GameStop Will Not Promote Medal of Honor on Military Bases
If Electronic Arts didn’t already enough trouble about the latest reboot of their Medal of Honor franchise, it turns out the used game giant GameStop will no longer have anything to do with the game on US military bases throughout the country.
In an email sent out to all GameStop locations and then later obtained by Kotaku, the retailer made the decision “out of respect for our past and present men and women in uniform.” The email then reads,
“GameStop has agreed out of respect for our past and present men and women in uniform we will not carry Medal of Honor in any of our AAFES based stores… As such, GameStop agreed to have all marketing material pulled by noon today and to stop taking reservations. Customers who enter our AAFES stores and wish to reserve Medal of Honor can and should be directed to the nearest GameStop location off base. GameStop fully supports AAFES in this endeavor and is sensitive to the fact that in multiplayer mode one side will assume the role of Taliban fighter.”
While EA has already made a statement concerning why their game includes playing as the Taliban, it seems to be going over the heads of their opposition. The silver lining in this whole debacle at least GameStop is not boycotting the sale of Medal of Honor altogether. What do you think? Is GameStop taking the most tactful route by not selling the game on bases or are they just caving to social pressure? Let us know in the comments below. Stay tuned to PlayStation LifeStyle for any more news on this growing subject.
20 Responses to “GameStop Will Not Promote Medal of Honor on Military Bases”
This is stupid. It actually makes me want to buy the game even more now. I know I’m not going to play it as much as BFBC2 but I’m buying this out of spite now.
Yeah I agree with infekt, this is so stupid. The only reason i might not get this game is because BFBC2 is so awesome. But I am pretty sure this game is going to be a lot of fun, if they fix the problems with the Beta then i know it will be an awesome game.
I hate that they are caving. they are far too transparent. they act like they care, but only on military basses. it should be all or nothing. i dont think its any more disrespectful than the police on gta4 this is complete bullshit IMO, but I dont own a chain of gamestops. they are basicly saying, selling this game would be a slap in the face to our troops, so we are only going to do it behind their backs.
Sensitive people are the worst.
I can see maybe pulling the adverts on the bases, but not being able to preorder it that is a bit too much.
does anyone else see the possibility of Activision starting this whole thing to make their competition look bad? I know that’s a pretty good conspiracy theory, but I honestly wouldn’t put it past them.
It just seems strange to me that Modern Warfare was never criticized in this way even though parts of the game are based in the Middle East and you can play as terrorists in multiplayer. Truly the only difference is that Medal of Honor is actually referring to their game as being a realistic depiction of the war, actually calling their enemy the Taliban, but it’s like like we don’t all think of the current war in Iraq when we are playing any current war game with terrorists.
BFBC2 is a boring game. l’m hoping this game will be better
Man. When I hear news like these it makes me so much more excited for the game. Last controversial news I heard from a game was Resident Evil 5. I can expect Medal Of Honor being on the news when its released. Can’t wait to get my hands on Medal Of Honor Limited Edition on the Midnight Launch
judging by the beta this game is going to suck HARD. Bad Company 2 is still a fantastic game in my eyes.
@Jonathan Leack
I argree/disagree, I always hate/Like people who can’t pick a side!
@ICU
theyre not really doing anything ‘behind their backs’ if the actual employees are directing them to other stores where they can buy or pre order it. I really dont care much about what gamestop does and dont have a high interest for this game.
Maybe gamestop does have somewhat of a conscience and thats the reason as to why theyre doing what theyre doing. Just an assumption, but im pretty sure those who have posted here so far arent in the military. Im not either. Maybe a majority of military people do find it offensive..? does anybody know for sure?
I know if i served in Iraq and came back severely wounded mentally or physically, or some of my commrades, id be a little more “sensitive” and probably pissed that a company is taking something (in this case the war) where so many have died and suffered just for their own monetary gain.
Again im not taking sides, and this doesnt affect me on a personal level, but that doesnt mean it doesnt for others who have truly experienced the horrors of war. Just thinking from both sides, thats all.
Well it does seem like a smart move to me though if this is the case I feel sorry for anyone in the militery who dosen’t find this offensive, could you imagine a soldier trying to buy this game with he’s friends, you know having to pretend he only wants to know so he can shout abuse at the store owners.
I guarantee there aren’t many actual military personnel who find this offensive, only the people in charge of press releases and handling the media are speaking against this because they were told they should be
i say who cares about what peoples are going though. it this was the real case, then why not such a big deal with all war games… ww1 and ww2 and games that portray scenerios of other wars that the U.S. has fought in. Why all of a sudden this game? Thats just bull shit i say. if people are going to be considerate of the men and women that fought in the iraq war, then they should of did the same for the folks that fought in the other wars.
@giese
You are correct, and I say this as an active military soldier that has deployed twice. Everybody knows there’s a lot of military that play MW2 and Counter Strike, that will play either side. In actual training exercises, soldiers LOVE being Opfor (Opposing Force) and taking out other soldiers. They’re being the opposite of respectful by not carrying the game at AAFES. They should give us a discount, THAT’S RESPECTFUL! Or free DLC.
Horrible marketing strategy, trying to play to the civilians’ heartstings. I’m glad most of them are smarter than that. You lose yet another round, Gamestop.
@Blakk
It really doesn’t matter. They’re just trying to stir up controversy to boost up sales.
I hope this doesn’t affect reviews of the game or hurt sales of the game come when it comes out next month. I am not in the military but did have a grandfather who served in WW2 as a cook aboard a ship. I do feel bad for those who have gone to war and come back with images of war in their head or wounded from the war and would find this offensive to them as they are on the front lines putting their lives on the line for us every single day.
This is just war hating whiners making stink again. They are to scared to fight for their freedom and when we train to kill with realism they say it is to hard to see. Well when they have been captured by those same Terrorists or Taliban they start crying for the Army to save their butts. But when we do and kill their captors they cry that we killed them before they got killed…
It is nothing more than idiots crying about their lack of manhood to fight for themselves. Peace can only be had if you are at Peace with your innerself not when there is no turmoil around you. What they call Peace is not true Peace and only lasts until someone with a bigger gun kills you and takes it away from you… If your Peace is based on internal serenity it can last far past any external forces.
So shut the hell up and play the game. It is just a bunch of electronic dots on a screen.
@giese
Really what makes you say that? I’m not calling you out or anything I just wondered out of curiosity
@SPD55
The secertery of defence in the UK is a war hating whiner? I’d say it’s more or less the higher ups in the war industry/gold star mums getting all annoyed. The only thing that annoys me is like Giese said how do they know the actual soldiers are annoyed with this game? It’s not fair to assume they hate the game,
In fact from what I heard it gives a real in-depth look as to what a real war would be like, I’d have thought soldiers would like a game like that in context to one that gives a bubblewrap child’s idea of war. (Here’s looking at you COD)
Though this is the right move, these guys are just concerned about the people in charge calling for them to closed intill they ban the game outright, as long as it’s not sitting there in their face they don’t have to worry about trying to get the game banned.
I just hope these guys calling for the game to be banned won’t dish out punishments to any soldiers caught playing Medal of Honour.
Not like it really matters…
I mean seriously, does anyone think this is going to effect the game sales at all? I guess they are just trying to save themselves the headache and simply caving in to the pressure. Sure, they might look bad in the eyes of gamers for caving in, but at the same time they get some good media for those overly sensitive people. In all the game is still going to sell regardless and the only difference is that it will be a little less convenient for those living in the bases.