Editor-in-Chief, RealTechNews
According to a report, a father has mandated to his gamer son that if he wanted to play a game in the Call of Duty (CoD)series, he could do so only if he — and his teammates — observed the Geneva Conventions while doing so.
The Geneva Conventions chiefly address the treatment of non-combatants and prisoners of war. Because of that, I’m not sure where the Geneva Conventions would in fact apply. Perhaps he meant the Geneva Protocol instead, which banned the use of chemical and biological agents. Of course, I don’t remember a point in CoD where that would apply either.
I will admit, I’ve seen torture embodied in other video games in the past, but generally in cut-scenes.
However, at the very least, this was an educational exercise as well. The son was forced to read the Geneva Conventions, and then discuss it with his father, as well as agreeing to follow them in-game.
What a Retard!
The requirement might lead some to think briefly about the ethics of “take no prisoners.”
I don’t know how to read
Those accords also mandate the “humane” way to conduct war; i.e., you’re not supposed to shoot at medics, non-combatants, and historical landmarks (the Laws of Armed Conflict).
Activision to be informed about the new specification required for one to play COD . Man , has he gone crazy ??
Can you even beat CoD: WaW without violating some of these mandates? I remember an objective while playing the Russian campaign where you were required to execute injured Germans to move on. Also that one scene right before entering the Subway under Berlin where you had to choose to kill 3 German prisoners quickly with your gun, or refuse and they would burn alive by molotov cocktail (kind of an ethical lose-lose).
I do give the guy credit for tricking his kid to learn something, albeit the relevance is indeed arguable.