In what’s looking like a weekly occurrence, Infinity Ward has gone completely off the deep end and pissed off a large number folks with the latest promotional video for Modern Warfare 2. This latest video features the Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels in a mock PSA warning against grenade spam in Modern Warfare 2. The video comes across very much like Rooster Teeth’s Halo PSAs and is moderately funny until the last few seconds. Where things go awry is the acronym used in the very end of the video: “Fight Against Grenade Spam.” Yes that’s right F.A.G.S.
Last week it was terrorists killing civilians, the week before it was dedicated servers on PC, now they’re posting a YouTube video featuring a homophobic punchline! Clearly IW is pandering to the largest portion of their fan base, the ignorant unwashed masses of Xbox Live. These are the same folks that will freely use the n-word, f*g, h*mo, etc. It’s as if they were somehow concerned that the game wasn’t going to reach the widest possible audience, now they’ve ensured their success by appealing to the lowest common denominator.
In response to the video, some of the fine folks posting in the IW formus have shared these nugets of wisdom:
we’re all FAGS buddies here.
except dramatic prarie dog, he hates FAGS
kill all FAGS
You are interpreting us as Faggets, not FAGS.
But you can still join us FAGS…
mean seriously, if FAGS were fags they would be running around with dildos in their buttholes, but no..
FAGS are great people, but fags don’t seem to think so.
I hate fags
up with FAGS
down with fags!
According to GayGamer.net a couple of Infinity Ward employees have responded and claimed that the video was not produced by the studio.
“I suppose that is a bit naive to think on my part. While this video was not produced by us, it was for us, and I apologize that I didn’t catch that reference in advance.”
The video was uploaded onto YouTube by user, “Infinity Ward”. Uh huh. The video is clearly professional and is using in-game footage with customized character models and voice-over. It’s impossible to believe that this video was produced without their direct collaboration and approval. IW needs to come out with a direct apology that explains their involvement with its production along with pulling the video. It’s unconscionable that a AAA game studio would distribute something this despicable.
Thanks Infinity Ward for encouraging homophobia and hate speech to promote your game. I hope this has helped you sell another couple of million copies of Modern Warfare 2. This kind of rhetoric is nothing new on the Internet, pop culture or via Xbox Live in-game chat. What is new is seeing it passively endorsed by a top tier game developer. We still have a couple of weeks before the game releases. The only thing they could do to top this is to start killing kittens.
Thanks to NG user, Pyroph for the heads up on this story.
[Update: User Infinity Ward has removed the YouTube video. It looks like they got the message. Apology TBD. Infinity Ward's community manager Robert Bowling has posted a quick summary of his thoughts via Twitter.]
Wow, my respect for members of the gaming industry seems to be come lower with each passing day.
Video is gone. New link here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSfl-NzXfiw
I found this absolutely repulsive. It’s bad enough to hear morons on Xbox Live and the PSN spewing that word like nothing, but to see developers utilizing the word and basically condoning it is quite frankly disguisting. I’m not the oversensitive, ultra-pc type, either, but this is worth standing up for. Unbelievable.
They really just don;t give a crap about people anymore. They’re just seeing the $$$ roll in. It’s depressing.
Wow, MW 2 could have easily have been GOTW. But these constant chips away at anything remotely close to “Good” PR have nuked any chance from orbit.
This game needs to go beyond what Legend of Zelda: OOT did to even come close and I don’t think IW have it in them to do that.
What’s the big deal about a cigarette reference in a video, I mean sure they give cancer but this is a bit over-board
Yet another reason not to buy the generic shooter that is COD.
Awesome.
I was kind of on the fence about buying it.
The price hike made me extremely reluctant, but I did want to try out the single player.
However, looks like my decision is pretty easy to make now.
No thanks guys.
I thought it was kinda funny.
Whatever, I’m not super sensitive about any of that though. I take everything with a grain of salt.
On the plus side, EA might be feeling good that someone’s taken the heat of that whole sexual harassment and bribery thing they had going with Dante’s Inferno.
@P Marsh On the contrary, my inside sources are telling me that in the last 24 hours, EA has been rounding up gays and lesbians to burn in a pit to represent the 8th circle of hell, Fraud. They are quite angry that IW is trying to outdue them.
@Controllersauras Heeeheeheehee
I have a tough time thinking of this as a “PR Blunder.” Getting blogs to cover a bad joke repeatedly for free isn’t a “PR Blunder.” It is going to do the opposite of dent sales.
Ron Workman ladies and gentlemen. I’m guessing you prescribe to the any press is good press? Does MW2 really need this kind of press going into an unprecedented, almost guaranteed record-breaking first week of sales?
You know thats the problem with people nowadays. IW doesnt hate gay people, they were just trying to make some laughs. I thought it was fucking hilaious and I wish more devs would do the same kind of jokes. Thats all it is “ladies and gentlemen.”Just jokes. Get over it and go to work so you can legitemately buy the game instead of pirating like a fat and lazy slob.
There are lots of us here at NG that are still behind the game and plan to buy, play and enjoy MW2 on day one. That’s not the story here. If you replaced the letters, F.A.G.S. with something else equally offensive to a different group of people would it be more or less acceptable? The point isn’t that we’re all upright politically correct pricks. The issue is that it’s a lame joke and honestly shocking coming from such a (formerly) revered developer. I’m glad you had a good laugh watching the video. You’re entitled to it, just as we’re entitled to think they went too far. OPINIONS!
There was nothing in that video about hating gay people, guess you didnt see the new south park episode last week, FAG doesnt mean gay anymore it means biker.
Taking Fight Against Grenade Spam and labeling it homophobic has only helped promote Modern Warfare 2 even more. I personally would never have seen this promotional video if it were not for the homosexual community’s complaint.
Nick:
I disagree that the furore is the response of the homosexual community; i’m not gay, I find this pandering to ignorant teenagers pretty much sums up how the PR company sees their target market.
I’ll never be able to score a headshot with so much moral certainty again.
Well, at least nobody bought the game.
Yeah, 4.7 million nobodies.