not the parent worrying about what their kid is doing. Advice? Don't want your kid playing violent games? Lock them in the basement, take away the light switch and beat them daily. Other than that, you're pretty screwed.

We have the RIGHT to play that particularly scene in the game. Well, about as much as you do to bitch about it. :)

I for one, will enjoy the massacre. I'm aiming for the women/children first.

Enjoy MW2 - Happy headshot! Good hunting.

Shawn.Posted at 3:26PM on Oct 28th 2009 by Shawn

particular*Posted at 3:27PM on Oct 28th 2009 by Shawn

its this sort of bullshit thats plagued gaming for australians like me, recently with left4dead 2's ban

adults shouldn't have to suffer from censorship because of supposed poor parenting, just like anything.

its a parents responsibility to keep these things away from thier children, gaming is simply unfairly targeted all the time

this whole parents are stuipid and need to ruin things arguement is really old and pretty shitty, fucking hell fuck this fuck you and your bullshit

there are so many games that depict more brutal violence then anything MW2 will

go fuck yourselfPosted at 9:46PM on Oct 28th 2009 by Adra

I would have to agree with the above mentioned post, sort of.

Though, has anyone actually realized that you do not have to take part in the airport scene?

Yes, it's a part of the game. You may however decide to stand there and not fire a shot, unless you're being shot at.

You've got your sights set on a video-game. What about the movies? Eg: Transformers: Rise Of The Fallen. The robots make gay jokes, call people names, use foul language, and show some girl basically trying to take her clothes off for Sam. (She was not human, sorry to spoil it.)

Though, the point remains the same. Do not target something the majority of the population enjoys. You will lose, horribly.

I both see and understand your concern with this particular part of the game. It may look and have similarities relating to something that IS real. - It's not. Similarities are just that.

Regardless of age or gender, if someone wants this game, they will eventually find a way to obtain it with or without parental consent.

Worrying about what is going on in the gaming industry and targetting the developers will get you nowhere. Why don't you turn on the news and watch current events, or something like CNN. Guess what? Your child can get a face full of brutality and gore from that, more-so than this video-game.

Video-games have entertainment value, so long as you/the child can separate the game from reality. In real life, you don't get hit by a frag, and shot with ak47's and just walk away waiting for a health boost.

Instead, let's focus on something important.

-

Your child's grip of reality, and yours.

Thanks.

Shawn.Posted at 10:52AM on Oct 29th 2009 by Shawn

What pisses me off is Modern Warfare 2 can do this, but the developers of 6 days in Fallujah had to fold since no publisher would touch their game.

I think parents should complain about their lack of dedicated servers, and so should their children, and so should I.Posted at 1:11PM on Oct 29th 2009 by Solice

The lack of dedicated servers is yet another concern. You make MILLIONS off of us, yet can't afford to spend, what? $300/mo x 10-20? For decent servers, with decent connections? What if we stop buying your games until you decide to do so?

I for one am tired of making these profiteering fucks richer, when they rip us off and take things from us we have the right to utilize, just so they can cut costs.

After MW2, I'm pretty sure I'm done buying any form of 360 game for a while.

They're intentionally/unintentionally slowly killing the gaming scene. If you think about it, though. They're producing the same games, with different titles now. Prototype = GTA/Saints Row with shape shifting and monsters. Vampire Rain = Splinter Cell but with vampires for the most part. Every game is nearly about the same exact thing.

Can we branch out and try something new for once? I'd rather play a damn cooking game than another one of those cheesy RPG style games. FFS KuF: Circle Of Doom. Uh, Oblivion/Morrowind rip off much? You play the same levels repetitively. Just with different modes. I saw no randomly generated maps as they stated on the cover.

My point is this: Stop remaking games with different maps/themes, the shit is boring us.

Parents: Stop attacking our games as if you have any right to. Control your children, be a parent and stop incessantly fucking bitching. Wah wah, little Timmy's killing people on his game. Better than in real life, yeah? Then shut up.

Infinity Ward/Every gaming company: Do not take away things which make our gaming decent. You're only fucking it up for all of us. We're tired of being ripped off as it is.

The rest of you; Sup? :)Posted at 5:26PM on Oct 29th 2009 by Shawn

We had war here in Croatia recently and i can say, from first hand, that there are no civilians in real conflicts. Young soldier died because he didn't want to shoot some women that attacked him with farm tools - he step on mine while trying to calm them. Serbian airplane dropped a bomb on nearby school - many children died. Here is some photos from my town taken during the war: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHoP-ru-Ams
Nobody there was playing violent computer games that made him do this...Posted at 4:41AM on Oct 31st 2009 by cile

HA give me a break when i was a kid i was allowed to watch horror movies bloody movies hell my dad was a gamer so we would play mortal kombat together laughing at the fatalities. My point is if you dont want your kids to get jacked up see what they are doing and explain to them that it is a game. Damn parents blaming everyone but themselves about their kids not understanding what they see in the media.Posted at 6:30PM on Nov 4th 2009 by bronxnynja

Yeah, they blame gaming for brutality and personality disorders. Did you ever think your kid was just born fucked up? If they cannot separate reality from something they play for entertainment, you failed as a parent. You obviously were not competent enough to explain the difference between real and fake, light and dark, etc.

Also, they're now attacking the fact that some Phillies player got blown up in the game and some 'homophobic' bullshit.

Bitch all you want, the game drops in, what? Four days at midnight? lol. MASSACRE MASSACRE!Posted at 2:02PM on Nov 5th 2009 by Shawn